Barbara Windsor: EastEnders legend ‘thrilled to bits’ by public response to Alzheimer's
DAME BARBARA WINDSOR’S husband, Scott Mitchell, revealed overnight how the former EastEnders legend has Alzheimer’s. And now journalist, Jane Moore, who broke the story has opened up on how “Babs” is feeling after the report has come out.
EastEnders’ star, Barbara, was diagnosed with the disease four years ago.
Earlier in the week, her husband Scott opened up about his wife’s Alzheimer’s in an unpaid interview with The Sun.
He spoke to Jane Moore, a Loose Women panellist, who considers herself a friend of the Carry On star.
She spoke about the story to Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby on ITV’s This Morning earlier today and revealed Barbara’s reaction to the media coverage.
Jane, 55, said: “She’s having a really good day today and she’s watching now.
“She’s thrilled to bits there’s been a positive reaction from the public and the media.”
Jane went on to explain how her friends had noticed the illness take effect over the past years, but Barbara has never lost her personality.
She explained: “We’ve seen the deterioration ourselves but now everyone will know she can go out [in public] and not worry.
“She sometimes repeats herself a little bit or she gets confused.
“But she knows her history and she knows the public love her.”
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But she knows her history and she knows the public love her
Barbara was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s on April 22, 2014.
Since then, Scott has kept the news private, until now, when he decided it was time to release the truth in order to protect his wife.
Jane said: “In the early days, the symptoms were very mild - he was adamant he wanted to keep it quiet.
“It was a release, but he felt so guilty because he thought, ‘I can’t protect her any more’.
“Whenever they went out he was really worried she would do something that would put it out there.
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“He rang me up and wanted to get it out there,” she explained.
Scott previously told Jane how Barbara “cried” when she was given her diagnosis.
“I squeezed her hand back and said, ‘Don’t worry, we’ll be OK’.”
This Morning airs weekdays on ITV from 10.30am.