Five years after losing Dame Barbara Windsor, Scott Mitchell admits the pain of watching Alzheimer’s slowly steal his wife is something that still haunts him — yet he is determined to hold on to the joy, the laughter, and what he calls the “signs” she continues to send him.
The EastEnders legend, who ruled the Queen Vic as the fearless Peggy Mitchell for more than a decade, died in December 2020 aged 83, six years after being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Her death sent shockwaves through Britain, leaving millions of fans heartbroken. Now, on the fifth anniversary of her passing, Scott, 62, speaks candidly about the devastation of the disease — and the extraordinary legacy Barbara left behind.
“I wish I never had to experience the terror in Barbara’s eyes,” Scott admits. “When she didn’t know where she was, who I was — or even who she was. That haunts me. No human being should have to leave this world in the way those suffering with dementia do. Nobody.”
The disease now affects one in two people in Britain — either personally or through caring for a loved one. And after witnessing its brutality first-hand, Scott says his greatest personal fear is now developing dementia himself.
“Absolutely,” he says quietly. “I think it’s most people’s biggest fear once you’ve seen what it can do.”
Yet alongside the anguish, Scott remains fiercely protective of how Barbara is remembered. He insists the public must never forget who she was before illness took hold.
“She was an incredibly vivacious, fun-loving, talented, positive woman who brought real joy into people’s lives,” he says. “Still now, when people talk about her, they instinctively smile. They can’t help it.”
Together for 27 years, Scott reveals that even now, he believes Barbara is still close — sending him gentle “signs” from beyond.
“I was asked to do a talk at a literary festival in Gibraltar recently,” he recalls. “I got lost in the hotel — and found myself standing in the Windsor Room. Another time I stayed on a houseboat called Little Babs. And another boat nearby was called Peggy. I just smiled.”
He still visits Barbara’s final resting place at Golders Green Crematorium in London, where a plaque bears the words she chose herself: ‘She was a good bird’ — the title she once gave to her own obituary.
“We have a nice little chat,” Scott says softly. “Your loved ones are always with you, you know. I don’t believe people die and that’s the end of it. I believe they’re still around us.”
Although Barbara received her diagnosis in 2014, the couple kept it private for four years. When she finally chose to go public, the impact was profound. Scott says charities later told him she “completely changed the narrative on dementia.”
She became an ambassador for the Alzheimer’s Society and, just a year before her death, she and Scott delivered a petition to Downing Street calling for urgent reform in dementia care. Today, Scott remains the People’s Champion of the Dame Barbara Windsor Dementia Goals Programme, first introduced under Boris Johnson’s government and since recommitted by the current one.
“In the new 10-year health plan, they even mention Barbara’s programme,” Scott says with pride. “That’s such an honour for her. I know I can’t save the world — but we can make a difference.”
Scott has also taken the decision to no longer align himself with just one dementia charity, instead supporting specific campaigns where he feels Barbara’s name can make the greatest impact.
Meanwhile, Barbara’s memory continues to live on through friendships that never faded. Scott reveals that famous faces including David Walliams, Matt Lucas, Ross Kemp, and many EastEnders stars have stood firmly by him since her passing — as did the late Paul O’Grady.
“When someone becomes seriously ill, you really discover who your real friends are,” he says. “They stood fast. Tanya and I still go out with David and his mum — and we always end up reminiscing.”
His relationship with former EastEnders star Tanya Franks has brought healing — though not without public judgement. The couple first met while training for the London Marathon, when several EastEnders cast members ran in Barbara’s name.
“Tanya and Barbara actually met during that time,” Scott explains. “They got on really well. Barbara liked that Tanya asked sensible questions about acting. That meant a lot to her.”
Scott says Tanya fully supports him speaking openly about Barbara.
“She allows me to talk about Barbara any time I need to,” he explains. “If I ever thought it hurt her, I wouldn’t do it. But she has her own deep connection to Alzheimer’s too — she lost her stepdad after an 11-year battle.”
Still, Scott admits internet trolls were quick to judge his new relationship. “There’s always someone who says, ‘That was quick.’ It’s easy to sit on the sidelines and judge. They forget their words really hurt.”
As Christmas approaches, Scott quietly acknowledges the ache that never disappears.
“You always notice the empty chairs at Christmas,” he says. “We’ll be remembering our loved ones — as it should be.”
His hope for the future is simple: “That Barbara’s memory continues to make a huge impact. And that everyone always remembers her with a smile.”
Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/