EastEnders: Danniella Westbrook tells BBC ‘my legal team will be in touch’ after recasting character

Actor last played part of Sam Mitchell in 2016

(Getty/Shutterstock)

Danniella Westbrook has threatened legal action against the BBC for recasting her EastEnders character.

The actor originally played Peggy Mitchell’s daughter Sam on the long-running soap in the 1990s.

She left EastEnders in 1996 when struggling with drug addiction, but was later written back into the show.

Westbrook, however, was asked to leave the soap again in 2000, with Kim Medcalf taking on the role when she was reintroduced from 2002 to 2005. Westbrook then reprised the part of Sam from 2009 to 2010 and most recently played her in 2016.

On Saturday (29 January), it was announced that Sam would be returning to EastEnders as a regular character with Medcalf playing the role.

On Sunday (30 January), Westbrook tweeted: “Well well well who knew [cry-laughing emojis] all I can say is thanks looks like I dodged a bullet [prayer hands emoji].

“Wishing kym [sic] the best of luck at @BBCEastenders__  yet again this poor woman has to recreate a Samantha Mitchell as close to my last two recent come backs on the square go smash it darling.

“Oh but not to @bbceastenders my legal team will be in touch to know why when I held the @bbceastenders contract too the last two times the character bounced in &out on a ratings or stint. For the record I was never sacked or dismissed and saw out both contracts one of them even being extended for episodes.”

She continued: “It’s great 2 C the same level of care standards & loyalty 2 @bbceastenders you bang on about having and giving to both new  & old members of cast is still going as strong then as it always has… not just me as  Sam that needs replacing I’d look closer to the top of the show and cut that dead wood after all it’s all about evolving.”

The BBC declined The Independent’s request for comment.

Discussing her return to EastEnders, Medcalf said: “When the BBC approached me last year to reprise the role of Sam I was thrilled.

“She’s a brilliant character and I can’t wait to get back in the Square this spring and work with the amazing cast of both familiar and new faces.”

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