Barbara Windsor’s Husband Scott Reveals The Heartbreaking Moment ‘EastEnders’ Star Asked Who He Was

"There are no words that can describe it.”
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Barbara Windsor’s husband Scott Mitchell has opened up about the reality of living with his wife’s dementia and revealed the heartbreaking moment she couldn’t recall who he was.

The former ‘EastEnders’ star was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2014, however the public only became aware in October 2018 when Scott announced he would be running the London marathon this year alongside Dame Barbara’s former co-stars to raise money for dementia research.

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Scott appeared on 'Good Morning Britain' on Tuesday morning.
Rex

In an interview on Tuesday’s ‘Good Morning Britain’, Scott talked about his wife’s memory loss, admitting he feared the actress may one day not recognise him.

“It’s now quite instant, the forgetfulness is quite instant,” he said.

Despite her condition, Scott added that the ‘Carry On’ legend still gets out for trips to the theatre.

“She gets herself together for moments like that,” he said. ”When we go there something happens to Barbara when she’s out. It’s like her old self comes out.”

But he added: “That’s not the reality. Our reality is, for instance the last few weeks, her confusion is really bad… I spend a lot of time explaining where we are. She has a lot of trouble identifying our house. She will say, ’Are we staying here tonight? Have we got clothes here?

“That’s the reality of what people living with dementia are going through.”

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Scott pictured with Barbara during a trip to the theatre last year.
Stuart C. Wilson via Getty Images

He continued: “I have a board where there’s pictures of us from the beginning. She will suddenly say to me, ‘How long have we been together’. I say, ‘25 years’.

And on what he feared the most, Scott said: “I think it’s when every memory will go. When, on a constant basis, maybe one day Barbara won’t know who I am.

“I’ve had it twice. I was helping her out of the bath and she suddenly looked at me very scared and said, ‘Sorry, who are you?’. There are no words that can describe it.”

Running with Scott in this year’s London marathon will be Barbara’s former ‘EastEnders’ co-star Jake Wood.

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Jake Wood
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The actor explained: “I vowed never again when I ran it 20 years ago but obviously Barbara is much loved by all of the cast at EastEnders and we love Scott and we wanted to do something to raise money and awareness of the condition. Dementia affects a million people in this country and it’s under-funded.”

Scott will lead the team, which also includes ‘EastEnders’ actors Adam Woodyatt, Natalie Cassidy, Emma Barton, Kellie Shirley, Tanya Franks, Jamie Borthwick and Jane Slaughter.

Barbara Windsor's Career In Pictures
An early headshot of Barbara taken in the 1950s.(01 of32)
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In a production of Fings Ain't What They Used To Be at Garrick Theatre, London in 1960.(02 of32)
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Carry On Spying (1964)(03 of32)
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Performing on TV show Thank Your Lucky Stars in the 1960s(04 of32)
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On The Des O'Connor Show in 1966.(05 of32)
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Carry On Henry (1967)(06 of32)
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Carry On Doctor (1967)(07 of32)
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Carry On Doctor (1967)(08 of32)
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Carry On Camping (1969)(09 of32)
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Carry On Again Doctor (1967)(10 of32)
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Carry On Again Doctor (1967)(11 of32)
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On stage in The Boy Friend in 1971(12 of32)
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Carry On Matron (1972)(13 of32)
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Carry on Abroad (1972)(14 of32)
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Carry On Matron (1972)(15 of32)
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Carry On Dick (1974)(16 of32)
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With Danny La Rue in Come Spy With Me in 1977.(17 of32)
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In Worzel Gummidge in 1979.(18 of32)
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With Pauline Quirke in Both Ends Meet in 1980.(19 of32)
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With Russell Grant on Family Fortunes in 1990.(20 of32)
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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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With EastEnders co-star Ross Kemp in 1996.(23 of32)
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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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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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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)