Yahoo News Barbara Windsor's husband says she's too ill watch him at the London Marathon
Dame Barbara Windsor’s husband Scott Mitchell says the EastEnders actress will not be able to watch him at the London Marathon, due to the worsening condition of her Alzheimer’s.
Windsor, who played Peggy Mitchell on the BBC One soap, was diagnosed with the neurodegenerative disease in 2014. Her husband will be running the marathon this weekend with a number of her former EastEnders co-stars in support of Dementia Revolution.
Appearing on Good Morning Britain today, Mitchell revealed that his wife will not be fit enough to watch him cross the finishing line.
'There are horrible moments of confusion [that are] heartbreaking to watch.'
Dame Barbara's husband Scott Mitchell opens up about her battle with Alzheimer's. He and other EastEnders actors will run the London Marathon to raise awareness for the cause. pic.twitter.com/V7j9nxu1Rg
— Good Morning Britain (@GMB) April 24, 2019
“At the beginning I was really hoping that [she’d be there], but after some meetings with various people I don’t think she can be,” he told hosts Richard Madeley and Susanna Reid.
“I think it’s best that she’s not there. I think it would get very overwhelming for her, everyone would want to give her a hug. I won’t be there with her. I think for her own well-being it would be better for her to be at home.”
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Mitchell – who was joined on the morning show by EastEnders actress Tanya Franks who will also be running the marathon – added that Windsor has “horrible moments of confusion”, which he described as “heartbreaking”.
“I’ve become a focal point for her in the confused moments and she says ‘as long as I can see you I know something is OK’ even if she doesn’t place the house or the room,” he continued.
“Sometimes you’re having a normal conversation and I’ll be laughing and then it goes out of your mind that something is wrong.”
Asked by Madeley when he first realised something was wrong with Windsor, Mitchell replied: “It was around the time she was leaving EastEnders, she was starting to have problems with her lines.
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“And I noticed a change in Barbara, her personality. There was a slight seriousness and a slight vacant look at times which wasn’t her.”
