Womack: I Miss the SQ.

Ronnie Towards the end of her stint on the sq, earlier this year.... PHOTO:BBC

Former EastEnders star Samantha Womack has said that she misses working on the soap.

The actress quit her role as Ronnie Branning earlier this year and is about to take to the stage in the musical South Pacific.

She told Woman & Home magazine: "Part of me misses EastEnders and Ronnie. Working for long stretches, day in, day out, I knew exactly how she'd think and feel.

"From the first day of discussing the character it was clear she was damaged - with a background of abuse and, as an actress, that was an amazing opportunity. It was demanding, but always fulfilling."

Earlier this week EastEnders' controversial baby swap storyline involving Womack's character was cleared of any wrongdoing by broadcasting regulator Ofcom.

Speaking about the plot, Samantha added: "For scenes that needed to be really gut-wrenching, I delved deep inside myself to portray grief.

"I felt huge sadness when Ronnie lost her baby, but when you act, you do learn how to protect yourself from the emotions [that] you're portraying."

The actress also rubbished claims that she was verbally abused by fans of the soap over the storyline.

"The newspaper stories about people yelling at me in the street when she swapped her baby were rubbish. It never happened."

Sam as Ronnie

Sam Womack: 'Finally I'm doing something for me'

Sam Womack: In South Pacific

Ex-EastEnders star Samantha Womack has revealed how much she is enjoying singing and dancing in the musical South Pacific.

The 38-year-old actress - whose soap character Ronnie Branning has just left Albert Square, where Sam has admitted she was exhausted by the emotional storylines - is in rehearsals to star in the show opening at the Barbican in London on August 15.

Samantha told The Daily Mail: "For the first time, I'm doing something for me.

"I can't do this in half measures. I can't be in rehearsals all day and then charge up the motorway home and then back down again. So I'm staying in London during the week and going home at weekends."

The mother-of-two admitted she was missing her family, but is relishing the chance to get into character as WWII nurse Nellie, whose songs in the show include the famous I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair.

She said: "I was home last weekend and I thought: 'I bet the kids have missed me!' and they were fine. I missed them like crazy, but at least I've been able to get Nellie into my head."

GOODBYE RONNIE.

Ronnie Branning/Mitchell as departed Albert sq, in This weeks hour long episode. Here are some top moments:

1. 24 Jul 2007
   Arriving in Walford to discover that Phil's wedding had turned into an inquest.
2. 16 May 2008>
   Revealing that she had a daughter when she was a teenager, but the baby was taken away from her.
3. 02 Apr 2009
   Being told by Danielle that she's her daughter and then seeing her get run over by Janine.
4. 22 Jun 2009
   Accepting Jack's public proposal in the Vic.
5. 22 Dec 2009
   Losing her baby after her dad pushed her against the bar in the Vic.
6. 20 July 2010
   Accidentally revealing to Peggy and Glenda that Archie raped her.
7. 31 Dec 2010
   Discovering that baby James has died and, in the heat of the moment, making a terrible decision to swap him for Kat's unattended baby, Tommy.
8. 15 April 2011
   Hands herself into the police after revealing to Kat, Aflie and Jack that she stole Kat's baby.
9. 07 July 2011
   Sentenced to 3 years behind bars, but was forgiven by Kat in the nick of time
   How did you find Ronnie's exit let us know.