Rupert Murdoch, Lachlan Murdoch, Fox Corporation board member Paul Ryan and Fox Corp. executive Viet Dinh can be compelled to testify in Dominion’s upcoming defamation trial against Fox News, a judge said on Wednesday.
Delaware Judge Eric M. Davis said that Dominion would have to issue a trial subpoena to force such live testimony, but he would not quash it over issues of inconvenience or because they previously have sat for depositions. Davis cited court precedent that officers, directors and managing agents of a Delaware corporation can be compelled to appear.
“Both Fox and Dominion have made these four parties very relevant,” Davis said.
He added, “If Dominion wants to bring them live, they need to do a trial subpoena and I would not quash it and I would compel them to come.”
He also cited issues with Rupert Murdoch’s deposition and whether questions asked of him were clear or unfairly prejudicial.
Delaware Judge Eric M. Davis said that Dominion would have to issue a trial subpoena to force such live testimony, but he would not quash it over issues of inconvenience or because they previously have sat for depositions. Davis cited court precedent that officers, directors and managing agents of a Delaware corporation can be compelled to appear.
“Both Fox and Dominion have made these four parties very relevant,” Davis said.
He added, “If Dominion wants to bring them live, they need to do a trial subpoena and I would not quash it and I would compel them to come.”
He also cited issues with Rupert Murdoch’s deposition and whether questions asked of him were clear or unfairly prejudicial.
- 4/5/2023
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
'EastEnders' actress Samantha Womack has been targeted by an ''obsessed'' stalker. The 42-year-old actress - who plays Ronnie Mitchell in the BBC One soap - reportedly called the police and asked for her security to be stepped up after a crazed fan sent her a sinister love letter and camped outside her family home. A source shared: ''This stalker has become completely obsessed with her and has been sleeping outside her house so that he can spy on her. ''The family are terrified that he will try to get into the grounds of the property or even the house. ''Sam has also received a...
- 9/15/2015
- Virgin Media - TV
'EastEnders' viewers were left stunned last night (25.09.14) after Peggy Mitchell made a shock return. The matriarch - played by Barbara Windsor - was seen in Portugal telling her niece Ronnie Mitchell (Samantha Womack) to put a stop to her son Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) marrying Sharon Rickman (Letitia Dean). Barbara, who left the soap in 2010, said: ''Peggy just couldn't resist putting her oar in when it comes to Sharon, who she has never forgiven for breaking up her precious boys Phil and Grant!'' The former landlady was first seen in the episode slamming the wedding invitation down on the table and...
- 9/26/2014
- Virgin Media - TV
Samantha Womack is playing a ''darker'' Ronnie Mitchell. The 'EastEnders' actress, who returned to the BBC One soap after a two-year absence last year, feels like she is playing a brand new character because her alter-ego has taken a dark turn since returning to Walford after serving two years in prison for abducting Kat and Alfie Moon's baby. She told Bang Showbiz: ''I'm playing a darker character now. It's a bit weird. It's coming at her from a different angle, but I hope people still love her.'' Viewers recently saw Ronnie murder the nefarious Carl White (Daniel Coonan) - who had been...
- 1/28/2014
- Virgin Media - TV
EastEnders' Ronnie Mitchell is set to get ''dangerous''. The troubled blonde - played by Samantha Womack - will show a darker side to her personality in coming weeks as she struggles to keep her thoughts together following her release from prison in the summer. Speaking to InsideSoap magazine, Samantha said: ''Nobody knows what Ronnie has become through everything she's been through. She's all over the place - she's going to get dangerous.'' The 40-year-old actress - who returned to the show after taking two years out - has admitted she is excited about the dramatic plot twists that her alter-ego has...
- 11/3/2013
- Virgin Media - TV
Samantha Womack has signed up to 'EastEnders' for another year. The 40-year-old actress returned to Albert Square earlier this year as Ronnie Mitchell for a short-term stint, but she has decided to stay for longer after discovering what new show boss Dominic Treadwell-Collins has in store for her. Speaking to SoapSquawk, she said: ''With Dom taking over I think the show is really going to flip. I got really excited about it and wanted to be a part of that.'' Dominic worked as a story producer on the BBC soap before returning as the executive producer, and he has vowed to shake...
- 10/30/2013
- Virgin Media - TV
Feature Ryan Lambie 20 Sep 2013 - 06:46
In a videogame crowdfunding special, we highlight a River City Ransom sequel, a Hotline Miami film adaptation, and lots more...
