Ronnie Mitchell

Ronnie Mitchell
EastEnders character
Samantha Womack as Ronnie (2013)
Portrayed bySamantha Womack (2007–2017)
Lucia De Wan (2022 flashback)
Duration2007–2011, 2013–2017, 2022
First appearanceEpisode 3405
24 July 2007 (2007-07-24)
Last appearanceEpisode 6550
5 September 2022 (2022-09-05)
ClassificationFormer; regular
Created byDominic Treadwell-Collins
Introduced byDiederick Santer (2007)
Lorraine Newman (2013)
Chris Clenshaw (2022)
Spin-off
appearances
EastEnders: E20 (2010)
In-universe information
Other namesVeronica Mitchell
Ronnie Branning
Occupation
  • Barmaid
  • Bar manager
  • Nightclub owner
  • Businesswoman
FamilyMitchell/Branning
FatherArchie Mitchell
MotherGlenda Mitchell
StepmotherPeggy Mitchell
SistersRoxy Mitchell
Half-brothersDanny Mitchell
HusbandJack Branning (2010–2012, 2017)
Charlie Cotton (2015–2016)
SonsJames Branning
Matthew Mitchell Cotton
DaughtersDanielle Jones
StepsonsRicky Branning
StepdaughtersPenny Branning
Amy Mitchell
GrandfathersPhillip Mitchell
GrandmothersSandra Mitchell
UnclesEric Mitchell
Clive Mitchell
NiecesAmy Mitchell
First cousins
Other relatives

Veronica Elizabeth "Ronnie" Branning (also Mitchell) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Samantha Womack. She and her younger sister Roxy Mitchell (played by Rita Simons) were introduced by executive producer Diederick Santer in July 2007. Ronnie is described as the "ice" to Roxy's "fire". As an extension to the already established Mitchell family, Ronnie quickly became a prominent character, taking over the square’s local nightclub. She later formed an on-off relationship with her business partner, Jack Branning (Scott Maslen).

The character is introduced during the episode first broadcast on 24 July 2007. Her first major storyline saw Ronnie clash with her villainous father, Archie (Larry Lamb), after it transpired that he forced his eldest daughter — at the age of 14 — to give up her newborn baby just moments after she gave birth. This escalates in "The Secret Mitchell" and "Who Killed Archie?" scenarios, wherein the former explores Ronnie's friendship with her employee Danielle Jones (Lauren Crace) — who later turns out to be her long-lost daughter — and the latter reveals that Archie had raped Ronnie when she was 13. Soon afterwards, Ronnie becomes the subject of a controversial storyline where she swaps her dead baby with that of Tommy Moon — the son of her close friend Kat Moon (Jessie Wallace). This contributes to the development of Womack leaving the role in 2011, with the character departing in the episode shown on 7 July 2011. In May 2013, show bosses announced that Womack would return to EastEnders as Ronnie for six months. Womack returned on screen for two three-month-long stints, from 9 September 2013 to 1 January 2014 and from 3 March to 23 June 2014. She then returned full-time to screens on 25 September 2014. Womack's second stint on the show saw Ronnie involved in storylines such as killing Carl White (Daniel Coonan) in self-defence, marrying Charlie Cotton (Declan Bennett) and having a child with him, having an affair with Vincent Hubbard (Richard Blackwood), attempting to poison Dean Wicks (Matt Di Angelo), being stalked by Andy Flynn (Jack Derges), and remarrying Jack before drowning along with Roxy in a hotel swimming pool.

In August 2016, it was reported that Ronnie and Roxy would depart together in a "dramatic exit". The sisters were killed-off on 1 January 2017 after Ronnie's second wedding to Jack, although Ronnie appears on-screen for a final time when Jack visits her corpse on 19 January 2017. A younger version of Ronnie, (played by Lucia De Wan), appeared in a flashback episode broadcast on 5 September 2022, which focuses on the Mitchell family in the 1970s.[1]

  1. ^ "Jaime Winstone set to play a young Peggy Mitchell as EastEnders announces flashback episode". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 26 July 2022.