Sam Mitchell's shock return leads to theft and deceit in EastEnders

What exactly is Sam playing at?

 6-12 DECEMBER

Sam Mitchell is back in Walford, and it doesn’t take her long to cause trouble as she heads to No.55 to steal money from Phil’s safe, and Nigel lets her, having mistaken her identity for Clare.

Soon, Zoe seeks out Sam in the Square to confront her ex-accomplice, accusing her of being responsible for her taunting, but Sam denies it.

Realising the funds are missing, and following Nigel’s description, Phil heads to Harry’s Barn to accuse Nicola of stealing from him, but he soon realises Sam is the culprit when he spots her in a tense conversation with Kat in the Square.

But Sam slips away before Phil can catch up with her and heads to McClunky’s to meet Ricky.

Sam attempts to leave Walford, but having spotted her clandestine meeting with Ricky, Jack intervenes and is shocked when she reveals a truth about her health.

Telling him that she's found a lump, Sam believes it's cancer.

When she reveals that she hasn't seen a doctor, Jack questions her just as Phil interrupts to retrieve his stolen money.

Having learnt about Sam's health concerns from Jack, Denise heads to speak to her and makes a deal with her.

Later, Sam attends a family dinner with Ricky Jnr and Lily at No.31, but soon realises that Jack and Denise are bluffing about the deal and Sam heads to Phil’s to beg for a place to stay, where a plan B arises, and she puts the new plan into action.

As Phil and Julie record Nigel’s film in The Arches, Jack and Denise sound the alarm with Phil when Sam skips her doctor’s appointment.

As the group head to confront her, Julie, Phil and Ricky Jnr rile at Sam for her actions.

EastEnders continues Mondays to Thursdays at 7.30pm on BBC One with first look episodes available from 6am on BBC iPlayer