‘Before Lockdown, I Was Properly Broken–now I'm The Happiest I've Ever Been'

Former eastenders actress Rita Simons opens up exclusively to ok! About her divorce being pushed to the brink and coming out the other side stronger

- Kirsty Hatcher

On stage and screen, glamorous and successful Rita Simons appeared to have it all – but behind the scenes in recent years, she was secretly falling apart. The star was dealing with the end of her 14-year marriage to hairdresser Theo Silveston, working non-stop and battling depression and insomnia.

So it’s no wonder Rita, 43, who played Roxy Mitchell in EastEnders, describes the period as “one of the worst times” of her life.

After doing I’m A Celeb in 2018 and throwing herself into work as a distraction from her woes, things came to a head. In 2019, while starring in play The House On Cold Hill, she had a nervous breakdown.

“My mind went to some major dark places,” admits Rita, who is joined by 15-year-old Maiya, one of her twin daughters, as she opens the door to her four-bed family home in Hertfordshire. But thankfully, she has come out the other side stronger and happier.

OK! can exclusively reveal she has now finalised her divorce after two-and-a-half years. And when we ask about her new partner Ben Harlow, even though we are talking on the phone it’s clear Rita has broken into a smile.

“He’s very good for me,” she says of actor Ben, 45, who she met on a touring production of Legally Blonde in 2017.

Here, Rita, who also has Maiya’s sister Jaimee with Theo, opens up about her mental health struggles, her new relationship and how lockdown helped her process her divorce…

You’ve had a tough few years, Rita. How have you found lockdown?