Rumours have been circulating around the an upcoming shock exit for Roxy and Ronnie Mitchell from EastEnders for months.

It was reported earlier this year that the pair were going to be killed off in dramatic scenes to tie in with Ronnie’s wedding to Jack Branning. Now the actress who plays Roxy Mitchell, Rita Simons, has shed some light on why she's about to leave the soap.

Speaking to the Herts & Essex Observer the actress opened up about her upcoming exit saying:

"It was mutual, for a start, so you know, I wanted to go. A new boss came in, he wanted us to go, which we were all happy with.

"I had to get out of there, it was weird. I knew I had to get out of there because as an actor I needed to spread my wings."

Rita, who is currently playing the wicked stepmother in the Alban Arena panto Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, in St Albans, Hertfordshire, added she was looking forwards to some of the projects she had lined up.

The 39-year-old disclosed she's signed up to play Paulette the hairdresser in the Legally Blonde play next year and also had two potential film roles for 2017.

However she admitted that after nine years on EastEnders she was going to miss the close friends she'd made on Albert Square.

"All this lot here, they're my family, so it's really hard to break away when you are so attached to your cast members, but I knew I had to go.

"So when [the new boss] came to me with the idea I was ready to take it – I thought this is the kick up the bum I need to go. So I have to just take a leap of faith and, yes, it's a big thing for a soap actor, but I have faith.

"I'll be best mates with them til the end. The fact that they're here shows you that, doesn't it?"

Sadly Rita remained tight-lipped about exactly how Roxy will be departing the soap. But it sounds like one we're not going to want to miss.