A CAUSE OF SAM CONFUSION
Who’s that girl? MARION McMULLEN takes a look back at an identity crisis on the set of EastEnders 20 years ago
FANS know anything can happen on a TV soap and Sam Mitchell’s return to EastEnders in 2002 had viewers looking twice. Kim Medcalf took over the role from Danniella Westbrook and made her debut as Sam on the BBC hit 20 years ago on January 28.
The comeback saw the Albert Square resident return to the UK from Spain, ready to stir things up.
Her new incarnation was a more mature woman with an enterprising mind and business acumen. The role led to Kim winning the best newcomer statuette at the National Television Awards.
Kim studied law at Bristol University before turning to acting and EastEnders was her first professional TV role. Her stint on the show saw her romanced by Steve Owen (Martin Kemp), Beppe di Marco (Michael Greco) and Trevor Morgan Alex Ferns).
Kim quit the soap after three years and left with a massive bang with Sam digging up Dirty Den Watts’s body from under the Queen Vic and then being accused of murdering him.
Of course,viewers knew the real culprit was his ex Chrissie Watts.
When Chrissie was eventually exposed, Sam was released but faced prison again for perverting the course of justice, so fled to Brazil while on bail.
Kim said: “While you’re in EastEnders you’re on this constant treadmill and you don’t have time to plan or think about your future.”
She has gone on to appear on stage in productions like The Vagina Monologues, ITV series Harley Street, as well as BBC dramas Missing and Collateral. But you can’t keep a good soap character down and Sam returned to EastEnders in 2009, shocking viewers and love rival Bianca Jackson (Patsy Palmer) with Danniella Westbrook back in the role of Sam. Her first words were “Some things never change, do they, Bianca?”.