Actress Dame Barbara Windsor dies aged 83

One of Britain’s most beloved entertainment stars, Dame Barbara Windsor first found fame in her role as a buxom blonde in the Carry On films and later became a household name playing Peggy Mitchell, the Queen Vic’s battle-axe landlady in BBC soap EastEnders.

Dame Barbara was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2014 and made the news public in 2018.

She died at 8.35pm on Thursday at a London care home, her husband Scott Mitchell told PA.

Mr Mitchell said: “Her passing was from Alzheimer’s/dementia and Barbara eventually died peacefully and I spent the last seven days by her side.

“Myself, her family and friends will remember Barbara with love, a smile and affection for the many years of her love, fun, friendship and brightness she brought to all our lives and the entertainment she gave to so many thousands of others during her career.

“Barbara’s final weeks were typical of how she lived her life. Full of humour, drama and a fighting spirit until the end.

“I will always be immensely proud of Barbara’s courage, dignity and generosity dealing with her own illness and still trying to help others by raising awareness for as long as she could.”

Mr Mitchell, who alongside his wife campaigned for greater dementia care from the Government, added: "Although in challenging times, I urge the Prime Minister, his Government and other parties to be true to their previous promises and invest more into dementia/Alzheimer’s research and care."

He thanked the medical staff who cared for his Dame Barbara and expressed his gratitude to their family, friends, the media and public for their support during her illness.

Dame Barbara made her debut as Peggy in 1994 and soon became one of the small screen’s best-loved characters as she yelled at rogue drinkers to “get outta my pub!”.

It became the defining role of her career and saw her star alongside Ross Kemp and Steve McFadden as her fictional sons Grant and Phil, with the late Mike Reid as her on-screen husband Frank Butcher.

The character left our screens in 2003 when Dame Barbara took a sabbatical for medical reasons after being diagnosed with the Epstein-Barr virus, but she returned as a series regular in 2005.

In 2009, Dame Barbara announced she would be leaving the soap again in order to spend more time with her husband Scott, who she married in 2000.

She returned for cameo appearances in the soap over the next few years but in 2016 she played Peggy for the final time.

Before becoming synonymous with Albert Square, Dame Barbara delighted Carry On fans with her portrayals of a “good time girl,” appearing in nine films in a series known for its bawdy humour.

She first appeared in Carry On Spying in 1964, with her final film role coming in 1974’s Carry On Dick.

One of Dame Barbara’s most famous scenes was in 1969’s Carry On Camping, when her bikini top flew off in the middle of an exercise class.

The actress was made a dame in the 2016 New Year’s Honours list for her services to charity and entertainment.

Both Dame Barbara and her husband campaigned to raise awareness of Alzheimer’s following her diagnosis.

In August this year Mitchell said his wife had been moved to a care home in London.

Following her death, The Alzheimer’s Society praised Dame Barbara and her husband, saying it is “incredibly grateful” for their work bringing awareness to the disease.

In a statement to PA, the charity said: “Dame Barbara Windsor was an amazingly true, much-loved national treasure, and in speaking out about her experiences shone like a beacon for others affected by dementia.

“Our heart goes out to her husband Scott Mitchell and all their family and friends at this very sad time. Alzheimer’s Society is incredibly grateful to have had Barbara and her husband Scott’s support – what they achieved over the last couple of years for dementia has been truly awe-inspiring.”

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