It's always exciting to see a creative new project on a crowdfunding site, and it's even more exciting to see it get the attention and cash it deserves. Such is the case with Hyper Light Drifter, a project we were planning to focus on in one of the four main entries in this week's Crowdfunding Friday, only to get such a colossal groundswell of support that we thought it only right to select a less funded project to promote instead.
Nevertheless, Hyper Light Drifter looks so lovely, we had to at least mention it. A 2D action RPG, its gameplay and perspective resembles Snes era Zelda, but its psychedelic dreamscapes and exotic monsters give it a look and feel all of its own - if anything,...
In a videogame crowdfunding special, we highlight a River City Ransom sequel, a Hotline Miami film adaptation, and lots more...
It's always exciting to see a creative new project on a crowdfunding site, and it's even more exciting to see it get the attention and cash it deserves. Such is the case with Hyper Light Drifter, a project we were planning to focus on in one of the four main entries in this week's Crowdfunding Friday, only to get such a colossal groundswell of support that we thought it only right to select a less funded project to promote instead.
Nevertheless, Hyper Light Drifter looks so lovely, we had to at least mention it. A 2D action RPG, its gameplay and perspective resembles Snes era Zelda, but its psychedelic dreamscapes and exotic monsters give it a look and feel all of its own - if anything,...
- 9/19/2013
- by ryanlambie
- Den of Geek
Nigel Harman says his character in 'Mount Pleasant' is a neighbour from hell. The 40-year-old actor and his former 'EastEnders' co-star Samantha Womack - who plays Ronnie Mitchell in the BBC One soap - portray new married couple Bradley and Tanya in the Sky Living show, but the actor admits he wouldn't want the ''dodgy'' and ''dysfunctional'' couple moving in as his new neighbours. When asked if he would be happy if Tanya and Bradley lived next to him, he said: ''Oh s**t, definitely not! Also the way they've decorated the house is quite bold. There's a lot of unloading...
- 9/16/2013
- Virgin Media - TV
Samantha Womack and Rita Simons get through their dramatic 'EastEnders' storylines by being ''weird'' on set. The 40-year-old blonde - who has reprised her role as Ronnie Mitchell - and the 36-year-old star (Roxy Mitchell) spend the majority of their time laughing when they are filming scenes on the BBC One soap to ensure their ''serious'' storylines don't get them down. Samantha said: ''It's nice to go back and be weird. I shouldn't say weird really but we just laugh so much together. ''We always have funny phone calls. It's fair to say we have a proper sibling relationship going...
- 9/12/2013
- Virgin Media - TV
Samantha Womack and Rita Simons get through their dramatic 'EastEnders' storylines by being ''weird'' on set. The 40-year-old blonde - who has reprised her role as Ronnie Mitchell - and the 36-year-old star (Roxy Mitchell) spend the majority of their time laughing when they are filming scenes on the BBC One soap to ensure their ''serious'' storylines don't get them down. Samantha said: ''It's nice to go back and be weird. I shouldn't say weird really but we just laugh so much together. ''We always have funny phone calls. It's fair to say we have a proper sibling relationship going...
- 9/10/2013
- Virgin Media - TV
Samantha Womack is glad her 'EastEnders' alter-ego is ''not so soft'' when she returns to Albert Square. The 40-year-old star's character Ronnie Mitchell makes her comeback with a new-found hard attitude after being released from jail, and the blonde beauty feels her alter-ego has ''unfinished'' business in Walford. She said: ''I felt like she was unfinished. I didn't want her to finish like a wet blanket, I wanted her to gain her strength. It was so good what we did, I want to make sure that she's still got life in her, there would be no point in coming back and...
- 9/9/2013
- Virgin Media - TV
Psycho, celebs and Cillian Murphy - that's just some of the good stuff coming up on your telly in the next seven days. But that's not all - oh no! Check out all of this week's Must-See TV below...
Blackout: Monday (September 9) at 9pm on Channel 4
Powercuts are a nightmare - you burn yourself on candles, you have to actually talk to the people around you and, worst of all, you can't catch up with the latest in entertainment news on Digital Spy! Luckily most power cuts are localised and solved within a few hours at worst, but what would happen in the whole country went dark?
According to Blackout, a terrifying 'found footage' docudrama based on expert advice and research, society will collapse at an alarmingly rapid rate until we're all rioting, looting and fleeing in terror. Mixing fictional scenes with real footage of power cuts, Blackout paints...
