Barbara Windsor’s husband Scott Mitchell has revealed the star was “in his mind the whole time” as he ran the London Marathon in his honour.
Last year, the former EastEnders star – who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2014 – urged fans to run the London Marathon in aid of Dementia Revolution, which is what Scott and a host of Barbara’s former co-stars did on Sunday, as a team dubbed Barabra’s Revolutionaries.
Speaking after the race, Scott said: “Barbara, I love you, I’ve trained and run this marathon for you and the 850,000 people living with the condition.
“You were in my mind the whole time, otherwise why on earth would I be running this on my 56th birthday?”
He added: “She’s just been really proud and, of course, you have to keep reminding her what you’re doing.
“That’s the nature of this illness. They will forget the whole time. It’s a conversation you will have over and over again. That is a nightly routine.”
Other members of Barbara’s Revolutionaries included Jake Wood, Adam Woodyatt and Natalie Cassidy.
Two days before the marathon, the team reached their £100,000 target, prompting a response from the showbiz veteran, who has maintained a low profile since going public with her diagnosis.
She said: “I am truly overwhelmed by the generosity of the British public in helping Barbara’s Revolutionaries raise a staggering £100,000 towards the Dementia Revolution so far.
“I am so touched that Scott and the rest of the wonderful team of Barbara’s Revolutionaries have taken on this marathon challenge for me and the 850,000 people living with dementia.
“I’m heartened by every single donation that has been made – however big or small. Your messages of support and encouragement mean so much to me. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.”