They weren't iconic in any way shape or form .
They were also-rans and their absense will allow for fresh new blood and less boring repetitive "We fell out...we made up...we fell out ...we made " story lines .

She'll probably bitch about the show like she did when she left in 2011.

Who cares. More gutted Simons went.

I agree. I thought Roxy had more mileage. Look at the changes in Stacey, Kim etc.

There was definitely more mileage in Roxy.

+1

I really don't think she means it that way. It's just hard for her when she's been part of EastEnders for a long time.



Sam seems like she really enjoyed playing Ronnie and is naturally sad to say goodbye, but it was a very memorable exit for her and Rita both.

What I don't like is that in todays age it's hard to get longterm characters and yet producers axe actors that are happy to stay in the long run.

This thought crossed my mind too. That would be so cruel though!

In all the alternate endings, Roxy died. So if that's the case, it'll have only been Ronnie/Sam waiting to find out if the door is kept open or not.

I'm pretty sure we'll see Sam back on our screens sooner than later. She's had a career in TV since the 90s.

Exactly. I hate when they write off characters for actors who haven't decided to leave (and have been in the soap for a long time). Cause then what's the point of killing them off? It only creates drama for a few days then it wears off.
What a waste.

These were two big characters. It seems delusional of anyone to think they'll just be forgotten about. They'll no doubt be remembered and no Louise or Mark or Courtney will change that. The past has shown that new characters have a very difficult time being accepted and they never seem to replace the old ones. It'd be like saying Pieggy would have been forgotten about just because the Mitchells had Roxy or Ronnie. No they're very different characters and big characters are never forgotten.

There's been a lot of fresh blood over the last few years but only in a few cases has it worked. There's a reason they keep bringing back old characters because those are who the audience connects with. The rest people don't care whether they come or go.

You don't think they were iconic but clearly a lot of people think they do so...

Exactly. Brendan in Hollyoaks is an iconic character who the fans wld have loved for him to stay but the actor who played him left and was given a fantastic exit which was ruined at the end but he will never return. Sam Womack and Rita Simon didnt want to leave but were forced to go. Makes no sense when they keep loads of boring characters.

BIB - How so?

Of course they do, but that's not exactly what been said here.

Womack is probably emotionally attached to the character of Ronnie, especially as an actor who came in to play a character with a complicated and detailed backstory. It's not like she just came in to play some short term love interest to another character.

It's similar to authors who get attached to their characters and even cry when they kill them off. They are fictional characters of course but they do lodge themselves into your thoughts and feelings.

Of course a person who is not sentimental might have trouble understanding that sort of thing, but I doubt people like that become writers or actors very often.

Not to mention whatever bonds she's made in real life through playing Ronnie - it's all a part of it. That's likely what she means when she says she's heartbroken about it, not heartbroken about losing a job.

Could be a twist in this?

She's messing 😉

You're 100% right!


Yes definately was short sighted. LOL at your fake death storyline


Absolutely. Why couldn't SOC see this?

Not really.

Both had jobs for 7/9 years. Womack was allowed time off on multiple occasions to undertake other projects. Other than panto soaps don't usually allow that kind of thing.

None of the actors are guaranteed a contract renewal. Pam St. Clement asked that the show wouldn't kill Pat off and they did.

There's always a chance an incoming producer won't feel an attachment to your character.

These two hadn't really earnt untouchable status and that isn't always taken into account when it is earnt either - ask Michelle Collins, Gillian Taylforth (I know she's back now but still...) and Pam St. Clement.

These are two Mitchells who never existed until they were created to fill an empty Mitchell space. Archie never existed, the other brother did, I will never understand why they didn't just bring his family in.

They were characters that went round in circles and Roxy did a complete 360 and died with a cocaine habit just like she came in with one. Also why should they be treated any different to any other characters just because they are Mitchell's.

100% this.

Of course it's completely understandable that Sam Womack would be upset - she's played Ronnie for a decade and has been alongside Rita for that entire time. It's the end of an era for them.

The Mitchell sisters had to come to an end at some point, and they've been past their best and retreading old stories for at least a couple of years already. It's good that they've gone out with a bang;. this way their exit will always be remembered. Anybody on here claiming that R&R were the foundations of the show is being silly. The show existed for more than two decades before they arrived, and will go on after their deaths too.

Roxy did have a few more months left in her character.

Ronnie could have died on her wedding day, maybe saving Roxy, after all, she has spent her life 'saving' her sister.

Roxy's drug storyline could have gotten darker as she wouldn't have been able to cope with the loss of her sister.

She could have temporarily been paired with max.

If they really wanted to kill Roxy off, they could have had a shock drug overdose story in the summer.

Ronnie dying whilst saving Roxy one last time
Roxy dying in a self destructive way

A lot more in keeping with the characters IMO

Fabulous post, bass55 and I concur everything you said. It's bittersweet that R and R died but their exits will always be remembered and will go down in history. Their final scene was haunting and beautifully directed but O'Connor should be commended for giving them a powerful exit instead of writing them out quietly. Eg: Kyle.

Completely agree.