Blackout: Monday (September 9) at 9pm on Channel 4
Powercuts are a nightmare - you burn yourself on candles, you have to actually talk to the people around you and, worst of all, you can't catch up with the latest in entertainment news on Digital Spy! Luckily most power cuts are localised and solved within a few hours at worst, but what would happen in the whole country went dark?
According to Blackout, a terrifying 'found footage' docudrama based on expert advice and research, society will collapse at an alarmingly rapid rate until we're all rioting, looting and fleeing in terror. Mixing fictional scenes with real footage of power cuts, Blackout paints...
- 9/8/2013
- Digital Spy
Samantha Womack didn't want her 'EastEnders' character to return as a ''damaged creature''. The 40-year-old actress will reprise her role as Ronnie Mitchell after bowing out of the BBC One soap two years ago following the explosive baby-swap story line, which saw her alter-ego thrown behind bars, but she insists the blonde beauty will step onto the streets of Walford as a changed woman next month. Speaking to Soap Squawk, she said: ''I wanted to make sure there was a change in her. I really didn't want her to return as the same damaged creature she was when she left. ''I think the...
- 8/30/2013
- Virgin Media - TV
Oh, you lovely Tube Talk Q&A readers - haven't we've got a bit of 'bromance' going on (or, alternatively, a 'friendship' if you're not male or a fan of ridiculous slang).
We love to make you guys happy, which is why we've once again fluttered our eyes at TV bosses around the nation to get you some great scoop on Fresh Meat, True Blood and more. Go on, have a butchers...
Has Fresh Meat got an official air date yet?
Oh good, a Fresh Meat question - we haven't had one of those in a while. Still, we told some Channel 4 PRs recently how our virtual postbag is *always* bulging with your queries about their university sitcom and they were chuffed... so keep 'em coming, we guess... *grouchy face*
The hard truth is that we *do* know roughly when Fresh Meat will be back, but we're not actually allowed to tell you,...
We love to make you guys happy, which is why we've once again fluttered our eyes at TV bosses around the nation to get you some great scoop on Fresh Meat, True Blood and more. Go on, have a butchers...
Has Fresh Meat got an official air date yet?
Oh good, a Fresh Meat question - we haven't had one of those in a while. Still, we told some Channel 4 PRs recently how our virtual postbag is *always* bulging with your queries about their university sitcom and they were chuffed... so keep 'em coming, we guess... *grouchy face*
The hard truth is that we *do* know roughly when Fresh Meat will be back, but we're not actually allowed to tell you,...
- 8/29/2013
- Digital Spy
Samantha Womack feels jealous when she watches 'EastEnders'. The 40-year-old actress - who will return to the show this autumn as baby snatcher Ronnie Mitchell after her alter-ego is released from prison - can't bear to watch the BBC One soap following her departure because she feels envious of her former co-stars. She said: ''I've missed her and fans have too. Every day since I left I've had messages saying, 'We miss Ronnie'. I also love thought-provoking drama and 'EastEnders' gave me the chance to do that. ''It was only after that I realised you don't get that anywhere else. It...
- 8/5/2013
- Virgin Media - TV
'EastEnders' bosses want Barbara Windsor to make a permanent return to the soap. The 75-year-old actress will return to the show - which she quit in 2010 after 16 years - as Walford matriarch Peggy Mitchell for one episode this autumn, but programme chiefs are keen to get her to return on a long-term basis. If she does agree to come back, Barbara will follow in the footsteps of returnees Michael French and Samantha Womack, who are bringing their characters David Wicks and Ronnie Mitchell back to Albert Square. A source said: ''Barbara may only be back for one day but everyone hopes...
- 7/28/2013
- Virgin Media - TV
Larry Lamb has told Digital Spy that he doesn't expect Gavin & Stacey to return for a new series anytime soon.
The actor - who played Gavin's dad Mick Shipman in the BBC comedy - said that creators Ruth Jones and James Corden are focusing more on the new Us version for the time being.
Speaking at the Arqiva Commercial Radio Awards, he said of the prospects of a new series: "Not a chance in hell.
"They're busy doing an American version of it. I think that's the next time you'll see it."
He also stated that he has "no idea" whether the show will work in America.
Gavin & Stacey has been remade by Fox in the Us under the title Us & Them, with Jason Ritter and Alexis Bledel taking the lead roles.
Wayne's World actor Kurt Fuller will play Larry Lamb's equivalent role of Gavin's dad Michael.
Lamb went...
The actor - who played Gavin's dad Mick Shipman in the BBC comedy - said that creators Ruth Jones and James Corden are focusing more on the new Us version for the time being.
Speaking at the Arqiva Commercial Radio Awards, he said of the prospects of a new series: "Not a chance in hell.
