Rita Joanne Simons (born 10 March 1977) is an English actress and singer. She is best known for portraying the role of 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".
Rita Simons | |
|---|---|
 Simons in 2016 | |
| Born | Rita Joanne Simons 10 March 1977 Whipps Cross, London, England |
| Other names | Rita Silveston |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 2000–present |
| Known for | Role of Roxy Mitchell in EastEnders |
| Television | Mile High Dream Team London's Burning EastEnders I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! Hollyoaks |
| Spouse |
Theo Silveston
(m. 2004; sep. 2018) |
| Children | 2 |
| Relatives | Alan Sugar (uncle) |
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. In 2024, she joined the cast of the Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks as Marie Fielding.
Early life
editSimons was born on 10 March 1977 at Whipps Cross University Hospital in Whipps Cross, Leytonstone, London to Susan (née Franks) and Mark Simons.[1] 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.[2]
Career
editMusic career and early acting work
editBefore 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".[3] 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".[4]
Simons 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.[2]
EastEnders
editOn 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."[5][6] 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.[7] 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.[8][9] 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.[10]
Other work
editSimons 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!.[11] 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.[12]
In 2023, it was announced that Simons would be joining the cast of the Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks. She is set to take over the role of Marie Fielding, the mother of established character Joel Dexter (Rory Douglas-Speed) and will make her debut in 2024.[13]
Charity work
editIn December 2009, Simons visited her old secondary school, Watford Grammar School for Girls, to open the Christmas fair.[14]
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.[15]
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
editIn August 2004, she married hairdresser Theo Silveston.[16] They have twin daughters. The couple separated in 2018.
Simons is best friends with co-star Samantha Womack, who played her on-screen sister Ronnie Mitchell.[17] She is also good friends with Danniella Westbrook, who played her on-screen cousin Sam Mitchell.
Simons has been diagnosed with scoliosis.[18]
In July 2018, Simons revealed that she has been diagnosed with ADHD, OCD, anxiety and insomnia.[19]
Filmography
editTelevision
edit| 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 | 974 episodes |
| 2007–2013 | BBC Children in Need | Roxy Mitchell / Herself | |
| 2009 | All Star Mr & Mrs | ||
| 2009, 2022 | The Weakest Link | Herself | Contestant |
| 2009–2011 | EastEnders Revealed | Including clips of Simons' portrayal as Roxy | |
| 2011 | All Star Family Fortunes | ||
| Epic Win! | |||
| 2012–2013 | Celebrity Juice | ||
| 2012 | My Daughter, Deafness and Me | ||
| 2012, 2019 | Celebrity Chase | ||
| 2013 | I Love My Country | Panelist | |
| Pointless Celebrities | Contestant | ||
| 2015 | EastEnders: Back to Ours | Including clips of Simons' portrayal as Roxy | |
| Big Star's Little Star | Contestant | ||
| 2016 | The One Show | Herself / Roxy Mitchell | Peggy Mitchell's final episode |
| 2017 | Tipping Point: Lucky Stars | Herself | Contestant |
| 2018 | I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! | Contestant; eliminated fourth | |
| 2018–2021 | Lorraine | 3 episodes | |
| 2019 | The Stages of My Life | ||
| Piers Morgan's Life Stories | Guest; Alan Sugar's niece | ||
| Loose Women | Guest | ||
| 2020 | House of Games | Contestant | |
| Harry Redknapp's Sandbanks Summer | |||
| Hey Tracey! | Special guest | ||
| Celebrity Supermarket Sweep | |||
| 2021 | Britain's Brightest Celebrity Family | Contestant; semi-finalist | |
| Celebrity MasterChef | Contestant | ||
| 2022 | Professor T | Debbie Sanderson | Episode: "DNA of a Murderer"[20] |
| 2024 | Hollyoaks | Marie Fielding | Regular role |
| 2024 | Drama Queens | Herself | Upcoming series[21] |
Film
edit| Year | Show | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | The Krays: Dead Man Walking | Lisa Prescott |
Theatre
edit| 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, Bournemouth |
| 2019 | Sleeping Beauty | Carabosse | Alban Arena |
| The House on Cold Hill | Caro Harcourt | Tour | |
| Everybody's Talking About Jamie | Miss Hedge | Apollo Theatre | |
| 2021 | Hairspray | Velma von Tussle | London Coliseum |
| Sleeping Beauty | Carabosse | Derby Arena | |
| 2022 | Peter Pan | Captain Hook | Hawth Theatre |
| 2023 | Beauty and the Beast | Enchantress | Assembly Hall Theatre |
Accolades
edit| Year | Award | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 2008 National Television Awards | Most Popular Newcomer | Won[22] |
| 2008 Inside Soap Awards | Best Newcomer | Won[23] | |
| 2008 Digital Spy Soap Awards | Won[24] | ||
| Best On-Screen Partnership (with Samantha Janus) | Won[24] | ||
| 2008 TV Now Awards | Favourite Newcomer to Irish (with Samantha Janus) | Won[25][26] | |
| 2008 British Soap Awards | Best Newcomer | Nominated[27] | |
| Best On-Screen Partnership (with Samantha Janus) | Nominated[27] | ||
| Sexiest Female | Nominated[27] | ||
| 2008 TV Quick and TV Choice Awards | Best Newcomer | Nominated[28] | |
| 2009 | 2009 All About Soap Bubble Awards | Fatal Attraction (with Robert Kazinsky) | Nominated[29] |
| 2009 TV Now Awards | Favourite Female Soap Star | Nominated[30] | |
| 2011 | 2011 British Soap Awards | Sexiest Female | Shortlisted[31] |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Rita Simons". Archived from the original on 20 April 2021. Retrieved 28 August 2023 – via PressReader.
