Emmerdale star Sam Hall has finally confirmed he has left the soap, as he shared an emotional farewell message with fans on Tuesday.
The 20-year-old actor had played Samson Dingle in the soap for 15 years and stepped down after it was reported earlier this year that ITV bosses had sacked him.
In Tuesday’s episode, Samson was sentenced to four years in prison after violently attacking teenage bully Josh.
And in a message posted on Emmerdale’s social media, actor Sam confirmed he had said goodbye to the soap.
He said, ‘As you have seen, Samson has already left the town.
Emmerdale star Sam Hall has finally confirmed he has left the soap, as he shared an emotional farewell message with fans on Tuesday.
“It’s been a great story, so I’d like to thank everyone who’s been with me, cast and crew, over the last 15 years. And I hope we get to see Samson again. See you later.”
Viewers watched as Samson said a touching farewell to his father Sam, as he was taken to prison to begin his sentence.
He said, “I’m so sorry I let you down, Dad. I’ve been a terrible son, haven’t I?”
Sam tried to reassure his son that he was still proud of him, before adding: “I just wish you weren’t gone for so long.”
“If you keep your head down, you could be out in two years for good behavior.”
Fans were less than impressed by Samson’s departure after 15 years on the show and took to X to make their feelings known.
Posts included: ‘It was a very poor exit for Sam after all the years he was in Emmerdale.
‘They should have let him and Amelia go on a trip with Esther, after all she doesn’t really have any stories so they can’t understand why she, Noah or Sarah are still in them.
The actor had played Samson Dingle in the soap for 15 years and stepped down after it was reported earlier this year that ITV bosses had sacked him.
‘I love Emmerdale but it was a very bad decision.
“It was an incredibly poor decision by Emmerdale to sack an incredible actor with so much more to give. They have lost a fan and won’t be seeing him again any time soon.”
“What a shitty ending for Sam after over 16 years in Emmerdale! He should have sailed off into the sunset and been happy!”
It had previously been reported that Emmerdale bosses were axing Sam from the soap, although at the time it was claimed he would be killed off.
Sam’s co-stars were said to be unhappy with the decision, including Sam’s on-screen father James Hooton, and joined the actor in offering their support.
They said: “He’s devastated. He’s grown up with his Dingle clan on screen and everyone is very protective of him. Some cast members even went to speak to bosses about his decision.”
Sam faced difficult storylines during his time on the soap, including becoming a teenage father after an affair with young Amelia Spencer.
‘When news of his dismissal spread through the building, many Dingles were angry.
“The fact that they are planning to kill him means there is no turning back either. He is completely devastated.”
Sam faced difficult storylines during his time on the soap, including being a teenage father after an affair with young Amelia Spencer.
This comes after it was announced that Coronation Street and Emmerdale fans are in for a treat as ITV bosses announced a major change to the schedule in line with the Olympics.
Since the major sporting event has dominated daytime airtime on the BBC, ITV has improved the way it broadcasts the country’s soap operas.
New episodes will be released on its ITVX streaming platform at 7am on the days they are scheduled to air, in addition to airing in their usual evening timeslot.
The official Emmerdale and Coronation Street X (formerly Twitter) accounts shared the exciting update on Monday morning, delighting fans.
They wrote matching statements that read: ‘We are giving you a little gift this summer while the Olympics are taking place.
‘Every broadcast day, you can find episodes of Corrie and Emmerdale on ITVX at 7am, but remember to keep this spoiler-free zone for those watching in the evening.’
This clever move by the broadcaster means viewers won’t have to miss Olympic coverage to get their dose of soap opera.
This is also something the BBC has been doing with EastEnders for months, with most of its episodes being released at 6am before their TV broadcast.