"They're busy doing an American version of it. I think that's the next time you'll see it."
He also stated that he has "no idea" whether the show will work in America.
Gavin & Stacey has been remade by Fox in the Us under the title Us & Them, with Jason Ritter and Alexis Bledel taking the lead roles.
Wayne's World actor Kurt Fuller will play Larry Lamb's equivalent role of Gavin's dad Michael.
Lamb went...
- 7/3/2013
- Digital Spy
Samantha Womack is returning to 'EastEnders'. The 40-year-old actress - who quit the soap two years ago - is to reprise her role as Ronnie Mitchell for at least six months in a storyline which sees her alter ego released from prison, where she has been held for kidnapping Kat Slater's baby when her own little boy died from cot death. She said: ''I am thrilled to be returning to the role of Ronnie for the next six months. Ronnie is coming out of prison and her re-appearance in the Square is going to create havoc. ''I can't wait to be a Mitchell...
- 5/17/2013
- Virgin Media - Celebrity
Samantha Womack is returning to 'EastEnders'. The 40-year-old actress - who quit the soap two years ago - is to reprise her role as Ronnie Mitchell for at least six months in a storyline which sees her alter ego released from prison, where she has been held for kidnapping Kat Slater's baby when her own little boy died from cot death. She said: ''I am thrilled to be returning to the role of Ronnie for the next six months. Ronnie is coming out of prison and her re-appearance in the Square is going to create havoc. ''I can't wait to be a Mitchell...
- 5/17/2013
- Virgin Media - TV
Former EastEnders star Samantha Womack has landed a role on Mount Pleasant.
The actress - who played Ronnie Mitchell on the BBC soap - told Click Liverpool that she will appear in the third series of Sky Living's comedy drama.
"I begin filming Mount Pleasant for TV alongside Pauline Collins [Sue] in Manchester soon," said Womack. "And there may be a musical towards the end of this year, beginning of next, so that'll keep me busy."
Womack, who left EastEnders in 2011 after four years on the show, revealed that she is eager to move into directing in the future, after shooting an anti-bullying video in 2005.
"There's a film in the back of my mind I'd quite like to get out there and the older you get, the more sort of self-conscious and less comfortable in front of the camera you become," she explained.
Sky Living confirmed in January that Mount Pleasant...
The actress - who played Ronnie Mitchell on the BBC soap - told Click Liverpool that she will appear in the third series of Sky Living's comedy drama.
"I begin filming Mount Pleasant for TV alongside Pauline Collins [Sue] in Manchester soon," said Womack. "And there may be a musical towards the end of this year, beginning of next, so that'll keep me busy."
Womack, who left EastEnders in 2011 after four years on the show, revealed that she is eager to move into directing in the future, after shooting an anti-bullying video in 2005.
"There's a film in the back of my mind I'd quite like to get out there and the older you get, the more sort of self-conscious and less comfortable in front of the camera you become," she explained.
Sky Living confirmed in January that Mount Pleasant...
- 3/7/2013
- Digital Spy
EastEnders' Sharon Rickman will call off her wedding to Jack Branning at the last minute. The bolshy blonde - played by Letitia Dean - finds out her fiancé (Scott Maslen) has been talking to his old girlfriend Ronnie Mitchell (Samantha Womack) while she is jail and tells friends she can no longer go through with the nuptials. And her upset could pave the way for a reunion with ex-lover Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden), who has been vying for her love with Jack. A show source told the Daily Mirror newspaper: ''Sharon hoped her wedding day would be one of the happiest...
- 3/5/2013
- Virgin Media - Celebrity
Samantha Womack wants to return to 'EastEnders'. The 40-year-old actress is keen to reprise her role as Ronnie Mitchell - who she portrayed in the BBC One soap for four years before leaving the show in 2011 - but she doesn't expect to be back in Albert Square anytime soon. When asked if she would ever consider returning to 'EastEnders', she replied: ''Of course I would, but at the moment there are no plans to. Ronnie wasn't in a place where she could continue back then. She'd had too much grief. I miss it.'' Samantha's last storyline in the soap saw...
- 2/20/2013
- Virgin Media - Celebrity
Samantha Womack has revealed that she was offered several sociopathic roles after leaving EastEnders. During her four-year stint on the Albert Square soap, Womack's character Ronnie Mitchell was revealed to be a victim of domestic abuse from evil dad Archie and became involved in a controversial baby swap storyline. The 39-year-old told Ok magazine: "All the jobs were psychopaths, or psychologically-challenged people. "I wasn't remotely (more)...
