Barbara Windsor has died “peacefully” at a care home in London at 8:35pm Thursday 10th December, her husband Scott Mitchell was by her side. She was 83 and suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, which was diagnosed in 2014.
In a statement issued late yesterday evening, 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. It was not the ending that Barbara or anyone else living with this very cruel disease deserve. 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.”
Dementia/Alzheimer’s remains the UK’s number one killer
He further explained: “Dementia/Alzheimer’s remains the UK’s number one killer. 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.
“Thank you to all the doctors, nurses and carers who are angels at the care home for your kindness and care to Barbara and I throughout her stay with you. You are my heroes. And my gratitude to our family, friends and everyone in the media and the general public for all the good wishes and warm support that has been shown to Barbara over the last few years during her illness. Barbara deeply appreciated that.”
He added: “May you rest in peace now my precious Bar. I’ve lost my wife, my best friend and soul mate and my heart or life will never feel the same without you.”
Her career spanned more than 60 years
Born on 6th August 1937, she Real name Barbara Ann Deeks, She was a member of the Joan Littlewood Theatre Workshop the East End of London, and starred in the company’s acclaimed kitchen sink comedy-drama Sparrows Can’t Sing in 1963.
She was first seen on screen in the mid-1950s and became a leading sex symbol of British cinema. She appeared in dozens of films including the Carry On film series and is fondly remembered for the exercise scene in Carry On Camping. She had roles in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, The Belles Of St. Trinian’s (1954), Crooks In Cloisters and Make Mine A Million.
In a varied career spanning over 60 years, she also appeared in numerous TV dramas and TV sitcoms including Dad’s Army, The Rag Trade, Worzel Gummidge as Saucy Nancy and the Comedy Playhouse series. Latterly she was known to millions of TV viewers for her role as Peggy Mitchell in BBC One’s television soap EastEnders playing the character from 1994 to 2016.