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EastEnders airs Ricky Butcher exit after Sam Mitchell heartbreak

Ricky and Scarlett said auf wiedersehen.

EastEnders: Ricky looks glum (BBC)

Published: Thursday, 26 January 2023 at 7:55 pm

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There was a hasty double goodbye on EastEnders when Ricky Butcher (played by Sid Owen) and Scarlett Butcher (Tabitha Byron) left after a very dramatic couple of months in Walford.

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Having gained custody of Scarlett, Ricky planned to return to Germany and start a new life with Janine's kid.

However, it wasn't exactly a happy farewell as it came during heartbreak for Ricky.

Hapless-in-love Ricky fell straight back in love with his former flame Sam Mitchell (Kim Medcalf) when he returned to Albert Square in December 2022.

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He was so deep in love, in fact, that he decided to pop the question to a fairly bewildered Sam, who had more urgent matters on her mind.

Her son Ricky Jr (Frankie Day) is the father of Lily's baby, and desperately seeking some support from his mother, was devastated to learn she was planning to go along to Germany with Ricky (pre-proposal).

Feeling guilty for planning to abandon her boy, and knowing he was about to face questioning from the police for his involvement with Lily, Sam put Ricky's proposal on hold for just an hour while she went to the station to help her son.

When she got there and listened to Ricky Jr being questioned with Jack, she soon realised the father was in no fit state to support her son - he was very easily going off the rails, which wouldn't be ideal for such a delicate situation.

EastEnders: Ricky and Scarlett leave

Ricky and Scarlett leave in EastEnders.

After the questioning finished, she went to see Ricky, who was getting nervous about leaving Walford in time for his flight to Germany.

However, it wasn't good news, as she had to explain to her flame that she couldn't go with him - she needed to be with Ricky Jr.

Poor Ricky was heartbroken by her decision, but completely understood where she was coming from.

With a hug, Ricky said one last goodbye to Sam and got in the cab with Scarlett, off to start their new life in Germany.

Auf wiedersehen!

Read more:

Visit our dedicated EastEnders page for all the latest news, interviews and spoilers. If you’re looking for more to watch, check out our TV Guide and Streaming Guide or visit our Soaps hub.

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RadioTimes.com deputy editor Helen Daly. She has brown hair, is smiling and stands in front of a wall full of ITV programme logos

Helen DalyDeputy Digital Editor

Helen Daly is the deputy digital editor for Radio Times, overseeing new initiatives and commercial projects for the brand. She was previously Deputy TV Editor at a national publication. She has a BA in English Literature and an MA in Media & Journalism from Newcastle University.

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