- 4/18/2012
- by By Paul Millar
- Digital Spy
Samantha Womack has revealed that she disagreed with EastEnders bosses' decision to kill off Danielle Jones (Lauren Crace). Womack, who played Ronnie Mitchell until last year, watched her on-screen daughter run over by Janine (Charlie Brooks) in 2009. "I found that really upsetting and disappointing," she told the Sunday Mercury. "They didn't get the chance to be mother and daughter. "We dangled that carrot in front of viewers for such a long time and I wanted the audience to have a happy ending (more)...
- 1/23/2012
- by By Paul Millar
- Digital Spy
Ex-EastEnders star Samantha Womack has admitted that she thought the show's controversial baby-swap plot was "implausible". The 2011 storyline saw Womack's character Ronnie Mitchell lose her newborn son James to cot death and switch him with Kat Moon's (Jessie Wallace) healthy child Tommy in her grief-stricken state. Womack made her on-screen exit in July when Ronnie was imprisoned for her actions. Reflecting on the plot, which attracted a record 13,400 complaints from viewers, Womack said that she could understand why producers wanted to create "sensationalism" rather than present Ronnie with realistic adversities. "I thought it was implausible. Most women who lose a child would not go out and abduct one," she told The Mirror. "But Ronnie is a soap character and she is not necessarily representing real life. "Soap (more)...
- 1/21/2012
- by By Daniel Sperling
- Digital Spy
Former EastEnders star Samantha Womack has reportedly been lined up to judge the next series of Britain's Got Talent. Womack, who played Ronnie Mitchell in the soap, is said to have held "secret talks" with ITV bosses and is now on the shortlist to join the panel. "Samantha is brilliant and the bosses love her," a source told The Sun. "She's hugely popular as ten million people watched her every week on EastEnders - and she's got a fair old mouth on her. "She's not afraid to call a spade a spade, but she also has a down-to-earth approach that producers think will encourage acts. We don't just want the judges to slag people off." David Walliams (more)...
- 11/28/2011
- by By Daniel Sperling
- Digital Spy
Samantha Womack misses the "financial security" that came alongside starring in 'EastEnders'. The blonde actress - who has two children, Ben, 10, and six-year-old Lily with actor husband Mark Womack - played Ronnie Mitchell in the soap from 2007 to 2011, but she now admits to being "less inclined to take chances" with her career roles. When asked if she misses the BBC One show, she told Stylist magazine: "I miss the financial security. As you get older you become less inclined to take chances, but taking a risk was important. "I try to retain the confidence I had when I was...
- 8/11/2011
- Virgin Media - TV
The actor talks about life after EastEnders and her luck at landing the lead in South Pacific
Samantha Womack, née Janus, got her break at 19, representing the UK in the 1991 Eurovision Song Contest before becoming an actor. Her most recent role was in EastEnders, playing the long-suffering Ronnie Mitchell, while her stage roles include the West End musical Guys and Dolls, opposite the late Patrick Swayze. She will soon appear as Nellie Forbush in South Pacific
Are you enjoying rehearsing the role of Nellie?
I'm totally smitten with her. She's an innocent from the deep south, on the surface, and yet there is so much more to her personality. She can be thoughtful and open, and kooky and funny, and also quite aggressive when she feels under attack. It's a much more complicated part than I bargained for, but I'm really enjoying it.
Had you seen South Pacific before?
I'd seen versions of it,...
Samantha Womack, née Janus, got her break at 19, representing the UK in the 1991 Eurovision Song Contest before becoming an actor. Her most recent role was in EastEnders, playing the long-suffering Ronnie Mitchell, while her stage roles include the West End musical Guys and Dolls, opposite the late Patrick Swayze. She will soon appear as Nellie Forbush in South Pacific
Are you enjoying rehearsing the role of Nellie?
I'm totally smitten with her. She's an innocent from the deep south, on the surface, and yet there is so much more to her personality. She can be thoughtful and open, and kooky and funny, and also quite aggressive when she feels under attack. It's a much more complicated part than I bargained for, but I'm really enjoying it.
Had you seen South Pacific before?
I'd seen versions of it,...
- 7/24/2011
- by Killian Fox
- The Guardian - Film News
It's been a traumatic four years in Albert Square for Ronnie Mitchell. After arriving with sister Roxy, she soon settled into life in Walford. Since then, she has been at the forefront of some of the BBC soap's biggest storylines. From dealing with her twisted father Archie to the tragic reunion and death of her daughter Danielle, on-off relationship and eventual marriage to Jack Branning to the controversial baby-swap storyline, Ronnie has been through it all. With Womack and Ronnie's respective EastEnders journeys coming to a head later this week, (more)...
