Dame Barbara Windsor dies at London care home at age of 83

Much loved actress Barbara Windsor, best known for her roles in Eastenders and the Carry On films, has died at her London care home with her husband Scott Mitchell by her side.

The 83-year-old had been diagnosed with dementia and moved into the care home earlier this year after her Alzheimer’s worsened during lockdown.

Scott Mitchell paid tribute to the star of stage and screen saying he had lost his wife, best friend and soulmate. He said she would be remembered for the "love, fun, friendship and brightness she brought to all our lives".

The BBC Eastenders programme also paid tribute saying: "We are all deeply saddened that we’ve lost our Dame. Barbara created an icon in Peggy Mitchell, our formidable Landlady. To all of us at EastEnders, she was our dearest friend, truly loved and adored by everyone. Our thoughts go out to Scott and Barbara’s family."

Dame Barbara was awarded a Damehood in 2016 for services to showbusiness and charity. In 2019, she and her husband became the faces of Dementia Revolution – a joint campaign between Alzheimer’s Research UK and Alzheimer’s Society – as Charity of the Year for the 2019 Virgin Money London Marathon. The year-long campaign raised a record-breaking £4 million.

Tim Parry, director at Alzheimer’s Research UK, said: “We’re devastated to learn of the death of Dame Barbara and our hearts and condolences go out to her husband Scott and the family.

“We will all remember Dame Barbara’s warmth and effervescence, but Alzheimer’s Research UK and thousands affected by dementia will be forever grateful for her dignified contribution to dementia campaigning in her final years.”

He added: “Dame Barbara’s work in helping to rally support and demystify an often-misunderstood condition made a difference to us and many others and further adds to her legacy as a one of the nation’s favourites. She was a friend to our charity, and we are desperately sad to lose her.”

Kate Lee, chief executive of the Alzheimer’s Society called Dame Barbara “an amazingly true, much-loved national treasure” and said: “Our heart goes out to her husband Scott Mitchell and all their family and friends at this very sad time.”

She added: "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.

"They were also instrumental in highlighting the dire state of social care and the need for change, including joining us to visit the Prime Minister, always driven by their desire to help those desperately struggling to cope with this devastating condition - demonstrated again in Scott’s moving statement today."

When Mr Mitchell left Dame Barbara at the care home, earlier this year, he said: "By the time I got home and went to bed, I just felt desperately sad. It's been 27 years since we met and we spent so much of that time in each other's company. It feels like another chapter has gone."

The film and TV actress, who first appeared on stage at the age of 13, was made an MBE in 2000 and a dame in 2015 for services to drama.

She appeared in nine films in the Carry On series, plus Sparrows Can't Sing, for which she was nominated for a Bafta, as well as parts in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and On the Fiddle with Sir Sean Connery.

Her husband noticed she was forgetting her lines as early as 2006, and she stopped acting in EastEnders in 2016.

Dame Barbara's diagnosis was revealed publicly by her husband in 2018. She was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 2014 and Mr Mitchell had been caring for her.

In January this year, her husband said the TV star was forgetting who he is, regularly asked for her deceased mum Rose and at times thought she was living in her parents’ house.