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Rita Simons has announced that she is engaged to her partner Ben Harlow.
The EastEnders star, 47, who has been dating the producer since 2020, took to her Instagram on Saturday with the good news and proudly showed off her gorgeous diamond ring.
The couple couldn’t wipe the smiles from their faces as they posed for several sweet snaps in the comfort of their own home.
Rita captioned the announcement with: ‘….so this happened! (ring emojis) @benjyharlow ❤️’
Fans and friends rushed to the comment section to congratulate the happy couple, with Hollyoaks star Steph Waring writing: ‘Congratulations to you both!’
While fans commented: ‘Awwww AMAZING!!! Hugest congratulations both.’; ‘Yes to this!!! Congrats to you both.’
Rita Simons has announced that she’s officially engaged to her partner Ben Harlow
The EastEnders star, 47, who has been dating the producer since 2020, took to her Instagram on Saturday with the good news and proudly showed off her gorgeous diamond ring
Rita captioned the announcement with: ‘….so this happened! (ring emojis) @benjyharlow ❤️’
Rita, who is best known for playing Roxy Mitchell in the BBC soap, has been in a relationship with the former actor since 2020 after the pair met while performing in Legally Blonde the Musical in 2017.
While previously discussing her romance, Rita said Ben is ‘the loveliest man on the planet’ and that it’s only because she’s ‘so happy’ now she can see what a ‘mess’ she was.
Before her relationship with Ben, Rita was married to Theo Silveston for 14 years before separating in 2018.
The actress had reportedly been ‘growing apart’ from the hairdresser and they decided to end their relationship after a period of separation.
However, after the couple split in 2018, Rita struggled with depression, insomnia and more.
In the end, the stress, pressure and heartbreak caused her to suffer a nervous breakdown.
Speaking to OK! Magazine in 2021, Rita explained: ‘I was physically ill every other week and I lost loads of weight.’
‘Every night I would go on stage in the West End in Everybody’s Talking About Jamie having just had some fraught conversation with Theo, and later on having just received legal letters.’
Rita, who plays Roxy Mitchell in the BBC soap, has been in a relationship with the former actor since 2020 after the pair met while performing in Legally Blonde the Musical in 2017
While discussing her romance, Rita previously said Ben is ‘the loveliest man on the planet’ and that it’s only because she’s ‘so happy’ now she can see what a ‘mess’ she was
Before her relationship with Ben, Rita was married to Theo Silveston for 14 years before separating in 2018 (both pictured in 2017)
Rita and her ex-husband Theo share two twin daughters together Jaimee and Maiya (all pictured in 2014)
‘And I would just cry, go on stage, come off, cry and respond. I also had terrible insomnia for about a year.’
She added: ‘When I’m unhappy, my sleep is the first thing to go and then the knock-on is the depression and anxiety.’
In 2019, while starring in the play The House On Cold Hill, the star had a nervous breakdown. ‘My mind went to some major dark places,’ admitted Rita.
Previously speaking to The Sun, she said: ‘There were some stairs on the set that I came on stage on, quite high at the top.’
‘And I thought I could just chuck myself down. I didn’t want to die. I just wanted to hurt myself enough to go to hospital and have someone look after me. That was scary.’
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