- 7/5/2011
- by By Ryan Love
- Digital Spy
Kym Marsh has questioned Samantha Womack's absence from the 'Best Actress' category at the British Soap Awards. Womack, who plays Ronnie Mitchell in EastEnders, did not appear on the shortlist of nominees. The eventual winner was her co-star Jessie Wallace for her portrayal of Queen Vic landlady Kat Moon. Coronation Street star Marsh sympathised with Womack over her recent admission that she was leaving the BBC soap after being left exhausted by her alter ego's storylines. "I can relate to that," she wrote in her latest new magazine column. "Although they're the sort of plots (more)...
- 7/4/2011
- by By Ryan Love
- Digital Spy
Samantha Womack has admitted to "holding back tears" as she bid farewell to her EastEnders colleagues. Womack will bow out from her role as Ronnie Mitchell this week, as the BBC soap's controversial baby swap storyline reaches its conclusion. Despite recently claiming to have "cried every day" since joining EastEnders, Womack despaired at being parted from her "brilliant" co-star Rita Simons, who plays Ronnie's sister Roxy. "Working with Rita so closely for so many years (more)...
- 7/2/2011
- by By Daniel Sperling
- Digital Spy
Samantha Womack has claimed that fans will be "surprised" by Ronnie Mitchell's exit from EastEnders. Viewers will see Womack's character leave Albert Square this week, in a storyline that sees her stand trial for swapping her dead son James for Kat and Alfie Moon's baby Tommy on New Year's Day. The plot garnered a record number of complaints from outraged EastEnders viewers, but Womack assured Virgin Media that the tragic saga would have the "right ending". "I think this is the right ending to the storyline and I think the audience will be surprised (more)...
- 7/2/2011
- by By Daniel Sperling
- Digital Spy
Samantha Womack believes people will be "surprised" by her 'EastEnders' exit. The blonde actress - who plays Ronnie Mitchell in the BBC soap - will soon leave the show off the back of a controversial baby-swap storyline, and she admits the final scene may not be what viewers expect. She said: "I think this is the right ending to the storyline and I think the audience will be surprised by some of the things that happened. "She knows that going to court is the right thing but Ronnie will punish herself more than any custodial sentence." Despite previously revealing she...
- 7/2/2011
- Virgin Media - TV
Samantha Womack has admitted that her EastEnders plots left her feeling exhausted. The actress announced that she was leaving her role as Ronnie Mitchell earlier this year, at the peak of controversy over the baby swap storyline. Ahead of her final scenes being broadcast next week, Womack has said that she hopes to find "some peace". "I worked out I'd been crying or screaming at work every day for six days a week for over two years," she told Hello. "Can you imagine how exhausting and tiring that is? "You're crying, weeping and telling your brain something awful has happened, so of course that is going to affect you and your body. My brain may know I am acting, but my body was doing a different thing. I needed to stop and find some peace, a bit like Ronnie." Since arriving on Albert Square, Womack's plots have included (more)...
- 6/28/2011
- by By Ryan Love
- Digital Spy
Samantha Janus has filmed some of her final scenes for EastEnders. Photographs in The Sun show the actress shooting outside court as Ronnie Mitchell prepares to face the consequences of the dramatic baby swap earlier this year. In the pictures, Ronnie appears composed as she prepares to enter the courtroom to discover her fate. Her husband Jack - played by Scott Maslen - was also photographed arriving for filming. Last week, Ronnie came (more)...
- 5/24/2011
- by By Ryan Love
- Digital Spy
Rita Simons has admitted that she is "absolutely dreading" Samantha Womack's exit from EastEnders. The two actresses made their debut as the Mitchell sisters in July 2007. However, Womack announced that she is quitting her role as Ronnie Mitchell earlier this year. "Oh, it's going to be awful," Simons told Digital Spy of life on Albert Square without her co-star. "I'm dreading it, I'm absolutely dreading it. "She really is like my sister, and even though I'm sure it'll be fine as I have so many friends here, to think that she won't be around is really (more)...
- 4/26/2011
- by By Ryan Love
- Digital Spy
EastEnders star Samantha Womack is reportedly planning to return to the soap. The actress, who plays Ronnie Mitchell, announced that she would be leaving after the controversial baby swap storyline concludes, but the News of the World claims that her character will only be written out of the show for 12 months. A source said: "Sam went through a very difficult few weeks during the filming and airing of the baby swap plot. Everything got a bit too much for her and she said things that, on reflection, she now doesn't agree with. "Sam stood up to speak at a meeting of the cast and producers (more)...
