Ross Kemp dubs Barbara Windsor his "second mum"

From Digital Spy

Former EastEnders star Ross Kemp has dubbed Dame Barbara Windsor his "second mum" in an emotional tribute on Good Morning Britain.

The 80-year-old actress recently revealed her Alzheimer's diagnosis after four years being privately treated for the chronic neurodegenerative disease.

Speaking on Good Morning Britain, Ross said: "I went round for a cup of tea and I had five cups of tea, three shortbread biscuits that I'm not supposed to have on my diet, and I laughed – a lot. I was there for three and a half hours!

"She's got this great ability when she walks through that front door, she's just on. When I came round, it's like seeing my second mum."

He went on: "Her and her husband Scott [Mitchell] have been very brave putting it out there and hopefully it will help other people with the same condition be more open about it.

"What she has done is very brave. She has a great husband in Scott. The more we talk about any issue in our life, the better we are dealing with it."

Barbara famously played Ross' on-screen mum Peggy Mitchell, while he of course played Grant Mitchell.

Earlier this week, he shared a picture from their catch-up on Twitter, along with the caption: "Visiting my lovely Bar...whoops, I mean Dame Barbara Windsor x"

Elsewhere in his interview, Ross denied reports that he'd branded Birmingham as dangerous as Afghanistan, and explained: "Contrary to some of the quotes that have been put out there by some people in the media, it's not like being in Afghanistan, being in Birmingham. I never said that.

"I said I'm wearing the same body armour I wore in Iraq and Syria and that's worrying to me, doing that in the UK."

Good Morning Britain continues weekdays from 6am.

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