Rita Simons confirms she's quit Hollyoaks and teases explosive final scenes in emotional post
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Rita Simons confirmed she's quit Hollyoaks after just 18 months as she took to social media with an emotional tribute to the show.
The former EastEnders star also revealed she's already filmed her exit scenes after expressing her desire to leave with an explosive storyline.
Rita, 48, starred as Marie Fielding in the Channel 4 series, the long-lost ex of Jamie Lomas' gangster character Warren Fox and the mother of Joel Dexter, who is played by Rory Douglas-Speed.
Since joining the cast, Rita has been key to some of the big storylines on the soap, including having to reckon with her villainous sons, Abe and Arlo, played by Tyler Conti and Dan Hough respectively.
Rita's final scenes are expected to air this autumn.
Taking to Instagram on Tuesday, she shared a selfie of herself in tears alongside a snap with co-star Dan and a pal.
Rita Simons confirmed she's quit Hollyoaks after just 18 months as she took to social media with an emotional tribute to the show
Rita, 48, starred as Marie Fielding in the Channel 4 series, the long-lost ex of Jamie Lomas' gangster character Warren Fox and the mother of Joel Dexter
She penned: 'There's nothing more I can post here without giving away spoilers for the 30th anniversary ep.
'I will when I can... but it's looking incredible! And that's a wrap for me. It's been a joy.'
It was revealed earlier this year that Rita had made the decision to leave the show in an explosive new storyline, seeing her return to her life in London after relocating to Liverpool for the role.
Speaking to The Sun, an insider revealed: 'She moved her entire life to Liverpool two years ago to throw herself into the show and it’s been a great adventure but the pull of home is just too much.'
The source added that bosses had been 'understanding' of Rita's situation and crafted an 'incredible exit storyline' that all the stars are 'excited to play out'.
Rita's exit coincides with the Channel 4 soap's 30th anniversary in October, which will be marked with a series of celebrations on screen.
Bosses teased that there would be a 'spectacle stunt' for viewers to look out for as part of the anniversary coverage, with a huge battle due to take place between two o the show's major stars.
Prior to her stint in Hollyoaks, Rita famously played Roxy Mitchell in BBC's EastEnders from 2007 to 2017.
Taking to Instagram on Tuesday, she shared a selfie of herself in tears as well as a snap with her co-star Dan Hough, who played her on-screen son Arlo (pictured)
Prior to her stint in Hollyoaks, Rita famously played Roxy Mitchell in BBC soap opera EastEnders from 2007 to 2017
Rita isn't the only star to exit Hollyoaks recently.
Earlier this year, Charlie Clapham made the decision to leave the show after a shock comeback just over a year before.
The actor portrayed Freddie Roscoe and first arrived in the village in 2013 and stayed for four years before leaving the show for the first time.
Last year he made a dramatic return alongside Tamara Wall as villain Grace Black as his wife, but once again left the soap to follow new opportunities.
Nikki Sanderson, who played Maxine Minniver, also quit the series this year, more than a decade after she first appeared in 2012.
Nikki had quit prior to filming her final scenes in April, the actress confessed to The Mirror that the decision to walk away was an 'incredibly difficult' one.
She told the publication: 'Deciding to leave was an incredibly difficult decision for me because Maxine is a huge, huge part of my life – and a part of my life that I've loved.
'It's difficult to think, 'It's time', and it wasn't an instant or overnight decision, it took me a long time to make it and it was something I genuinely fought with myself about, but I'm lucky that I could talk to people around me and get people's opinions.
'I'm grateful that I've had the stability for so long, now I've just got to embrace the instability of not knowing what's next.'
Hollyoaks airs Monday to Wednesday at 7pm on E4.
Rita isn't the only star to exit Hollyoaks recently, with Charlie Clapham, who played Freddie Roscoe, and Nikki Sanderson, who played Maxine Minniver, also leaving this year
