Samantha Womack 'teared up' saying goodbye to Rita Simons

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 has been brilliant. Not seeing her every day is going to be strange," she told The Mirror.

"It was emotional! All day, Rita and I were really aware that we were getting closer and closer to the last scene, so we were holding back the tears."

Simons recently compared Womack's EastEnders exit to a death in the family.

> Samantha Womack: 'Ronnie's EastEnders exit will surprise'

Watch Ronnie and Roxy Mitchell arrive in EastEnders below.