Barbara Windsor's husband reveals details of the heartbreaking moment she didn't recognise him
They have been married for 18 years
Last updated 8th Jan 2019
In 2018, it was revealed that Dame Barbara Windsor, had been living with Alzheimer's disease since April 2014. The news shocked fans of the actress, who is famous for playing many roles on TV, including Peggy Mitchell in EastEnders.
Now, almost a year after her diagnosis was made public, Barbara's husband Scott Mitchell, has revealed details of the heartbreaking moment his wife of 18 years had forgotten him.
Speaking on Good Morning Britain, Scott revealed that sometimes she will get confused, "I spend a lot of time explaining where we are. She has a lot of trouble identifying our house," he explained. "She will say, ‘Are we staying here tonight? Have we got clothes here?"
Scott then revealed the heartbreaking moment when he was helping her out of the bath and she said, "Sorry, who are you?". Reflecting on the moment he said, "There are no words that can describe it."
Talking about her memory loss, he added, "It’s now quite instant, the forgetfulness is quite instant."
Scott confirmed the sad news last year admitting her symptoms have worsened since her 80th birthday in August 2017 with a 'definite continual confusion' which had set in, making Barbara's symptoms a lot harder to hide.
Barbara's husband revealed her symptoms first started in 2009, with the actress struggling to learn her lines for EastEnders, however the couple didn't think anything of it until early 2012 when she started repeating sentences.
Barbara Windsor was a much loved actress, as well as her role in EastEnders she was known for her role in the Carry On films and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
According to the Alzheimer's Society, Alzheimer's disease is 'the most common cause of dementia. The word dementia describes a set of symptoms that can include memory loss and difficulties with thinking, problem-solving or language'.
Over 850,000 people in the UK are living with dementia, with the numbers expected to rise to over 1 million by 2025.
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