Barbara Windsor

**Dame Barbara Windsor**, DBE (born **Barbara Ann Deeks**; 6th August 1937 - 10th December 2020) was an English actress, known for her roles in the *Carry On* films and for playing Peggy Mitchell in *EastEnders*. She joined the cast of *EastEnders* in 1994 and won the 1999 British Soap Award for Best Actress, before ultimately leaving the show in 2016 when her character was killed off. Windsor was made a Dame (DBE) in the 2016 New Year Honours for services to charity and entertainment. She was awarded the British Soap Award for Outstanding Achievement in 2010, as well as the Freedom of the City of London in 2010.

An acquaintance of the Kray twins, Windsor began her career on stage in 1950 at the age of 13, and made her film debut as a schoolgirl in *The Belles of St. Trinian's* (1954) while studying shipping management at Bow Technical College. She received a BAFTA Award nomination for the film *Sparrows Can't Sing* (1963), and a Tony Award nomination for the 1964 Broadway production of *Oh, What a Lovely War!*. In 1972, she starred opposite Vanessa Redgrave in the West End production of *The Threepenny Opera*.

Between 1964 and 1974, she appeared in nine Carry On films, including *Carry On Spying* (1964), *Carry On Doctor* (1967), *Carry On Camping* (1969), *Carry On Henry* (1971), and *Carry On Abroad* (1972). She also co-presented the 1977 Carry On compilation *That's Carry On!*. Along with Jim Dale, she was one of the last surviving regulars on the series. Her other film roles included *A Study in Terror* (1965), *Chitty Chitty Bang Bang* (1968), and as the voice of Mallymkun, the Dormouse in *Alice in Wonderland* (2010) and *Alice Through the Looking Glass* (2016).

When *EastEnders* was launched in 1985, the producers said they would not cast well-known actors (although Wendy Richard was a rare exception). Windsor has said that she would have liked to have been part of the original cast. By 1994, this policy was relaxed, and Windsor accepted an offer to join *EastEnders*. She took over the role of Peggy Mitchell (who was previously a minor character played by Jo Warne in 1991). Peggy was the widowed mother of established key characters Phil and Grant Mitchell, and younger sister Samantha. For this role, she received the Best Actress award at the 1999 British Soap Awards, and a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2009 British Soap Awards.

A debilitating case of the Epstein–Barr virus forced a two-year absence from the role between 2003 and 2005, although Windsor was able to make a two-episode guest appearance in 2004. She rejoined the cast full-time in the summer of 2005. In October 2009, Windsor announced she was to leave her role as Peggy Mitchell, saying she wanted to spend more time with her husband. On 10 September 2010, her character left Albert Square after a fire destroyed the Queen Victoria pub, of which she was the owner.

In July 2013, it was announced that Windsor was to return for one episode, which aired on 20 September 2013. She again returned for a single episode on 25 September 2014, and made a further appearance for *EastEnders* 30th anniversary on 17 February 2015. In February 2015, Windsor, along with Pam St Clement (Pat Evans), took part in *EastEnders: Back to Ours* to celebrate 30 years of *EastEnders*. Windsor and St. Clement looked back on some of their characters' most dramatic moments.

In November 2015, Windsor secretly filmed a return to *EastEnders*, which was shown in January 2016. After this, the character was confirmed to be killed off later in the year. This was Windsor's decision, as she said that she would always be open to a return to the show unless bosses decided to kill the character off. Her last appearance aired on BBC One on 17 May 2016.

In April 2014, Windsor was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. She died on 10 December 2020, aged 83. The next episode of *EastEnders*, broadcast on 11 December 2020, was dedicated to Windsor's memory. On 25 January 2022, by which time Windsor had died, an episode aired in which Peggy's son Phil hears his mother's voice giving him advice. The scene was made using archived audio from previous episodes.