Samuel Johnson, Finished With "Molly", Retires From Acting

“[W]hat better time to hang up my hat, so to speak!”

Samuel Johnson has announced his retirement from acting, mere weeks after his comeback performance in Molly appeared to mark his return.

Johnson dropped the bombshell on his Love Your Sister Facebook page, LYS being a charity he initially established to raise $10 million for cancer research, inspired by his cancer-stricken sister Connie.

“I can't act anymore. Not if I'm to serve you properly,” he said, speaking to the LYS community.

“I cannot play pretend on telly while our families are falling.

“Cancer is the last true riddle of our time (not of our doing) and I wanna be part of the push to solve it once and for all - part of the new 'moonshot'.”

(Do yourself a favour and read his full statement here.)

In 2014, Johnson rode a unicycle across the country, raising $1.75 million for cancer research. Earlier this year, he was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for his efforts.

However, as he admits on the Facebook page, his starring role as Molly Meldrum in Molly was a distraction from his larger goal.

“I love acting, it's the best job in the world. But the thing is, being a 'vollie' for healthy families kinda wins hands down. No contest. If it weren't for Molly, I'd have done it sooner,” he added.

Johnson has been acting for nearly 25 years, with early roles on Home and Away and The New Adventures Of Ocean Girl. His breakout gig came in the early 2000s, with The Secret Life Of Us.

Godspeed.

Photo: Channel 7.