Rita Simons says goodbye to Hollyoaks
Rita Simons has confirmed her Hollyoaks exit via a social media post.
Rita Simons has filmed her final Hollyoaks scenes.
The 48-year-old actress - who plays Marie Fielding on the long-running Channel 4 soap - has taken to social media to say a heartfelt goodbye to Hollyoaks, describing her time on the TV show as a "joy".
Alongside a series of behind-the-scenes photos, Rita wrote on Instagram: "There’s nothing more I can post here without giving away spoilers for @hollyoaksofficial 30th anniversary ep! I will when I can! …but it’s looking incredible!
"And that’s a wrap for me. Thank you gorgeous @hannahrcheers and co for having me! It’s been a joy. [heart emojis] (sic)"
News of Rita's decision to leave the soap leaked earlier this year.
At the time, an insider claimed that the actress wanted to relocate to London, having "moved her entire life to Liverpool" for the soap.
The source told The Sun newspaper: "Rita has absolutely loved every second of her time at Hollyoaks and it wasn’t an easy decision.
"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.
"London has been calling her and it’s proved difficult to balance a job she loves and her life in London."
Hollyoaks bosses were saddened by Rita's decision. However, they stressed that the "door is always open" for a return.
The source added: "Bosses were really understanding and they’ve crafted her an incredible exit storyline so while she’s really sad to leave, she’s excited to play it out. And it’s Hollyoaks so no matter what happens the door is always open."
Rita joined Hollyoaks in 2024 and, at the time, she was looking forward to the challenge.
Speaking about her character, Rita - who previously played Roxy Mitchell in EastEnders - said in a statement: "Marie’s got a lot of ties here, so I think there’s going to be quite a lot of trouble between quite a few characters, and you will just have to keep watching to see..."
