Stars pay tribute to Barbara Windsor who has died at 83

Virgin Radio

11 Dec 2020, 13:54

The sad news has arrived that screen siren and national treasure, Dame Barbara Windsor has died. Celebrities have expressed their sorrow following news of her passing with everyone from PM Boris Johnson to her EastEnders soap colleagues sharing their love and memories. 

Tributes were lead by the Carry On star’s husband Scott Mitchell after she peacefully passed away in her sleep aged 83 last night at a London care home with Scott next to her.

He shared his grief in a statement and said: “It is with deep sadness that I can confirm that my darling wife Barbara passed away at 8.35pm on Thursday 10 December at a London care home.

“Her passing was from Alzheimer’s/dementia and Barbara eventually died peacefully and I spent the last seven days by her side.”

Credit: Getty Images

"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."

Scott and Barbara campaigned for greater dementia care from the Government. He added: "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."

Credit: Getty Images

He concluded: "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."

Actress friend Pam St Clement appeared on This Morning to share her grief. She said: "'I’ve been out of the country for much of this year so I couldn’t visit her, well nobody could visit her with the lockdowns and everything, it was impossible, which is sad in a sense because it means I haven’t seen her for nearly a year, and that is a sadness to me.

She said: "We’ve stayed in close contact. He’s Scott kept me up to speed as it were with everything that’s been happening."

Of her coming into EastEnders, Pam explained: "It was such an extraordinary thing when we knew Barbara was coming into the show. I felt like curtsying when she came in.

"She said to me, 'Please tell me if I'm not doing anything right.' She probably had more experience behind a bar than I did."

Credit: ITV

Soap star Patsy Palmer wrote online: “I’m extremely sad to hear that my friend ‘Dame’ Barbara Windsor has passed away. I’m sitting here thinking of the 100’s of memories we shared.

“Too many to comprehend. We were like family for a long time, ups downs, ins and outs but you will never meet a more professional actress than Babs...

"We shared such magical times together and I’ll cherish every one. I can hear that laugh now as I sit and think about her. I hope it’ll ring in my ears forever.”

Credit: BBC

Tamzin Outhwaite tweeted: “Meant to be sleeping but can’t ... RIP Barbara Windsor ... legend icon #nationaltreasure friend heroine. All I can hear is ‘Ello darlin’ #ripbarbara.”

A representative for actor Steve McFadden who played son Phil Mitchell told the Press Association he was “devastated” by her death.

Former soap daughter Danniella Westbrook wrote on Twitter: “Today we lost a legend a national treasure and a woman who I looked up to for most of my life.

“A generous, warm, funny humble and beautiful lady and someone who gave us all much joy watching her act.

“A woman who I was lucky enough to work with for many years as my mum and a loyal friend. The brightest of all stars will now shine above us instead of among us.”

Credit: BBC

Sending my love to Scott at this sad time. My heart is heavy broken in two. Bar I love you. Rest In Peace my queen. Goodnight and God bless you.”

Matt Lucas wrote on Twitter: "You don't become a Dame by accident. Everyone knew Barbara Windsor and everyone loved her.

"She delighted us on stage and sparkled on screen in a long and illustrious career. She also worked tirelessly for charity, and continued to do so, even when her own health was failing her.

Credit: Instagram

"Her devoted husband Scott has been utterly selfless and heroic in caring for her and I am devastated for him.

"I will miss her warmth, her generosity, her laughter and the kindness she showed me. She was a remarkable woman and it's not an overstatement to say I think the whole country is in mourning today."

Comedian David Baddiel penned: "RIP the very lovely, very funny Barbara Windsor. What a genuine national treasure she was."

Credit: Instagram

Jonathan Ross tweeted: "Barbara Windsor in real life was everything you might have hoped for. So warm, so funny, so kind. Goodnight sweetheart.”

DJ Tony Blackburn tweeted: "So sorry to hear Barbara Windsor has passed away, a lovely lady who was always such fun. R.I.P. Babs."

EastEnders co-star Danny Dyer wrote: “Rest in Peace Babs. There is only one Dame in my eyes. So grateful to have known ya. You was a beautiful rare one.”

Credit: Instagram

Boris Johnson commented: “So sad about Barbara Windsor, so much more than a great pub landlady & Carry On star.

"She campaigned for the lonely and the vulnerable - and cheered the world up with her own British brand of harmless sauciness and innocent scandal. Thoughts with Scott and all her family and friends."