Scott Mitchell, widower of Barbara Windsor, shared the heartbreaking four words the soap star asked him shortly before her death.
EastEnders’ Peggy Mitchell and Carry On icon Dame Barbara died in December 2020 at the age of 83 after a seven-year battle with Alzheimer’s disease.
Scott shared details of her “brutal” battle with the disease during an appearance on Thursday’s Good Morning Britain programme, where he reflected on the icon’s final moments.
The actor revealed that Barbara asked him, “Are you my daddy?” when her health deteriorated and she became confused between her current self and her childhood.
When asked by presenter Richard Madeley if Barbara remembered him ‘at the very end’, Scott replied: ‘Yes, she did, but it came and went sometimes.’
Barbara Windsor’s widower Scott Mitchell, 61, has shared the heartbreaking four words the soap star asked him in the lead up to her death
EastEnders’ Peggy Mitchell and Carry On icon Dame Barbara died in December 2020 at the age of 83, after a seven-year battle with Alzheimer’s disease (pictured together in 2017)
‘Sometimes she confused me with other people and at one point she said to me ironically, “Are you my father?” It’s cruel to see.’
Barbara was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2014 and kept her battle with the disease a secret for four years.
She and Scott married in 2000 and their romance was controversial at the time due to their 27-year age difference.
Scott, who is now in a relationship with Barbara’s former co-star Tanya Franks, also spoke about the moment Barbara noticed a symptom, several years before her diagnosis and departure from EastEnders.
He said: ‘The first signs I got from Barbara were a couple of times she froze at work and said that was very unusual for her on the set of EastEnders.
‘She came home and said, “I don’t know what happened, I was just completely distraught. Not only could I not remember the lyrics, I didn’t know why I was there or what I was doing.”
‘And that was long before the diagnosis. I would say it was a good three years before the diagnosis.
‘She was diagnosed in 2014. This must have been sometime in 2009, because she left the show in 2010.
Scott shared details of her “brutal” battle with the disease during an appearance on Thursday’s Good Morning Britain programme, where he remembered the icon’s final moments
The actor revealed that Barbara asked him “Are you my father?” when her health deteriorated and the confusion between her current self and her childhood began (pictured in 2019)
When asked by presenter Richard Madeley if Barbara remembered him ‘right at the end’, Scott said: ‘She did, it came and went sometimes’
“Sometimes she confused me with other people and at one point she said to me ironically, ‘Are you my father?’ It’s cruel to see,” he added
She and Scott married in 2000 and their romance was controversial at the time due to their 27-year age difference (2019 photo)
Scott, who is now in a relationship with Barbara’s former co-star Tanya Franks, also shared the moment Barbara noticed a symptom several years before her diagnosis
He said: ‘The first signs with Barbara were a couple of times she froze at work and said that was so unusual for her on the set of EastEnders. She came home and said: “I don’t know what happened, I was just completely out of it. I couldn’t even remember the lines.”
“And unfortunately, we know it’s a progressive disease. It’s affecting so many people now. The statistics are frightening. One in two of us will either be affected by it or care for a loved one.”
Shortly after Barbara’s death, Scott said, “She passed away from Alzheimer’s/dementia and Barbara eventually passed away peacefully. I spent the last seven days by her side.
‘I, her family and friends will remember Barbara with love, smiles and affection for the many years of her love, laughter, friendship and brightness she brought into our lives and the entertainment she provided to thousands of others during her career.
‘Barbara’s last weeks were typical of how she lived her life. Full of humor, drama and a fighting spirit until the end.’