The BBC has no plans to bring Danniella Westbrook back to ‘EastEnders’.
The 43-year-old actress reprised her role as mega-bitch Sam Mitchell briefly last year on the BBC One soap and during an appearance on ‘Loose Women’ on Thursday (12.05.17) she claimed she is going back to Walford this year.
However, the BBC has now released a statement insisting there are no plans to bring the character back to Albert Square.
A statement said: "There are no plans for Danniella to return – it’s just not going to happen. It’s very odd that she keeps harping on about her return because it has plainly never been discussed."
Appearing on ‘Loose Women’, Danniella – who suffers from borderline personality disorder, bipolar disorder and paranoid schizophrenia and has battled cocaine addiction – told the panel: "There’s a big chance of me going back into ‘EastEnders’. I’m going to be back there at the end of the year."
Despite her claims this week, Danniella had previously stated that bosses wouldn’t have her back and accused the BBC of using her for publicity.
She said at the time: "Always, love ‘EastEnders’. The last time I went back fans [wanted me back] because [Sam’s] a super-bitch and there’s good tension between her and Sharon [Mitchell, played by Letitia Dean] and all that stuff.
"And now because you haven’t got the Pauline [Fowler, portrayed by Wendy Richard], Peggy [Dame Barbara Windsor] and Pat [Butcher, Pam St. Clement] types older characters and it needs Sam, Sharon and Roxy but they just won’t do it.
"They just will not do it. They have said I’m sacked, I’m this and that, they seem to use me for PR and not for the work."