The Sun previously revealed that actor Sam Hall has been axed from the ITV soap.
Sam, 20, has played the role of Samson Dingle since he was just five years old, joining the show in 2009.
A TV source said: “Sam had a meeting with bosses earlier this month where they broke the news.
“He has been left devastated. He’s grown up with his on-screen Dingle clan and they are all very protective of him. Some of the cast even went to talk to bosses about their decision.
“As news of his axing swept through the building there were quite a lot of angry Dingles. The fact that they are planning on killing him off means there’ll be no way back for him either.
“He’s absolutely gutted.”
An Emmerdale spokesman declined to comment.
Meanwhile, viewers were introduced to Samson’s new friend Josh (Osian Morgan) in Monday’s episode.
He and Samson were shown hanging out around an old van, although it became clear they were trying to fix up the van in time for Samson to pass his driving test.
Josh asked: “What do you reckon then, legal by summer?”
Afterwards, Salmon confirmed his plans for the summer.
He told his dad Sam (James Hooton) and stepmum Lydia (Karen Blick): “If we get it fixed up in time, we will be off around Europe.”
Lydia was very worried, later telling Sam: “Have you read the papers, it’s full of young lads who have just passed their driving tests – which Samson hasn’t.
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“Their mates are all in the car, distracting them and suddenly it’s…”, although she didn’t complete her sentence as Samson soon walked in.
Meanwhile, some fans are starting to think soap bosses may have given a nod to how Samson will be departing Emmerdale.
One viewer remarked on X, formerly Twitter: “Guessing Samson’s new mate is his lazily written exit storyline then?!”
While another echoed: “Car crash exit – literally!”
Last week, soap spoilers revealed Samson will find himself at the wrong end of a knife after a scuffle with Matty.
Emmerdale airs weeknights at 7.30pm on ITV