EastEnders star addresses 'nervous breakdown' and 'rough few years' after split

14 April 2023 , 09:33

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Rita Simons opened up on a "rough few years" after the breakdown of her marriage (Image: Instagram)

EastEnders star Rita Simmons, who starred as Roxy Mitchell for 10 years before being killed off, reflected on the breakdown of her marriage as she discussed her recent appearance on BBC Two's Pilgrimage.

The BBC soap star was one of the seven celebrities who explored their religious and spiritual beliefs as they travelled along the northern route of the Fatima Way in Portugal.

Su Pollard, Bobby Seagull, Vicky Pattison, Nabil Abdulrashid, Shane Lynch and Millie Knight also took part in the journey.

Speaking about the emotional moments she experienced during the pilgrimage, the Jewish actress said: "My answer is a weird one because it's no secret that I have been through a rough few years."

Rita Simmons starred as Roxy Mitchell for 10 years (BBC/Kieron McCarron)

Rita and her husband Theo Silverston split after 14 years of marriage (Can Nguyen/REX/Shutterstock)

"Divorce, blah blah blah, a couple of breakdowns, so by the time I did this show I was in the most wonderful place outside of work that I have been in years," she continued.

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"When I said it on the show, I don't know if it was that or I am just getting older, but this is the first show I have ever done where I didn't go, 'I want to go home, I want to see my kids.'"

"I am sure I attribute that to not having a nervous breakdown and a divorce," she told Express.co.uk and other press.

EastEnders were left heartbroken when Roxy and her sister Ronnie Mitchell (Samantha Womack) were killed off on New Year's Day 2017.

Roxy and Ronnie drowned together on New Year's Day 2017 (scu)

Not long after her exit, Rita and her husband Theo Silverston split after 14 years of marriage.

Her agent confirmed: ""Rita and Theo have been separated for almost two years and Theo moved out of the family home some time ago."

Speaking to OK! Magazine shortly after their split, Rita said: "I was physically ill every other week and I lost loads of weight. Every night I would go on stage in the West End in Everybody’s Talking About Jamie having just had some fraught conversation with Theo, and later on having just received legal letters."

The actress admitted she would come off stage to cry and suffered with insomnia, depression and anxiety.

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Charlotte McIntyre