Dr. David Samuels

Name: Dr. David Samuels
First Appeared: 28th April 1988
Last Appeared: 7th September 1989
Played by: Christopher Reich

Dr. David Samuels made his first appearance in Walford in April 1988, seeking refuge from a tumultuous life in Israel. After treating a wounded terrorist responsible for bombing a bus that killed his best friend, David was shunned by the locals. He also split from his fiancée, Ruth, and needed a fresh start. His mother asked his uncle, Doctor Legg, if David could join him in England, and Harold welcomed the idea. David soon moved in, helping his uncle at the practice and living in the flat above Walford Surgery.

Despite their fondness for each other, David and Harold often clashed. David wanted to modernize the surgery with new technology, including computers, while Harold was set in his ways. Their relationship strained further when David’s friendship with their secretary, Michelle Fowler, led to a drunken night ending in the same bed. Though nothing happened, Harold was unimpressed and berated David for the scandal. Their disagreements extended to patient care, with David appalled by Harold’s decision to withhold critical health information from Colin Russell and his lack of persistence in addressing Donna Ludlow’s drug problem.

The tension peaked when Harold failed to diagnose Vicki Fowler with meningitis, leading to his retirement and leaving David in charge. However, David’s modern methods alienated the older residents of Walford, prompting Harold to reconsider his retirement. Just as David was fighting this decision, his old girlfriend Ruth arrived, helping him and Harold realize the pettiness of their arguments. The two doctors patched up their differences, and David and Ruth rekindled their relationship. They decided to marry and return to Israel together in September 1989.