Ross Kemp recalls his final conversation with Barbara Windsor

15 December 2020

Ross Kemp will remember Dame Barbara Windsor's final words to him for the rest of his life.

Ross Kemp

The former 'EastEnders' actor - who played Grant Mitchell on the BBC One soap - spoke to his late on-screen mum (Peggy Mitchell) just days before she passed away on Thursday (10.12.20) aged 83 following a six-year battle with Alzheimer's disease, and he will never forget her saying she wants "everything to be good for you in your life" to him.

He said: "I spoke to her three weeks ago on FaceTime and by that time Barbara was in a very bad state.

"I asked Scott [Mitchell, her husband] if she had a window because the nature of the illness is it comes and goes and as you get closer to the end, you lose more and more consciousness.

"She had a window, he rang me on a Sunday afternoon and she just turned round to me and said, 'I just want everything to be good for you in your life,' and that is something that will stay with me for the rest of my life."

Ross also heaped praise on Barbara's husband Scott Mitchell for caring for her amid her Alzheimer's battle.

Speaking on 'Good Morning Britain', he added: "She was a genuinely good person.

"She was so lucky to have Scott … they truly, truly loved her and they cared for each other deeply.

"Even though we all knew it was going to happen, it’s coming over me in waves."

Steve McFadden - who plays Phil Mitchell, Grant's brother and Peggy's son, on the soap - admitted last week he will "miss her terribly".

He said: "I truly loved Barbara and, like everyone, I am going to miss her terribly. When anyone ever asked what she was like, I would always say she was everything you would hope she would be, and more."

'EastEnders' also shared a tribute to Barbara on the show's Twitter account.

A tweet read: "We are all deeply saddened that we’ve lost our Dame. Barbara created an icon in Peggy Mitchell, our formidable Landlady. To all of us at EastEnders, she was our dearest friend, truly loved and adored by everyone. Our thoughts go out to Scott and Barbara’s family."