Interview Sam Womack

The prison doors have swung open to usher Sam Womack’s Ronnie Mitchell back into EastEnders.

And Sam says she’s thrilled to be back in the Square as she felt she wasn’t done.

“It was bugging me that she’d lost her way and I really wanted her to come back and gain strength,” confides the 40-year-old show favourite who was at the centre of the shocking baby kidnap storyline.

“I felt she was unfinished business.

“Definitely she needed a rest. I felt she couldn’t stay on screen with the situation that happened.”

Ronnie finds herself faced with Kat (Jessie Wallace) at the jail and Sam says there was a real ring of authenticity.

“It was made even more menacing because we were in a real prison.

“All the sounds of the doors and locks and bolts really help in terms of that first entrance back into the real world.

“It felt quite surreal in that environment.”

Although she played Ronnie for three years it took a little while to get back into the swing of things.

“It’s been really strange because I’d just finished doing the comedy Mount Pleasant and the character I play in that show is so different,” explains Sam.

“Tanya is very big and smiley and over the top, and I only had about three days between that job and coming back to the Square.

“At first I assumed I would slip back in but I felt completely unprepared.”

Sam admits having the first scenes with pal Scott Maslen Jack was a huge help.

They’re such close mates that Scott’s son Zac and Sam’s son Ben hang out together at Sam’s house.

“Ben and Zac were born four weeks apart on the 25th of the month and they’re very similar in looks as well as age.

“They find it deeply embarrassing when we’re on screen together. They can’t bear it, especially the kissing scenes.”

Just as Sam returns, Scott is preparing to end his time in Walford and Sam says they’ll have a nice send-off together.

“We’ll do something mature like dinner which I’ll end up cooking for sure!”