I don't know, it's just rumours at this point.

What actual evidence have you to say that Sam's left though? The fact he's not tweeted about work recently hardly means he's left?

There isn't loads of evidence, it's just a feeling a few of us have. I started a thread here about it with reasons:

http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2024674

I really do want to be proved wrong but as nobody is denying it, I'm just getting myself a bit worked up.

Just echoing everyone on this forum

I followed his sister on Twitter a while back and she re-followed me. I've never tweeted her but I was thinking of sending her a DM asking her if it was true that he'd left or whether we was all just putting 2+2 together and making 10. but wasn't sure if it was rude asking her. Just want to know now as its annoying no one at EE saying anything

I personally wouldn't as his sister is quite young and it doesn't sit comfortably with me to ask people who aren't professionally involved in EE. But it's up to you.

Yeah you're probably right. If he has left it must be part of a storyline which is why know one is really saying anything. They might want to try and keep it quiet. Also I've looked on his Wikipedia today one minute its said he had left, then my screen froze when I managed to refresh it it said 2013- present again and all of a sudden there was a new paragraph added 'personal life' which had pretty much everything about him. his hight weight, shoe size etc.... was strange not really sure how Wikipedia works and whether its an official thing or not

Maybe his agent was updating it? That does sound strange though.

If anyone on here has Twitter, please tweet DTC, the official EE account and anyone else you can think of that's linked to the show. We need to show them that word is spreading so they can't keep ignoring us. But if it is part of a story then yes, they may be trying to keep it quiet. Or maybe a press statement is going to be released any day now.

I understand that people are concerned that Sam does not appear to be active at the moment but we have no facts to suggest he is leaving,

The main reason to be optimistic is that the Ben and Johnny storyline is just starting and there is no evidence that EE are holding back on the story. If Sam was leaving they might have edited out scenes and played it down as it would look odd if Johnny suddenly left the square. Harry has done another interview and it seems like the storyline is going to run.

I suspect EE asked Sam to sign an extension to his contract in the summer and I don't think they would have run with this storyline if he had said he wanted to leave.


I

Just seen Maddy's Twitter that they're in rehearsals for children in need and Sam tweeted that he's going to see 'the blackout' tonight so he's obviously not involved 😔 starting to make sense now him following a load of casting agents on Twitter and putting a link to his spotlight.com profile in his bio, also thinking back to the day before Sam went to Cornwall (the last day he was at work) I rember seeing Danny dyers daughter's Twitter and Instagram she posted pictures of Sam( who had a rucksack with him in one pic) and most of the carters in a bar didn't think nothing of it then but now looking back I'mthinking it could of been a leaving party for Sam. Hope I'm reading to much into all this...... 😩😩😩

Well whether he's left or not, it's fairly obvious he won't be doing CIN tomorrow as the cast are rehearsing tonight and he's at a gig. Another thing I'm reading too much into. You'd think they'd want as many of their younger cast there as possible.

Someone on Twitter is saying that DTC spoke to a fan outside of the studio today who asked him if he'd left, and he said Sam was just on leave. So I'm hoping that's true.

Reading the panic and worry on here could worry anyone I don't think it's anything to worry about - there's been no announcement (even though he's not really a big character, I'm pretty sure something would have been announced).

Anyway, he's playing a fairly large part in next week's storylines, so it wouldn't make sense for him just to vanish after that. And I'd be surprised if he didn't feature at all in the Carter reveals over Christmas time. Let's just keep optimistic!

I think that party MIGHT have been the release party for that film that DD's daughter and Danny-Boy are in, but I'm not 100% sure.

I think the biggest thing for me is that there have been quite a few tweets today to Sam and DTC as well as others but nobody has denied anything. If it was false then would it really be that difficult for them to give a quick reply to deny it?

Hope that's true 🙏
I obviously don't want him to leave but if I'm being honest im gonna be pissed if he hasn't left....so many people have tweeted dtc and other people that work on the show and they've all just ignored the tweets. It's like they enjoying all this I get if has left and they wanted to keep it quiet because of a storyline. but if hasn't left then it's just pure ignorant!!

Typed the above before I'd seen this like I say if he hasn't left then it just rude not to reply it would take 30 seconds tops just a simple yes or no

Worth noting that Sam doesn't ever reply to 'fan' type messages on twitter, so I don't think it's unusual him not responding in person. And sorry jhen the pedant in me can't help but correct: ignorant does not mean someone who ignores someone it means someone who is lacking in knowledge.

I'm like 99.9% sure he isn't leaving. Even if he is, a lack of social media talk about his job and response from the EE twitter page shouldn't lead you to that conclusion; they'd very likely not respond to random fans - if DS or someone were to get in touch, maybe....

EastEnders actors are entitled to time off, and Sam Strike has been on-screen as Johnny consistently all year. Actors get approx 4 weeks maximum off (characters can be off-screen for longer i.e. Denise hasn't been seen since 30/09 and those cases are often down to special circumstance/requested longer leave).

There've been times when Johnny's not been seen for a few weeks but Sam will have been working consistently. The show is filmed out of sequence and the Carter's have had A LOT of scenes, so even if Johnny's been off-screen, Sam will still have been working regularly due to the bulk of the job.

I'd wager his recent time-off has been due time off. It's a little concerning that it seems to have been around the Xmas filming but again, I'd tack a lack of social media interaction with a pinch of salt. No reason to worry.

Johnny's getting a storyline again soon anyway

If you actually read what I put i NEVER said Sam I said 'so many people have tweeted dtc and other people that work on the show and they've all just ignored the tweets" And yea I reailised I put ignorant a little while after I posted it then it wouldn't let me edit it 😳

Thanks, this is a good post and makes sense. I'm going to try and be more positive about this all as this worrying isn't good for anyone.

Radio Times confirming Sam's exit from the show with a BBC statement. I'm surprised, I knew he wouldn't stick around but I thought he would give it 2 years and be the show's star vehicle before his exit.

Gutted about this, shame, he has been given a lack of storylines since his arrival imo!

Absolutely gutted.

Sounds like it was Sam's decision, at least. Makes sense now why they've been trying to recapture a coming out storyline with Ben, but it just isn't the same.

I really wish Sam all the best for the future.

Ugh, this sucks.

a true shame... didn't think it with all these threads about it- was in denial.. (

Any time frame of when he leaves exactly? Hopefully he gets a good exit!