David Samuels

Dr. David Samuels made his first appearance on 28 April 1988. He is portrayed by Christopher Reich.

Storylines
David first appears in April 1988 as Dr. Legg's nephew who is visiting from Israel. David has fallen on hard times in Israel. He was being shunned by the locals because he had treated a wounded terrorist, who was guilty of bombing a bus that had killed his best friend. He had also split from his fiancée Ruth, and wanted a new start. When his mother came to visit Harold she asks him if it would be possible for David to join him in England for a while. Harold thinks it is a great idea, and David comes over the following month. He helps his uncle out with the practice and lives in the flat above Walford Surgery.

Despite being extremely fond of each other, the new partners argue about almost everything. David wants to modernise the surgery and bring in computers, but Harold is set in his ways and is opposed to any obvious changes. Harold also disagrees with David's friendship with their secretary, Michelle Fowler. Particularly when the two get drunk one night at a Christmas party, leave together and end up in the same bed. David awakes the next day not remembering a thing, but is reassured when Michelle informs him that they he had been too drunk to do anything untoward anyway. Harold is not convinced however, and berates David for the degradation he'd brought upon himself and the surgery.

Later David and Harold fall out over Harold's treatment of patients. David is appalled that Harold has decided to lie to Colin Russell and withhold vital information from him about his depleting health. He is also angry over Harold's lack of persistence concerning Donna Ludlow's drug problem, and later blames himself for not providing sufficient help following her suicide in May 1989. Soon after David has stern words for Harold when he fails to diagnose Vicki Fowler with meningitis. Their altercation leads to Harold retiring and leaving the running of the surgery to David. However, David's contemporary methods alienate the older residents of Walford and after much protesting Harold eventually decides to rethink his retirement. David initially tries to fight this, but in August 1989, his old Israeli girlfriend, Ruth, arrives in the Square to reconcile with David, and she makes David and Harold realise how petty their arguing has become. The two doctors manage to patch up their differences, whilst David and Ruth put their past behind them and get back together. The following month they decide to marry and return to Israel together.