Babs the panto dame
IT’S the smile that will warm the hearts of millions of fans.
After battling through the toughest year of her life, beaming Barbara Windsor steals the show at panto – while sitting in the audience.
The EastEnders icon, who is battling Alzheimer’s, was there to watch former co-star Shane Richie play Robin Hood.
And Dame Barbara, 81, won a standing ovation when Shane joked that she had been in showbiz 140 years and she shot straight back: “Oh no I haven’t!”
She was cheered again as she left after the show. Then she spent almost half an hour posing for snaps with fans in Milton Keynes, Bucks.
One said: “Barbara looked amazing, she was on top of the world. She loved the attention and was every inch the star we remember.”
She made her joke while watching Shane’s performance with hubby Scott Mitchell, 55, on Friday. Shane, 54, told the crowd: “I first met this lovely lady in the 80s when I was a young comic and actor in Jersey – and we’ve been mates since. I got to work with her in 2002 and there was a lot of stories about who got me the job in EastEnders.
“And it was this lady that I’ve known for a long time. For years she kept saying, ‘Ere, sweetheart, you should be in EastEnders with me’ – that’s not how she talks, that’s my impression!”
She’s come all the way with her lovely husband Scott to support the show, we’re big fans of each other and she must have been in the business for 140 years.” Barbara then stood up and shot back her panto gag before acknowledging the applause and blowing kisses to the cast.
She then pointed to Shane and said: “I love you.”
Shane – Alfie Moon in the BBC soap – replied: “Thank you for coming to see us, that’s her lovely husband Scott, give him a round of applause – a proper geezer”.
The actor referred to her as The Duchess throughout the show, as well as directing soap-themed gags at her. It comes after Max Branning actor Jake Wood, 46, confirmed a group of Barbara’s former EastEnders co-stars and celeb pals will be running the London Marathon in her honour.
Barbara revealed in May that she has Alzheimer’s.
Shane Richie stars in Robin Hood at the Milton Keynes Theatre until January 13.
She was on top of the world... every inch the star we remember PANTO FAN ON BABS’ OFF-STAGE PERFORMANCE