Barbara Windsor is celebrating today (30 December), after receiving a damehood in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours List, and well deserved it is too.
The star, who has been recognised for her services to entertainment and charity, has been a regular fixture on the stage and screen since the late 1950s and quickly earned her place in the nation’s hearts, thanks to a number of high profile roles.
After years of hard work, Barbara made her way into the spotlight in the the 1960s, starring in the ‘Carry On’ films alongside the likes of Sid James and Kenneth Williams, and her famous bra scene in ‘Carry On Camping’ became one of the most memorable in film history.
During this time, she also picked up a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her role in Broadway’s ‘Oh, What a Lovely War!’.
After starring in her last ‘Carry On’ in 1974’s ‘Carry On Dick’, Babs went on to enjoy a number of further stage roles, and in 1981 she played a sex-mad landlady in ‘Entertaining Mr Sloane’ at the Lyric Hammersmith, which was directed by friend and former ‘Carry On’ co-star Kenneth Williams.
Over a decade later, she was to land arguably her biggest role to date - the landlady of the Queen Vic in ‘EastEnders’, Peggy Mitchell.
After the BBC relaxed its policy of only casting unknown actors in the soap, Barbara took over the role of the Mitchell matriarch from previous actress Jo Warne in 1994.
With the exception of a two year break between 2003 and 2005 when she battled the Epstein Barr virus, she remained as a regular on the BBC soap until 2010, when she quit to spend more time with her husband Scott Mitchell.
However, she couldn’t stay away for too long, and returned for guest appearances in 2013 and 2014, as well as for the soap’s 30th anniversary earlier this year.
So, as she celebrates her biggest accolade to date, we take a trip down memory lane with a look back at her career in pictures.
Barbara Windsor's Career In Pictures
Barbara Windsor(01 of25)
Open Image ModalAn early headshot of Barbara taken in the 1950s. (credit:Rex)
Barbara Windsor(02 of25)
Open Image ModalIn a production of 'Fings Ain't What They Used To Be' at Garrick Theatre, London in 1960. (credit:Rex)
Barbara Windsor(03 of25)
Open Image Modal'Carry On Spying' (1964) (credit:Rex)
Barbara Windsor(04 of25)
Open Image ModalPerforming on TV show 'Thank Your Lucky Stars' in the 1960s. (credit:Rex)
Barbara Windsor(05 of25)
Open Image ModalOn 'The Des O'Connor Show' in 1966. (credit:Rex)
Barbara Windsor(06 of25)
Open Image Modal'Carry On Henry' (1967) (credit:Rex)
Barbara Windsor(07 of25)
Open Image Modal'Carry On Doctor' (1967) (credit:Rex)
Barbara Windsor(08 of25)
Open Image Modal'Carry On Doctor' (1967) (credit:Rex)
Barbara Windsor(09 of25)
Open Image Modal'Carry On Camping' (1969) (credit:Rex)
Barbara Windsor(10 of25)
Open Image Modal'Carry On Again Doctor' (1967) (credit:Rex)
Barbara Windsor(11 of25)
Open Image Modal'Carry On Again Doctor' (1967) (credit:Rex)
Barbara Windsor(12 of25)
Open Image ModalOn stage in 'The Boy Friend' (1971) (credit:Rex)
Barbara Windsor(13 of25)
Open Image Modal'Carry On Matron' (1972) (credit:Rex)
Barbara Windsor(14 of25)
Open Image Modal'Carry on Abroad' (1972) (credit:Rex)
Barbara Windsor(15 of25)
Open Image Modal'Carry On Matron' (1972) (credit:Rex)
Barbara Windsor(16 of25)
Open Image Modal'Carry On Dick' (1974) (credit:Rex)
Barbara Windsor(17 of25)
Open Image ModalWith Danny La Rue on 'Come Spy With Me' in 1977. (credit:Rex)
Barbara Windsor(18 of25)
Open Image ModalWith Pauline Quirke in 'Both Ends Meet' in 1980. (credit:Rex)
Barbara Windsor(19 of25)
Open Image ModalWith Russell Grant on 'Family Fortunes' in 1990. (credit:Rex)
Barbara Windsor(20 of25)
Open Image ModalIn panto in 1994. (credit:Rex)
Barbara Windsor(21 of25)
Open Image ModalWith 'EastEnders' co-star Ross Kemp in 1996. (credit:Rex)
Barabra Windsor(22 of25)
Open Image ModalLaunching her first solo album in 1999. (credit:Rex)
Barbara Windsor (23 of25)
Open Image ModalBeing turned into a waxwork at Madam Tussauds in 2000. (credit:Rex)
Barbara Windsor(24 of25)
Open Image ModalReceiving her MBE at Buckingham Palace in 2000.
Barbara Winsdor(25 of25)
Open Image ModalShowing the Queen around the 'EastEnders' set in 2001. (credit:Rex)