EastEnders star Samantha Womack has decided to stick with the soap beyond her initial contract.
The actress, who plays Ronnie Mitchell, returned to the BBC show earlier this year in a six-month deal.

Samantha Womack as Ronnie Mitchell
© BBC
Samantha Womack as Ronnie Mitchell
However, an EastEnders spokesperson confirmed to Digital Spy this morning (October 29) that Womack has signed a new contract which will see Ronnie stay around for longer.
It is believed that Womack's new deal runs for a year as show bosses have big plans for her character.
Womack had always indicated that she would be tempted to stay on EastEnders if she felt that Ronnie's return was a success.

Ronnie reminisces over a picture of a Jack.
© BBC
Ronnie in a recent EastEnders episode
Speaking earlier in the year, she explained: "I didn't want to be flogging a dead horse, so I thought right, I'll go back, see if it works and then regroup in six months and talk about whether she's succeeded or not. The one thing I wouldn't want to do is take away what we achieved, which was this massive character."
Last week, the actress praised the plans that new executive producer Dominic Treadwell-Collins has for Ronnie, promising that she will soon show a "darker" side.
Treadwell-Collins created the character of Ronnie and her sister Roxy in 2007 while working as EastEnders' story producer.
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