EASTENDERS fans are only just finding out that Rita Simons has a very famous uncle.
Rita, 48, played thebeloved Roxy Mitchell from 2007 until the character was killed off a decade later.
🌐 𝑾𝒆𝒃𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒆: 𝑪𝒐𝒓𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒘𝒔.𝒊𝒏𝒇𝒐 – 𝑶𝒇𝒇𝒊𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒍 𝑵𝒆𝒘𝒔 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒏𝒆𝒍
🌐 𝑾𝒆𝒃𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒆: 𝑪𝒐𝒓𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒘𝒔.𝒊𝒏𝒇𝒐 – 𝑶𝒇𝒇𝒊𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒍 𝑵𝒆𝒘𝒔 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒏𝒆𝒍
🌐 𝑾𝒆𝒃𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒆: 𝑪𝒐𝒓𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒘𝒔.𝒊𝒏𝒇𝒐 – 𝑶𝒇𝒇𝒊𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒍 𝑵𝒆𝒘𝒔 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒏𝒆𝒍
Fans were heartbroken as Roxy drowned alongside older sister Ronnie.
However, some viewers have only just realised Rita’s very famous real-life relative.
Lord Alan Sugar, 78, who many know as the star of The Apprentice, is her uncle by marriage.
Rita shared a TikTok video of the pair together, jokingly discussing how she could possibly return to EastEnders.
Speaking in the clip, Lord Sugar said: “Now look Rita, there’s no way you’re ever gonna convince the BBC to bring you back into EastEnders.”
Rita interjected, asking: “Do you think I should be back at EastEnders?”
Lord Sugar continued, adding: “Definitely. But, you’re dead.
“As far as the story [is concerned], you’re dead. So you’ve got to come back as a cousin of who you were.”
The actress then asked her uncle what her EastEnders character’s name was – but the businessman said he didn’t remember.
After recalling her name had been Roxy, he decided the new cousin would be called “Poxy”.
Ronnie and Roxy Mitchell funeral, EastEnders
He concluded: “Whatever, don’t care what you come back as.
“But the point is, you’ve got to come back as a relative.
“That’s it, definitely.”
He was spotted in the Square by a police woman who chased him up a fire escape.
Bradley lost his balance and tragically plunged to his death.
This resulted in the birth of their son, Jack (Kyran Bowes), who was named after Jack Duckworth.
As fate would have it, Kevin’s wife Sally (Sally Dynevor) was by Molly’s side in her final moments.
Sally was stunned as Molly confessed Kevin was Jack’s father, before dying of her injuries.
Introduced in 2018 as David Platt’s (Jack P. Shepherd) cellmate, he later embarked on a romance – and marriage – with vicar Billy Mayhew.
The MND storyline was announced in 2023 – with the expectation it would result in the character’s death.
One fan commented: “Your uncle is obsessed with EastEnders”, alongside six laughing emojis.
Another added: “Didn’t even know she was related to Alan Sugar.”
A third shared: “I had to Google. He is her uncle.”
EastEnders airs on BBC One and iPlayer.
🌐 𝑾𝒆𝒃𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒆: 𝑪𝒐𝒓𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒘𝒔.𝒊𝒏𝒇𝒐 – 𝑶𝒇𝒇𝒊𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒍 𝑵𝒆𝒘𝒔 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒏𝒆𝒍