- ^ a b "Samantha Janus lands EastEnders role". Digital Spy. 11 May 2007. Retrieved 4 August 2007.
- ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 228. ISBN 978-1-904994-10-7.
- ^ "'Charli' Music Video W Shar From The Paradiso Girls!". YouTube. 26 January 2010. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 15 May 2012.
- ^ Westbrook, Caroline (26 May 2007). "Sugar's niece joins Enders". Jewtastic. Archived from the original on 29 September 2007. Retrieved 28 May 2007.
- ^ "The Mitchell Sisters". Daily Mirror. 11 May 2007. Retrieved 4 August 2007.
- ^ Britcher, Chris (11 January 2016). "Marlowe Theatre panto smashes box office records as Snow White packs a punch". Kent News. Retrieved 4 January 2017.
- ^ Kilkelly, Daniel (1 January 2017). "EastEnders kills off Ronnie and Roxy Mitchell with a grisly swimming pool ending". Digital Spy. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
- ^ Minn, Hayley (2 January 2017). "Ronnie and Roxy Mitchell's EastEnders death explained: How they actually drowned". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 2 January 2017.
- ^ Hibbs, James (27 April 2023). "EastEnders fans already in tears over Roxy's emotional return". Radio Times.
- ^ Lewis, Rebecca (12 November 2018). "Meet the I'm a Celebrity 2018 campmates from Rita Simons to Harry Redknapp". Metro.co.uk. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
- ^ "BBC Two - Pilgrimage". BBC.
- ^ "Hollyoaks role revealed for ex-EastEnders star Rita Simons". Digital Spy. 15 July 2023. Retrieved 16 July 2023.
- ^ "Watford Grammar School For Girls" (PDF). Watford Grammar School For Girls. December 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 August 2010. Retrieved 17 October 2010.
- ^ Darlington, Josh (14 July 2011). "Eastenders star Rita Simons helps raise money for St Nicholas Primary School in Elstree". Borehamwood & Elstree Times. Retrieved 17 July 2011.
- ^ Neil, Beth (30 April 2008). "EastEnders Roxy on being a mum and the Square's biggest slapper". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 4 January 2017.
- ^ Shields, Danielle (25 August 2016). "Soap stars who are BFFs in real life – Sam Womack and Rita Simons set to exit EastEnders together". OK!. Retrieved 4 January 2017.
- ^ Kilner, Lara (14 April 2012). "Rita Simons on EastEnders, Uncle Alan Sugar and being told she looks fat on the telly". mirror. Retrieved 13 January 2020.
- ^ Fillingham, Hanna (22 July 2018). "Ex-EastEnders star Rita Simons opens up about terrifying health condition". Hello!. Retrieved 22 July 2018.
- ^ "Professor T". radiotimes.com. Retrieved 15 October 2022.
- ^ "EastEnders and Hollyoaks star Rita Simons joins ITV's new soap reality show". Digital Spy. 27 March 2024. Retrieved 28 March 2024.
- ^ "National Television Awards: The Winners". Digital Spy. 30 October 2008. Retrieved 12 November 2010.
- ^ Green, Kris (29 September 2008). "'Enders cleans up at Inside Soap Awards". Digital Spy. Retrieved 27 March 2009.
- ^ a b Green, Kris (21 March 2008). "Digital Spy Soap Awards 2008: The Winners". Digital Spy. Retrieved 3 January 2017.
- ^ "Favourite Newcomer to Irish". TV Now. Archived from the original on 13 June 2008.
- ^ "Rita Simons Winner of best newcomer TV Now Awards 2008 held at the Mansion House Dublin, Ireland". Alamy. Archived from the original on 4 January 2017. Retrieved 4 January 2017.
- ^ a b c "The British Soap Awards 2008: The Winners". Digital Spy. 4 May 2008. Retrieved 30 September 2012.
- ^ "Rita Simons – Awards". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 4 January 2017.
- ^ "All About Soap 'Bubble' winners announced". Digital Spy. 31 March 2009. Retrieved 4 January 2017.
- ^ "Favourite Female Soap Star". TV Now. Archived from the original on 7 April 2009.
- ^ "British Soap Awards 2011: The Winners". Digital Spy. 14 May 2011.
External links
edit- Rita Simons at IMDb
- Rita Simons discography at Discogs
- Rita Simons on Twitter
- Inside Soap Awards 2008
