EastEnders icon set to join Hollyoaks – and will ruffle feathers

EastEnders legend Rita Simons is swapping Walford for Cheshire as she has joined the cast of Hollyoaks. The 46 year old, is going to ruffle feathers when she arrives on the show.

A source has told the Sun: "Rita’s new character will certainly ruffle feathers and is set to stir the pot. Hollyoaks fans can expect plenty of fireworks.

Rita is best known for playing the feisty Roxy Mitchell on the BBC soap from 2007 until 2017. In 2017 Roxy died on New Year's Day when she drowned with her sister Ronnie.

However, she did return earlier this year for a quick cameo. Roxy returned as a hallucination in a one-off episode as her young daughter Amy struggled with her mental health.

After that appearance, Rita did drop hits about heading to another drama. However, she remained tight-lipped about who it could be, with rumours suggesting she could have been heading to the cobbles of Coronation Street.

During an interview on Good Morning Britain, the actress confirmed that another drama had reached out to her. But when host Adil Ray started probing into who it might be she said: "I'm not telling ya!"

While she has been off-screen, Rita has had some health issues, and she has made the difficult choice to have a hysterectomy. In an exclusive chat with OK! back in January, the star admitted that she had been inspired to put her health first.

She admitted that seeing her best friend Samantha Womack had been through with cancer is part of that inspiration.

Rita said: "I just want to be happy and healthy, especially when you look at what Sam’s been through." She continued to say: "Health is so important when you see your best friend going through what she’s going through.

"We’ve all got to put it first. I don’t need a stadium of people to clap at me and tell me I’m wonderful – I can get that at home."

The decision was made after she spoke to a consultant about her debilitating and irregular periods. They had been preventing her from working, while also causing spikes in her OCD and anxiety.

At the time of her interview, she also revealed her partner Ben Harlow, who she has been with for over two years. She described their relationship as "yin and yang."

She told us: "I’m too fast, too quick, too speedy with everything. I don’t stop to breathe – ever. If I want something done, I want it done yesterday. Ben’s completely chilled out, and doesn’t worry about anything, whereas I worry about everything. He’s helped me calm down a little bit."

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