Barbara Windsor Feeling 'Pretty Low' Amid Alzheimer's News Going Public, Says Christopher Biggins

'She doesn’t quite understand what’s going on and it’s terrible.'

Christopher Biggins has said his friend Barbara Windsor is feeling “pretty low”, after going public with her Alzheimer’s diagnosis

The former ‘EastEnders’ star’s husband, Scott Mitchell, went public with the news she has been living with Alzheimer’s for four years last week, and Biggins has now given an update on her health.

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Christopher Biggins and Barbara Windsor
Dave J Hogan via Getty Images

Speaking to The Mirror, he said: “I spoke to her on Saturday and she was pretty low. She doesn’t quite understand what’s going on and it’s terrible... It’s absolutely tragic.

“It’s one of those things that sadly, there’s no cure for it and it’s going to get worse and worse.

“Everyday is a challenge. Everyday when she wakes up she’s not quite sure where she is or what she’s doing or where she’s going to be, that’s the problem.”

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Biggins and Barbara have been friends for more than 40 years
Dave Hogan via Getty Images

His comments follow those made by journalist and ‘Loose Women’ star Jane Moore, who is also a close friend of Barbara’s, and conducted the interview with Scott about her illness. 

While on the ‘Loose Women’ panel, she said: “Barbara’s issue at the minute, the storm she is going through, which is her latest deterioration, is her short term memory isn’t great.

“When she did see the response she was overwhelmed and got a bit tearful because I guess she had almost forgot it was going to happen.”

She added: “Every time Scott shows them [tweets, letters, messages of support etc] to her, she just gets so thrilled and keeps saying, ‘I’m helping people’.”

However, Paul O’Grady recently insisted Barbara is “still very much with us”, telling The Mirror: “We’re all here for her but she’s still Barbara Windsor. 

“I don’t want people to think she’s completely lost her mind, because it’s not true. It’s not the early stages but she’s still very much the Barbara Windsor I know. She is a toughie and Scott is her rock.”

Barbara Windsor's Career In Pictures
An early headshot of Barbara taken in the 1950s.(01 of32)
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(credit:Rex)
In a production of Fings Ain't What They Used To Be at Garrick Theatre, London in 1960.(02 of32)
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(credit:Rex)
Carry On Spying (1964)(03 of32)
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(credit:Rex)
Performing on TV show Thank Your Lucky Stars in the 1960s(04 of32)
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(credit:Rex)
On The Des O'Connor Show in 1966.(05 of32)
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(credit:Rex)
Carry On Henry (1967)(06 of32)
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(credit:Rex)
Carry On Doctor (1967)(07 of32)
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(credit:Rex)
Carry On Doctor (1967)(08 of32)
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(credit:Rex)
Carry On Camping (1969)(09 of32)
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(credit:Rex)
Carry On Again Doctor (1967)(10 of32)
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(credit:Rex)
Carry On Again Doctor (1967)(11 of32)
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(credit:Rex)
On stage in The Boy Friend in 1971(12 of32)
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(credit:Rex)
Carry On Matron (1972)(13 of32)
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(credit:Rex)
Carry on Abroad (1972)(14 of32)
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(credit:Rex)
Carry On Matron (1972)(15 of32)
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(credit:Rex)
Carry On Dick (1974)(16 of32)
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(credit:Rex)
With Danny La Rue in Come Spy With Me in 1977.(17 of32)
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(credit:Rex)
In Worzel Gummidge in 1979.(18 of32)
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(credit:Mirrorpix via Getty Images)
With Pauline Quirke in Both Ends Meet in 1980.(19 of32)
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(credit:Rex)
With Russell Grant on Family Fortunes in 1990.(20 of32)
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(credit:Rex)
One Foot In The Grave(21 of32)
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Actors Richard Wilson and Barbara Windsor in a scene from episode 'The Affair of the Hollow Lady' of the BBC Television sitcom 'One Foot in the Grave', October 23rd 1994. (Photo by Don Smith/Radio Times/Getty Images) (credit:Radio Times via Getty Images)
In panto in 1994.(22 of32)
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(credit:Rex)
With EastEnders co-star Ross Kemp in 1996.(23 of32)
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(credit:Rex)
With Graham Norton at a Pride event in 1997(24 of32)
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(credit:Steve Eason via Getty Images)
With on-screen husband Mike Reid in EastEnders in 1999.(25 of32)
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(credit:John Stillwell - PA Images via Getty Images)
Launching her first solo album in 1999.(26 of32)
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(credit:Rex)
Being turned into a waxwork at Madam Tussauds in 2000.(27 of32)
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Receiving her MBE at Buckingham Palace in 2000.(28 of32)
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Launching her autobiography All Of Me in 2000.(29 of32)
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(credit:Owen Humphreys - PA Images via Getty Images)
Showing the Queen around the EastEnders set in 2001.(30 of32)
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(credit:Rex)
With her EastEnders co-stars as show wins Best Soap at the NTAs.(31 of32)
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(credit:Dan Kitwood via Getty Images)
Barbara receives a Damehood at Buckingham Palace in 2016.(32 of32)
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(credit:JOHN STILLWELL via Getty Images)