EastEnders’ Sam Mitchell faces an agonising wait for her biopsy results later this month, as she worries she has breast cancer. Convinced she’ll face the same health troubles as her dearly departed mum, Peggy, Sam leans on friends and family for support. But will she admit how she’s really feeling?

“Sam can’t hide from her fears any longer,” says our EastEnders insider. “Now that she’s back on the Square, she realises she can’t do this alone. Luckily with Phil by her side, it makes the hospital appointments easier to bear…”

Away from Walford, Sam’s been burying her head in the sand over her cancer fears. But now, back around family and friends, Sam is strong-armed into attending a hospital appointment to get checked out, and Phil goes with her.

After her biopsy, Sam’s health worries start to worsen, as she knows the results could change her life. She opens up to ex-lover Zack, frightened that the outcome is inevitable with her family history of breast cancer.

Waiting for the test results weighs heavily on Sam’s mind – but could this health scare see Sam change her ways and be a better parent to Ricky, as well as making amends with the Walford residents she’s wronged?

Or will her fears manifest in more Mitchell troublemaking to try and prove she’s still the same old Sam?

Last month, it was announced that Sam’s worst fears will be confirmed, as she will be diagnosed with breast cancer in emotional scenes over the Christmas period.

But EastEnders have made it clear that this will be a story of survival, as Sam’s decision to see her GP will ultimately save her life. In the New Year, Sam will undergo surgery that will allow her to make a full recovery.

When this story was announced, executive producer Ben Wadey said: “It was imperative that we worked with Breast Cancer Now to ensure that Sam’s important breast cancer storyline was portrayed sensitively and accurately.

“Sam is initially hesitant to seek medical advice after she finds a lump in her breast but with the support of family and friends, Sam gets help quickly, and because her cancer is caught early, she’s able to successfully remove her breast lump via a lumpectomy in the New Year.”

These scenes will air on Monday, 15 December and Tuesday, 16 December.

EastEnders airs on Mondays – Thursdays at 7.30pm on BBC One. The show also streams on BBC iPlayer, where most episodes drop early at 6am ahead of their TV broadcast.