- 2/6/2011
- by By Colin Daniels
- Digital Spy
Shane Richie has revealed that he enjoyed playing Alfie Moon's comedy scenes when he returned to EastEnders, because he knew about the tragedy awaiting him. Alfie and Kat (Jessie Wallace) are currently dealing the loss of their son Tommy - unaware that he is alive after being swapped with Ronnie Mitchell's dead son James. Richie admitted that he was aware of the plot when he signed up to reprise the role. "When I came back I knew what the storyline was going to be so I really enjoyed the first three months playing the jokey Alfie because I knew the more animated and bigger I made the character, the bigger the fall would be," he is quoted as saying by the Pa. "Because I knew what was going to happen I enjoyed the (more)...
- 2/4/2011
- by By Ryan Love
- Digital Spy
EastEnders actor Neil McDermott has claimed that the reaction to the baby swap plot was blown "out of proportion". The storyline saw Ronnie Mitchell switch her dead son James for Kat and Alfie Moon's newborn child Tommy. McDermott - Ryan Malloy in the BBC soap - admitted last month that he would not be watching the drama unfold on New Year's Eve, due to his wife's pregnancy at the time. "We didn't watch it because Michelle was a few days overdue when that was going on," Holy Soap quotes him as saying. "At the end of the day, if something is going to upset you don't watch it." However, he added that he believed the reaction - which (more)...
- 1/28/2011
- by By Ryan Love
- Digital Spy
EastEnders star Shane Richie has defended the soap's controversial baby swap storyline, insisting that the plot has been handled sensitively. The latest drama in Walford has seen Richie's character Alfie Moon grieving for the loss of his newborn child Tommy, unaware that he is still alive as Ronnie Mitchell (Samantha Womack) switched him with her dead son James on New Year's Eve. Speaking to Metro at the National Television Awards last night, Richie reflected on the record number of complaints sparked by the plotline and denied suggestions that the story was created to boost viewing figures. The actor commented: "I don't think it is ever about ratings and I'm aware some of the complaints actually happened before the show went out so I think that actually says more about the people who don't watch the show. "When (more)...
- 1/27/2011
- by By Daniel Kilkelly
- Digital Spy
Ex-EastEnders actress Natalie Cassidy has criticised the show for having a poor attention to detail following the birth of Ronnie Mitchell's baby. Cassidy - who will reprise her role as Sonia Fowler for a one-off episode later this month - gave birth to her first child Eliza last September. The 27-year-old did however praise the BBC soap's cast for their performances in the controversial baby swap plot. "The cot death storyline in EastEnders has stirred up a lot of emotion," she wrote in her column in New magazine. "I think the attention to detail was poor - Ronnie walking around hours after giving birth. Also, mums are advised to keep babies in a Moses (more)...
- 1/11/2011
- by By Ryan Love
- Digital Spy
BBC Vision director Jana Bennett has defended EastEnders' controversial baby-swap plot. It has been confirmed that over 6,000 viewers have now complained about the dark plot, which has seen tragic Ronnie Mitchell lose her son to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (Sids) and swap him for Kat and Alfie Moon's newborn baby Tommy. Bennett insisted that the Albert Square drama was "absolutely not" suggesting that Ronnie - played by Samantha Womack - was representative off all mother's who have "suffered such a terrible and tragic loss". "Taking Kat's baby is the action of a character in great distress due to a series of events that have befallen her in the last 18 months," The Guardian quotes her as saying. "It is the culmination (more)...
- 1/7/2011
- by By Ryan Love
- Digital Spy
The Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths (Fsid) has insisted that the organisation had "no involvement" in the baby swap element of EastEnders' ongoing Ronnie Mitchell storyline. When the plot was revealed in November, it was confirmed that the BBC soap had worked closely with the foundation on the cot death aspect of the storyline. However, in a new statement, the charity stated that it "in no way" endorsed Ronnie Mitchell's actions. "Fsid has received several complaints and comments from bereaved parents about the baby-swap story on EastEnders," a statement said. "We are very sorry to know of the very natural distress caused by this plotline but would like to stress that our involvement was limited to advice on Sids risk (more)...
