'Gutted' Emmerdale star 'axed after 15 years as character set to be killed off'

Emmerdale star Sam Hall who plays Samson Dingle has been axed from the ITV soap amid a major shake-up.

The 20 year old actor has played his character since the age of five but was recently told by producers that his character is to be killed off in an upcoming episode. And it seems once news spread of his impending departure, those who have worked closely with him were left furious, namely James Hooton who plays his father Sam Dingle.

A TV insider told The Sun: "Sam had a meeting with bosses earlier this month where they broke the news. He has been left devastated. He’s grown up with his on-screen Dingle clan and they are all very protective of him." They added: "Some of the cast even went to talk to bosses about their decision. As news of his axing through the building there were quite a lot of angry Dingles.The fact that they are planning on killing him off means there’ll be no way back for him either.He’s absolutely gutted."

Over the years, Sam has been tasked with a few tough storylines which include being a teen dad following a brief romance. At the time viewers saw him trying to handle the decision, he said: "I’ve enjoyed every minute. I love being a Dingle." But it looks as though a huge shake-up has been in the pipeline for some time. Earlier this month it emerged that the cast are set to be "totally rocked" by three heavy storylines that will leave viewers glued to their screens. Producers have reportedly planned three devastating storylines which include domestic violence and cancer diagnosis.

And show producer Laura Shaw teased an upcoming accident that will involve two families, leaving one character's life hanging in the balance. And it's perhaps likely it may be Samson. Laura said: "We'll see someone in some really serious medical jeopardy – whether they live or die, we'll have to see. But the ripples and repercussions from that accident will be very long-lasting and life-changing."

Meanwhile, elsewhere on the Dales Belle Dingle's torment at the hands of her manipulative and controlling husband, Tom King, played by James Chase, gets worse during one episode. And in this special episode, it " steps away from the usual Emmerdale format."

Speaking about this storyline that had help from domestic abuse charity Refuge, in a bid to portray it accurately, Laura said: "It's a dinner party mainly focussing on Tom and Belle and Marlon and Rhona and we'll see what's going on in their relationship and how what you see in public is not necessarily what you see behind closed doors."

A representative for Emmerdale declined to comment.

Follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok,Snapchat,Instagram,Twitter,Facebook,YouTubeandThreads