Rita Joanne Simons (born 10 March 1977) is an English actress and singer. After beginning her career as a member of the short-lived girl group Girls@Play, she became 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 (Samantha Womack). For her performance on the show Simons received many accolades, including the 2008 National Television Award for "Most Popular Newcomer".
Outside of EastEnders, Simons has appeared as contestant on the eighteenth series of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! and has appeared in various theatre productions. Between 2024 and 2025, she portrayed Marie Fielding in the Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks.
Early life Simons was born on 10 March 1977 at Whipps Cross University Hospital in Whipps Cross, Leytonstone, London to Susan ( 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 billionaire businessman Alan Sugar.
Career Music career and early acting work Before her acting career, Simons was in the group 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".
Simons made appearances in the Sky One dramas Dream Team (2002) and Mile High (2003; as Hannah), as well as the ITV drama London's Burning.
EastEnders 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 2015–2016 Christmas and New Year period.
In August 2016, it was announced that Simons was leaving 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 made a voiceover appearance in May 2019, during the return of Roxy's ex-husband Sean Slater (Robert Kazinsky), which saw him listen to a voicemail from Roxy on an old mobile phone. She made a cameo reappearance on 27 April 2023, as Roxy imagined by her daughter Amy during a family counselling session. Since Ronnie and Roxy were "killed off", EastEnders fans have continued to campaign for the characters to be resurrected, including sending potential scripts and return plots to the show's bosses.
Other work Simons appeared as Paulette Bonafonte in the 2017–2018 UK tour of Legally Blonde: the Musical in 2017.
On 12 November 2018, Simons was confirmed to be participating as a contestant on the eighteenth series of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!. She was the fourth to be eliminated on 4 December 2018.
In 2019, Simons played the role of ‘Miss Hedge’ in the hit musical Everybody's Talking About Jamie at the Apollo Theatre. She was to take on the role of Velma von Tussle in the 2021 revival of Hairspray at the London Coliseum. In 2022, she joined the cast of TV show, Professor T.
She participated in Pilgrimage: The Road Through Portugal, aired in 2023, a BBC Two series dedicated to a pilgrimage to Fátima, Portugal, with six other celebrities. She was the only Jewish pilgrim and had the chance to visit a former synagogue in Tomar.
In 2023, it was announced that Simons would be joining the cast of the Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks. She made her debut as Marie Fielding, the mother of established character Joel Dexter (Rory Douglas-Speed), in March 2024. In July 2025 it was announced that Simons would be leaving the soap. She departed in October following the show's 30th anniversary celebrations, when her character was seen moving into Brookside Close under an alias.
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 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, Councillor Abdul Quadir.
Simons appeared on an episode of Big Star's Little Star, broadcast on 1 April 2015, and won £13,000 for charity.
Personal life Simons is divorced from her first husband and father of their two daughters, Theo Silveston. She married her second husband Ben Harlow on 16 September 2025, at Hidden River Barn, Longtown, Cumbria, she was given away by her close friend, Duncan James with Simons' twin teenage daughters Maiya and Jaimee, acting as her bridesmaids.
Simons is best friends with Eastenders, co-star Samantha Womack, who played her on-screen sister Ronnie Mitchell in the soap series.
Simons has been diagnosed with scoliosis.
In July 2018, Simons revealed that she has been diagnosed with ADHD, OCD, anxiety and insomnia.
Filmography Television Year Show Role Notes 2002 Dream Team Prostitute Episode: "Danny and Peggsy Go Large" 2003 Mile High Hannah 1 episode #1.4 2007–2017, 2019, 2023 EastEnders Roxy Mitchell 970 episodes 2007–2013BBC Children in NeedRoxy Mitchell / Herself2009All Star Mr & Mrs2009, 2022The Weakest LinkHerselfContestant2009–2011EastEnders RevealedIncluding clips of Simons' portrayal as Roxy2011All Star Family FortunesEpic Win!2012–2013Celebrity Juice2012My Daughter, Deafness and Me2012, 2019Celebrity Chase2013I Love My CountryPanelistPointless CelebritiesContestant2015EastEnders: Back to OursIncluding clips of Simons' portrayal as RoxyBig Star's Little StarContestant2016The One ShowHerself / Roxy MitchellPeggy Mitchell's final episode2017Tipping Point: Lucky StarsHerselfContestant2018 I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! Contestant; eliminated fourth2018–2021Lorraine3 episodes2019The Stages of My LifePiers Morgan's Life StoriesGuest; Alan Sugar's nieceLoose WomenGuest2020Richard Osman's House of GamesContestantHarry Redknapp's Sandbanks SummerHey Tracey!Special guestCelebrity Supermarket Sweep2021Britain's Brightest Celebrity FamilyContestant; semi-finalistCelebrity MasterChefContestant 2022Professor TDebbie Sanderson Episode: "DNA of a Murderer" 2024-2025 Hollyoaks Marie Fielding Regular role2024Drama QueensHerself
Film Year Show Role Notes 2018 The Krays: Dead Man Walking Lisa Prescott
Theatre Year Show Role Notes 2015 Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Queen Ivannah Marlowe Theatre 2017 Aladdin Scheherazade Beck Theatre Legally Blonde: The Musical Paulette Bonafonte Tour 2018 Sleeping Beauty Carabosse Pavilion Theatre, Bournemouth2019 Sleeping Beauty Carabosse Alban Arena The House on Cold Hill Caro Harcourt Tour Everybody's Talking About Jamie Miss Hedge Apollo Theatre2021 Hairspray Velma von Tussle London Coliseum Sleeping Beauty Carabosse Derby Arena 2022 Peter Pan Captain Hook Hawth Theatre2023Beauty and the BeastEnchantressAssembly Hall Theatre
Accolades Year Award Category Result Ref 2008 National Television Awards Most Popular Newcomer Inside Soap AwardsBest Newcomer Digital Spy Soap Awards Best On-Screen Partnership (with Samantha Janus) TV Now Awards Favourite Newcomer to Irish TV (with Samantha Janus) The British Soap Awards Best Newcomer Best On-Screen Partnership (with Samantha Janus) Sexiest Female TV Quick and TV Choice Awards Best Newcomer 2009 All About Soap Bubble Awards Fatal Attraction (with Robert Kazinsky) Killer Secret (with Robert Kazinsky & Scott Maslen) TV Now Awards Favourite Female Soap Star 2011 British Soap Awards Sexiest Female 2017 Inside Soap Awards Best Exit (with Samantha Janus) Show Stopper (with Samantha Janus) 2018 BRIFTLIX Indie Film Awards Best Actress
See also List of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! (British TV series) contestants
References
External links
Inside Soap Awards 2008