Rita Joanne Simons is an English actress, singer, and model from London. She is best known for playing Roxy Mitchell in the BBC soap opera EastEnders from 2007 to 2017, when her character was killed-off, alongside her on screen character's sister Ronnie Mitchell. For her performance on the show Simons received many accolades, including the 2008 National Television Award for Most Popular Newcomer. On 12 November 2018, Simons was confirmed to be participating in that year's series of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!. She was the fourth to be eliminated on 4 December 2018.
Personal life
Simons was born at Whipps Cross University Hospital in Whipp Cross, Leytonstone, London. She is Susan and Mark Simons daughter. Both of her parents are Jewish. She has an older brother, Ben. Through her paternal aunt's marriage, Simons is the niece of billionaire businessman Lord Sugar, who is best known for appearing in the BBC reality series The Apprentice. In August 2004, she married hairdresser Theo Silverston. They have twin daughters. Simons is best friends with co-star Samantha Womack, who played her on-screen sister Ronnie Mitchell. Simons has been diagnosed with scoliosis. In July 2018, Simons revealed that she was suffering from ADHD, OCD, anxiety and insomnia.
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 and Mile High, 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, 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. 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. Simons appeared as Paulette Bonafonte in the 2017-18 UK tour of Legally Blonde: the Musical in 2017. In 2019, Simons played the role of ‘Miss Hedge’ in the hit musical Everybody's Talking About Jamieat the Apollo Theatre. She will take on the role of Velma von Tussle in the 2021 revival of Hairspray at the London Coliseum.
