Samantha Womack

Samantha Womack

Samantha Womack has been left devastated after her father was found hanged.

Noel Janus' body was discovered dead in his bathroom by a friend on Saturday (22.08.09), and 'EastEnders' actress Samantha - who plays Ronnie Mitchell in the BBC soap - was seen in floods of tears as she visited the one-bedroom council flat in Brighton yesterday (23.08.09).

She asks to be left alone to grieve with her family.

Her husband Mark Womack said: "She asks to be left alone to grieve with her family."

Noel, 60, is thought to have suffered from depression and had a troubled relationship with his 36-year-old daughter.

A neighbour said: "As far as we know he hanged himself.

"He was a nice chap and I got on with him. I saw him coming back with his dog on Friday evening (21.08.09). He seemed quite bright even though he had heart trouble."

Another added: "He told me he was going to hospital to get results on his heart. When he got back I asked him how he got on and he said he was fine.

"For all we know he might have known his illness was going to kill him and decided to take the easiest way out."

Samantha's father left her mother when she was a child and the pair had a strained relationship ever since.

Although he attended her recent wedding to Mark in London, Samantha would not allow him to walk her down the aisle and he was not in the pictures which appeared in a glossy magazine.

Her dad said at the time: "It was like a dagger to the heart. The whole of Samantha's side of the family, including myself and her mother, have been completely left out of all the photos.

"They show only Mark's side of the family. It's like we weren't there - we don't exist. I've been completely snubbed in such an open fashion."


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