EastEnders has confirmed that Kim Medcalf will be reprising her role of Sam Mitchell for a short stint this Christmas.
Sam has been away from Walford for almost two years, but in that time, her nemesis Zoe Slater has returned to the Square. The pair haven't seen each other for 20 years, after Sam took responsibility for Den Watts' murder, despite Zoe also being involved.
Will Sam's return see the character pursue revenge on Zoe, or will the pair be able to put their differences aside after the time that has passed? It remains to be seen whether Sam's return will be welcomed by her family, but the situation she returns to means she will need their support more than ever.
A post on the soap's Instagram teased Sam's return, quoting Medcalf as saying: "It's such a joy to be asked to come back to EastEnders, especially as it's the festive period and you know there will always be plenty of fireworks.
"I love the character of Sam, she always causes drama wherever she goes, but she also has that vulnerable side too, which is great to play. It's also lovely being back on set with the fantastic cast and to see old friends and new faces."
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Ben Wadey, EastEnders Executive Producer added: "I'm delighted to welcome Kim Medcalf back to EastEnders for a short stint later this year. It's no secret that wherever Sam Mitchell goes, drama inevitably follows, and with ex-accomplice Zoe Slater back in the Square, only time will tell if there is space for forgiveness between the pair, or whether battle lines will be drawn."
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Digital Spy first reported on Sam's potential return at the start of October, when an eagle-eyed fan spotted someone who appeared to be Medcalf on the set of the soap. At the time, an EastEnders spokesperson declined to comment on the reports, but her return has now been officially confirmed by this latest post.
Sam will be the latest character to return to the soap, after Jake Wood as Max, and Max Bowden as Ben Mitchell, both made appearances following their initial departures.
EastEnders airs on Mondays-Thursdays at 7.30pm on BBC One. The show also streams on BBC iPlayer, where most episodes drop early at 6am ahead of their TV broadcast.