Rita Simons

Rita Joanne Simons (born 10 March 1977) is an English actress, singer, and model from London, who is known for playing Roxy Mitchell in the BBC soap opera EastEnders from 2007 to 2017, when her character was killed off. For her performance on the show Simons received many accolades, including the 2008 National Television Award for Most Popular Newcomer.

Personal life

Simons was born to Susan (née Franks) and Mark Simons. Both of her parents are Jewish. She has an older brother, Ben. Through her paternal aunt's marriage, Simons is the niece of multi-millionaire businessman Lord Sugar, who is best known in the BBC reality series The Apprentice.

In August 2006, she married hairdresser Theo Silveston, whom she met through a friend when she was 19. They have twin daughters. Simons is best friends with co-star Samantha Womack, who played her on-screen sister Ronnie Mitchell. In March 2008, The Sun reported that Simons was diagnosed with scoliosis disorder, which causes the spine to bend side to side, and is the reason why Simons is two inches shorter than she should be.

Career

Music

Before her acting career, Simons was in the band Girls@Play, who had a couple of hit singles before splitting up. Their songs included "Airhead" and a cover of Mel and Kim's "Respectable". Simons then joined a different group called Charli with three other members, including Shar from the Paradiso Girls, and released a single titled "Feel Me".

Acting

Simons has made appearances in the Sky 1 dramas Dream Team (2002) and Mile High (2003; as Hannah), as well as the ITV drama London's Burning.

On 11 May 2007, it was announced that she would be joining the cast of EastEnders as Roxy Mitchell, alongside Samantha Womack who played Roxy's sister Ronnie Mitchell. Of her role, Simons said: "I've always watched EastEnders and it's been my dream to become part of the Mitchell family." Simons temporarily departed from EastEnders in late 2015 (the character departed from screens from 1 January to 4 May 2016), allowing the actress to take part in a Snow White pantomime at the Marlowe Theatre in Canterbury, over the 2015/16 Christmas and New Year period. In August 2016, it was announced that Simons had quit EastEnders along with Samantha Womack and that they would be both departing in an "explosive" storyline in 2017. Her on-screen character Roxy Mitchell drowned in a swimming pool in an episode broadcast on New Year's Day 2017, along with her sister Ronnie.

Charity work

In December 2009, Simons visited her old secondary school, Watford Grammar School for Girls to open the Christmas fair. In December 2010, Simons launched the RNID Christmas Concert where she announced that her five-year-old daughter, Maiya is deaf. In July 2011, Simons held an autograph session at the St Nicholas Primary School summer fair in Elstree. In December 2011, Simons hosted the annual Action on Hearing Loss concert along with the Mayor of Camden. The actress appeared on a Big Star's Little Star episode, broadcast on 1 April 2015, and went on to win £13,000 for charity.

Accolades