SHOCKING TRUTH REVEALED!! EastEnders favourite Kim Medcalf reveals why Sam Mitchell has changed so much
‘The old chaotic, manipulative Sam is still very much there, just evolved,’ explains Kim Medcalf, on the brand new side we’ve been seeing of her alter-ego, Sam Mitchell in EastEnders.
It’s true: the Sam Mitchell of 2026 presents an incredibly different facet of the character we’ve loved to love and hate in equal measures.
‘The cancer diagnosis was a huge wake‑up call,’ Kim mused on the changes in Sam.
‘When Sam first came back, she had her head in the sand, wanting to do right by Ricky, but avoiding the reality of what might be wrong with her. It’s only through the support of those around her that she finds the strength to face it, which grounds her.’
How has Kim felt about playing her? ‘I’ve loved playing this more nuanced side of Sam.
‘It feels authentic for a woman her age who’s been through so much and has finally realised what means the most to her.’
Sam’s not the only Mitchell that’s found their way back to Walford, either. It’s brother Grant (Ross Kemp), too, thus reuniting the triumvirate of Mitchell siblings alongside Phil (Steve McFadden)
‘It’s been incredibly special and very nostalgic, especially because the three Mitchell siblings are so rarely together,’ Kim said.
‘There is a real familiarity and natural chemistry between us, which we’ve all felt while filming. The writers have given us some lovely domestic moments, and I’ve really enjoyed those because they show the true fabric of the Mitchells beyond the usual chaos.’
Kim went on to compare her relationship with her real-life siblings to that of Sam, Phil and Grant: ‘For me personally, it felt very comfortable. I have two older brothers in real life, and while they’re nothing like Phil and Grant, that sibling dynamic comes very naturally.
‘Sam genuinely loves having them together too, and it really feeds into where she’s at in her life right now. You see the bickering that comes with a shared history, but underneath it all there’s unconditional love and loyalty.
‘Sam and Phil may have had their issues, but they’re in a good place now, and with everything going on, Sam really steps up, becoming that voice of reason and filling a matriarchal role the family’s been missing.’
The matriarchal role certainly has been missed since the tragic loss of the Queen of the Mitchell’s, Peggy Mitchell (Barbara Windsor), the lynch-pin that held the clan together no matter what.
‘They lost their common link when Peggy died,’ Kim admitted, noting the impact that Peggy’s passing had on the siblings.
‘Grant was in Portugal, Sam in Spain, Phil in Walford – they all drifted into their own worlds, which can happen in real families after you lose a parent. Sadly, it’s taken Nigel’s dementia and his passing to reunite them, something Nigel would have absolutely loved.
‘This week, Sam is urged to take a leaf out of Peggy’s book, and that really lands with her. She becomes the glue, rallying them together when they could easily have been pulled apart by their own grief.’
It’s not only her on-screen brothers that Kim is happy to see Sam reunite with, she’s also a big fan of Sam and Billy Mitchell’s (Perry Fenwick) bond.
‘I also really love Sam’s relationship with Billy,’ she began.