Former EastEnders star Rita Simons has explained the reason why she decided to get a facelift.
In an interview with OK! magazine, the actress revealed she had chosen to undergo the procedure to reverse the signs of ageing, adding that the facelift has given her a huge boost in self-confidence.
"I could feel the changes when I was washing my face," Simons told the publication. "I just wanted to feel like me again, like my old self, and I do. I feel great again now. I feel like I can hold my head up high.
"I’m going public with it because it’s helped my confidence so much. I wasn’t ready to age."
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Simons revealed her surgery was the minimally invasive 'Cinderella' facelift, adding that she didn't want to make drastic changes to her face or to end up looking "like a Kardashian".
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"There was no pain, no scar, no swelling, no bandages, nothing. It’s amazing," she said.
Simons is best known for her role on EastEnders between 2007 and 2017, playing one half of sister duo Roxy and Ronnie Mitchell alongside Samantha Womack. The sisters were dramatically killed off as they drowned together in a swimming pool during Ronnie's wedding to Jack Branning.
Following her time on Albert Square, the actress appeared on the 2018 series of I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here, becoming the fourth campmate to be evicted.
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Simons recently reflected on the impact of Roxy Mitchell on Walford and EastEnders, explaining that she loved her time playing the "iconic" character.
"I can't believe it but Ronnie and Roxy were such iconic figures in the show that in a way they do kind of carry on. No one will ever forget them. I get to carry the character for a long while," she said.
EastEnders airs on Mondays - Thursdays at 7.30pm on BBC One. The show also streams on BBC iPlayer.
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