- 1/6/2011
- by By Ryan Love
- Digital Spy
Samantha Womack has reportedly quit EastEnders after deciding that her recent cot death storyline "went too far". According to The Sun, the actress resigned last November upon receiving the initial script for the plot, which has seen her Albert Square character Ronnie Mitchell deal with the loss of her baby son which she then switched with that of Kat Slater. The BBC has now confirmed that Womack is to leave the show at the end of the current baby swap storyline. "The last couple of months at work have been awful for Sam," a source explained. "The first time she read the script, she thought it was wrong and pushed boundaries too far. It was such a sensitive issue, she knew it would cause a huge backlash. "She wrote a letter on the day she read it and made it clear to bosses she thought it was wrong. They persuaded...
- 1/6/2011
- by By Jennifer Still
- Digital Spy
Facebook groups have reportedly been set-up in protest at EastEnders upcoming cot death plot. The tragic storyline will see Ronnie Mitchell (Samantha Womack) suffer more heartbreak on New Year's Eve when she discovers that her newborn son James has died. However, in a shock twist she will be seen swapping the child with Kat Moon's (Jessie Wallace) son Tommy. According to The Sun, furious mothers have blasted the idea as "hurtful" and "ridiculous". "This 'twist' is ludicrous - and hurtful," Alisa Hichens, who lost her nine-month old daughter last New Year's Eve said. "People who watch it could look at mothers who have lost a child and think that they would snatch their baby. (more)...
- 12/29/2010
- by By Ryan Love
- Digital Spy
Shane Richie has admitted the effect that filming upcoming EastEnders scenes had on him. The New Year's Eve plot will see Richie's character Alfie Moon discover that his newborn son has died. However, Alfie and Kat (Jessie Wallace) are unaware that Ronnie Mitchell has switched their babies. The actor told The Mirror that he had taken to checking his 3-year-old daughter Lolita was okay. "Christie had to tell me to leave Lolita alone," (more)...
- 12/23/2010
- by By Ryan Love
- Digital Spy
EastEnders executive producer Bryan Kirkwood has insisted that the soap's upcoming baby-swap storyline will be believable. The hard-hitting storyline will begin on New Year's Eve when Ronnie Mitchell discovers that her newborn son has died and swaps him with Kat (Jessie Wallace) and Alfie Moon's (Shane Richie) baby. The Sun reports that the scenes will show Ronnie (Samantha Womack) hold her child's blue fist and touch his face with the back of her hand. "It's high drama, which EastEnders has a 25-year history of delivering," Kirkwood said. "We deliver big, big, gritty stories that chime with the audience, and I think that's what these stories do. It's undoubtedly a bold storyline. I'm very proud of the episodes." The former Hollyoaks boss (more)...
- 12/22/2010
- by By Ryan Love
- Digital Spy
The stars of EastEnders are reportedly being offered counselling after breaking down while filming scenes for an upcoming cot death storyline. Filming of the plot, which sees Ronnie Mitchell steal Kat Moon's baby after her own child dies, apparently had to be paused as the actors and crew struggled to deal with the emotional scenes. A source told The Sun: "Most of the crew have never (more)...
- 11/20/2010
- by By Colin Daniels
- Digital Spy
EastEnders' Ronnie Mitchell will steal Kat Moon's baby in a harrowing New Year's Eve storyline. The nightclub owner -played by Samantha Womack - storms into the Queen Vic pub crying for help just minutes after realising she has lost her tot to cot death. However, as she stands at the bar clutching her dead baby's body among the punters celebrating the countdown to 2011 she hears new mum Kat (Jessie Wallace)'s newborn cry upstairs. In one of the soap's most heart-wrenching scenes, Ronnie rushes to the bedroom and swaps the babies before fleeing into the night. Executive producer Bryan Kirkwood explained: ''Viewers will know that ..
- 11/12/2010
- Virgin Media - TV
A hard-hitting EastEnders storyline will see Ronnie Mitchell steal Kat Moon's baby after her own child dies, it has been announced. The new plotline begins later this year when Ronnie and Kat - played by Samantha Womack and Jessie Wallace - both give birth and begin happily adjusting to family life with their respective partners Jack and Alfie. However, in a tragic turn of events on New Year's Eve, Ronnie will face the devastation of losing her new baby to cot death before making a desperate decision that looks likely to change life in Albert Square forever. After rushing to the Queen Vic to seek help with her lifeless child still in her arms, Ronnie hears Kat's baby crying upstairs and secretly swaps the pair in a powerful scene. As Ronnie leaves The Vic and returns home with Kat's child, the New Year celebrations continue inside the pub and the...
- 11/12/2010
- by By Daniel Kilkelly
- Digital Spy
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