EastEnders favourite Rita Simons has shared a personal glimpse into her life away from the spotlight, opening up about living with scoliosis in a candid new Instagram video.
The actress, best known to millions as fiery Roxy Mitchell on the BBC soap, posted a clip of herself getting ready while speaking openly about her condition, even showing fans her latest X-ray.
‘Pretty bad scoliosis,’ she said honestly, pointing out a visible ‘rib hump’ as she explained how her spine curves significantly. While she admitted the back pain is very real, she revealed that the physical discomfort isn’t always the hardest part.
‘Back pain aside… (the pain is real, but I deal with it) The real drama is getting dressed,’ she wrote in the caption.
‘What looks fabulous on the hanger usually makes me look like a rolled-up carpet.’
In the video, Rita shows how she styles her outfits to help her feel more confident, explaining that certain cuts and structured pieces, including her ‘extensive blazer collection”, help balance her shape and give her a boost. It’s a refreshingly honest look at the reality behind red carpet glamour.
‘Some of you know I have scoliosis. Some of you are about to Google it. So… here it is. My back does its own thing. Big time,’ she told followers.
Rita admitted she has never been ‘this exposed’ about her scoliosis before but decided to speak out anyway.
‘I’m going to just say fk it and do it,’ she wrote defiantly.
She also explained that she isn’t a candidate for corrective surgery, meaning there’s no quick fix. Instead, she manages the condition with physio, posture checks and adapting her wardrobe to work for her body.
‘This one’s for my scoli sisters (I see you and I understand more than you probably realise), but also for the big-boobed, short-waisted, slightly wonky, perfectly imperfect crew,’ she added.
And in true Rita style, she kept her humour firmly intact: ‘If my back were straight I’d be unbearably fkn perfect, This is character building.’
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Fans were quick to flood the comments with support, praising her honesty and thanking her for speaking up.
‘So proud of you for sharing!! It’s definitely not an easy thing to talk about! Also, so relatable, nothing ever fits! But we got this,’ one follower wrote.
Another shared their own experience: ‘This is the exact same scoliosis I had from the age of 13 months – growing up finding outfits was always difficult, however; I soon come to realise that even though we think people are noticing, they really don’t. We’re just a unique bunch of people in a very big pond. Wear your hump with Pride.’
A third added: ‘I’ve never met or seen anyone who hasn’t had the surgery and I felt so alone but after seeing this I didn’t know you had scoliosis and I just want to say thank you so much this means more than you know.’
Others praised the actress and said her post would help so many people feel less isolated.
Rita shot to fame playing Roxy Mitchell in EastEnders from 2007 until the character’s dramatic exit in 2017. As one half of the iconic Mitchell sisters alongside Samantha Womack’s Ronnie, Roxy became a firm fan favourite, known for her big heart, chaotic love life and unforgettable one-liners. From explosive relationships to heartbreaking family drama, Rita was at the centre of some of the soap’s biggest storylines before Roxy’s tragic death in a swimming pool on her sister’s wedding day that stunned viewers.
Since leaving Albert Square, Rita has continued to perform on stage and screen, but it’s clear she’s also using her platform to have real, meaningful conversations.
And if the reaction from fans is anything to go by, her honesty has already made a powerful difference.
