Sam Mitchell is the third member of the Mitchell family to be introduced, Sam first appears as a 15-year-old school girl in July 1990, played by Danniella Westbrook. Westbrook quit in 1993, but was reintroduced from 1995–1996 and from 1999–2000. In 2002, the character is reintroduced for a fourth time, but the role was recast to another actress, Kim Medcalf. Medcalf left the role in 2005. However, in September 2009, Westbrook reprised her role as Sam for several months, departing in January 2010. She returns again from August until September 2010.
Portrayed as headstrong, flirty and manipulative, early storylines featuring Sam concentrate on her teen elopment with Ricky Butcher (Sid Owen). She goes on to be involved with topless modelling, various family crises, relationships, feuds, and a short-lived marriage to Andy Hunter (Michael Higgs). Her exit in 2005 is the culmination of a storyline that sees Sam wrongly imprisoned for Den Watts' (Leslie Grantham) murder. Sam is cleared of murder and released, but she flees the country to escape another prison sentence for perverting the course of justice. Her brief return in 2009 sees Sam resurrect her relationship with Ricky whilst having an on-off affair with Jack Branning (Scott Maslen), being manipulated by her uncle Archie Mitchell (Larry Lamb) and causing her family to lose a number of their businesses again before finally going to prison. Her latest return sees her struggle with motherhood after giving birth to Jack's baby.
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Famous quotes containing the words sam and/or mitchell:
“So Sam enters the universe of sleep, a man who seeks to live in such a way as to avoid pain, and succeeds merely in avoiding pleasure. What a dreary compromise is life!”
—Norman Mailer (b. 1923)
“I do wish you’d stop reading my mind.... It’s so frightfully disconcerting—like being followed up one’s trousers.”
—Abraham Polonsky, U.S. screenwriter, Frank Butler, and Helen Deutsch. Mitchell Leisen. Col. Deniston (Ray Milland)