Babs was a real star even when we were teen dancers, says Amanda
News Reporter
ACTRESS Amanda Barrie says she and Barbara Windsor were looked after by prostitutes as teenage dancers in Soho.
And she recently found a diary from 1957 in which she had written about her pal: “I wish I could be like Barbara. She’s the real star.”
The Carry On film stars appeared in cabaret shows in the 1950s together.
She spoke with fondness of their exploits as young dancers in London and recalled how sex workers kept an eye on them as they were starting their careers.
Amanda said: “We started out together, prancing about on stage as youngsters with barely any clothes on. The prostitutes looked after us. It was such a wonderful
Young starlet...Barbara Windsor
time.” Coronation Street star Amanda, 84, told of her sadness at Dame Barbara’s struggles with Alzheimer’s.
She added: “Really what a wonderful woman.”
Amanda also spilt the beans on her infamous appearance on Hell’s Kitchen in 2004 when she tried to slap Gordon Ramsay. The pair have not spoken since.
She said: “I actually went for Gordon twice – the second one was cut.
I just lost it.
“I went into it innocently believing I would be taught how to cook and I studied.”
Amanda told New magazine that there was tremendous pressure on set, and they had no breaks at all.
She added: “It was hard. We were genuinely so tired and it all built up.
“Then, when you put the cherry on the cake dressed up as Gordon Ramsay, well, I just lost it.
“It was awful. Of course I left straightaway. I’ve not spoken to him since.
“I don’t think he had a burning desire to meet up with me after that.
“I was wiped off his Christmas card list pretty quickly, put it that way.”