BARBARA’S BATTLE
The EastEnders veteran has been given a sad diagnosis
Dame Barbara Windsor has been overwhelmed with the support she’s received since her husband announced she has Alzheimer’s. But her short-term memory has deteriorated so much that she keeps forgetting the news is public and has to be reminded that people now know about her four-year battle with the disease.
Last week, her devoted husband Scott Mitchell revealed that the actress was diagnosed in 2014, but they decided to keep the tragic news secret because she was struggling to accept what was wrong with her. However, since Barbara turned 80 last August, she has become increasingly confused, “so it’s a lot more difficult to hide”, says former actor Scott (55).
“I didn’t want someone else to dictate how or when the diagnosis came out, so that’s why I’m speaking about it now. I want us to be able to go out and if something isn’t quite right, it will be okay because people will now know that she has Alzheimer’s and will accept it for what it is.”
Barbara, who played Peggy Mitchell in EastEnders and is also known for her saucy roles in many of the Carry On films in the ’60s and ’70s, is delighted when told about the messages she has received, and how they have sparked discussion about Alzheimer’s, says her friend Jane Moore. “Every time Scott shows them to her, she just gets so thrilled and keeps saying, ‘I’m helping people.’”
Scott, who has been married to Barbara for 18 years, says he first noticed symptoms back in 2009, when his wife had difficulty learning her lines. She eventually asked producers at EastEnders to kill off Peggy.
She has also recently retired from charity work, says Scott, who adds that Barbara has been a “mini warrior” throughout her illness.