Emmerdale star Sam Hall has finally confirmed he is leaving the soap, sharing an emotional farewell message with his fans on Tuesday.
The 20-year-old actor played the role of Samson Dingle on the soap for 15 years, but quit after it was revealed earlier this year that he had been sacked by ITV bosses.
In Tuesday’s episode, Samson was sentenced to four years in prison after violently attacking young criminal Josh.
And in a post on Emmerdale’s social media, actor Sam confirmed he has said goodbye to the soap.
He said, ‘As you have seen, Samson has left the village.
Emmerdale star Sam Hall has finally confirmed he has left the soap, as he shared an emotional farewell message with his fans on Tuesday
“It was an amazing story, so I want to thank everyone who has been with me for the last 15 years, cast and crew. And hopefully we’ll see Samson again. See you later.”
Viewers watched as Samson said a moving goodbye to his father Sam as he was taken to prison to serve his sentence.
He said, ‘I’m really sorry I let you down, Dad. I’ve been a bad son, haven’t I?’
Sam tried to reassure his son by saying that he was still proud of him. Then he added, “I just wish you wouldn’t be gone for so long.
“If you keep your head down, you can be acquitted within two years for good behavior.”
Fans were less impressed with Samson’s departure after 15 years on the series and expressed their feelings to X.
Messages included: ‘That was a really bad send-off for Sam after all the years he’s lived in Emmerdale.
‘They should have let him and Amelia go on the trip with Esther. After all, Esther doesn’t really have a storyline and can’t understand why she, Noah or Sarah are still in it.
The actor played Samson Dingle on the soap for 15 years and made his exit after it was reported earlier this year that he had been sacked by ITV bosses
‘I love Emmerdale, but it’s a really bad decision.
‘An incredibly poor decision by Emmerdale to fire a great actor who had so much more to offer. You’ve truly lost a fan and won’t be watching for a while;’
‘S*** ending for Sam after 16+ years on Emmerdale! Should have sailed off into the sunset and been happy!’
It was previously reported that Sam would be written out of the soap by Emmerdale bosses, although it was claimed at the time that he would be killed off.
Sam’s co-stars, including Sam’s father James Hooton, were said to be unhappy with the decision and joined the actor in supporting him.
They said: ‘He’s devastated. He’s grown up with his on-screen Dingle clan and they’re all very protective of him. Some of the cast even went to speak to bosses about their decision.’
Sam tackled tough storylines during his time on the soap, including being a teenage father after an affair with young Amelia Spencer
As news of his firing spread through the building, there were quite a few angry Dingles.
“The fact that they plan to kill him means there’s no way back for him either. He’s completely devastated.”
Sam faced some tough storylines in the soap, such as his role as a teenage father after an affair with young Amelia Spencer.
It comes after it was revealed that fans of Coronation Street and Emmerdale are in for a surprise as ITV bosses announced a major shift in the broadcast schedule in anticipation of the Olympic Games.
With the major sporting event showing all day on the BBC, ITV has improved the way it broadcasts the country’s soap operas.
The new episodes will be released on the streaming platform ITVX at 7am on the days they are broadcast, and will also be broadcast at the usual time in the evening.
The official X accounts (formerly Twitter) for Emmerdale and Coronation Street shared an exciting update on Monday morning, much to the delight of fans.
They wrote accompanying statements, which read: “We’re giving you a little gift this summer, while the Olympics are on.
‘You can find Corrie and Emmerdale episodes on ITVX at 7am every day of the show! But remember to keep this a spoiler-free zone for those watching in the evening.’
Thanks to this smart move by the broadcaster, viewers no longer have to miss the Olympic broadcasts to get their dose of soap.
This is also something the BBC has been doing for months with EastEnders, with most episodes airing at 6am before they air on TV.