5 THINGS I CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT
I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! contestant and former EastEnders actress RITA SIMONS, 41, lives in London with her husband Theo and their 12-year-old twin daughters Maiya and Jaimee
1 THE GYM
I suffer from anxiety and at times the most terrible insomnia too.
I find that regular exercise is definitely the best thing for keeping me calm and improving my sleep.
Luckily, I have my own gym at home and when I’m not away I try to work out every day.
While staying in shape is important, for me exercise isn’t just about looking good – it is crucial to my wellbeing.
2 CAFETIERE
I am someone who craves a shot of caffeine in the morning and if I’m away with work or have to be on set early, I always take my treasured cafetière along with me.
I never allow myself to have more than one coffee a day, but boy, do I enjoy it. When I was in the jungle the thing I craved beyond anything else was a good, strong cup of coffee in the morning.
I have never really liked frothy, milky lattes or cappuccinos. To me that’s not real coffee and it simply isn’t strong enough to get me going.
3
EYE MASK
I am such a terrible sleeper that my husband Theo hardly dares to come to bed if he knows I’ve already dozed off.
Once I’ve woken up, I very rarely get back to sleep. Of course, that isn’t such a problem if I haven’t got much to do the next day. But if I’m touring it can be a disaster. As an actress I like to be sparkling and full of energy, but that’s very difficult after a bad night’s sleep.
That’s why I always pack my fluffy panda eye mask when I go on tour. While it can’t guarantee an eight-hour sleep, it definitely helps.
4 MUSIC
My dad used to be a jazz musician and I grew up surrounded by music.
In fact it was such a passion of mine I even gave up stage school early to perform in a couple of bands, which was an absolute blast.
My daughter Jaimee and I share a rather eclectic taste in music as we both love Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra and a lot of older stuff, whereas my other daughter Maiya is dedicated to the charts.
I like to think I could listen to anything, although I would draw the line at techno which I absolutely hate.
5 MARBELLA
I have been holidaying in marvellous Marbella since I was a child and it’s definitely a home from home.
It’s a very relaxed place with the most amazing shops, restaurants and beaches
Although these days, I do try to keep away from the tourist hotspots as much as possible. I love Marbella as I have so many friends and family living out there and I know the place like the back of my hand.
The trip only takes two-and-ahalf hours and so I try to fly out as often as I can.
I am a little bit all or nothing, and the day after I got back from the jungle, I started in panto.
And as soon as that finishes, I will be performing in a play until June. But when I do get a break, I really like to relax and I am very accomplished at just sitting in the sun doing nothing.
● Rita Simons is starring alongside Joe McFadden in Peter James’ spinechilling new play The House On Cold Hill which will tour the country until midJune. For venue and ticket information visit peter james.com