Ross Kemp reveals he’s supporting Dame Barbara Windsor’s widower Scott following the icon’s death

She passed away in December, after a six-year battle with Alzheimer’s disease.  

And in a new interview Ross Kemp has revealed that he’s supporting Dame Barbara Windsor’s widower Scott Mitchell, following her death. 

Ross, 56, who played Barbara’s hardman onscreen son Grant Mitchell on EastEnders, revealed that he ‘is still close’ to Scott, 58, and counts him as a ‘true friend.’

Supportive: In a new interview Ross Kemp, 56, has revealed that he’s supporting Dame Barbara Windsor’s widower Scott Mitchell, 58, following her death

Speaking to OK! magazine, Ross said: ‘I was very much involved and I’m still close to Scott. He’s a true friend and always will be.

‘It’s widely documented that I read the eulogy at her funeral and I was with Scott all the way through it.

‘I made a documentary with Scott about Alzheimer’s and Barbara did know about that. There were pictures of her in it.’

Ross made a film with Dame Barbara’s husband and primary carer Scott, titled Ross Kemp: Living with Dementia.

True friends: Barbara passed away in December, after a six-year battle with Alzheimer's disease, and Ross revealed that he 'is still close' to Scott and counts him as a 'true friend'

True friends: Barbara passed away in December, after a six-year battle with Alzheimer’s disease, and Ross revealed that he ‘is still close’ to Scott and counts him as a ‘true friend’

Raising awareness: Ross made a documentary about Alzheimer's with Dame Barbara's husband and primary carer Scott, titled Ross Kemp: Living with Dementia

Raising awareness: Ross made a documentary about Alzheimer’s with Dame Barbara’s husband and primary carer Scott, titled Ross Kemp: Living with Dementia

In December, Ross appeared on GMB where he emotionally discussed his final conversation with Dame Barbara days before her death. 

The soap actor revealed that the iconic actress had wished for ‘everything to be good in his life.’ 

Recounting their last phone call, he said: ‘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.’ 

‘She was a genuinely good person and she was very, very lucky to have someone like Scott who stayed by her side and who was a rock for her.’ 

Family: Ross played Grant Mitchell, Peggy's hardman son in EastEnders (left), pictured alongside her other onscreen son, Steve McFadden, who plays Phil Mitchell, (right)

Family: Ross played Grant Mitchell, Peggy’s hardman son in EastEnders (left), pictured alongside her other onscreen son, Steve McFadden, who plays Phil Mitchell, (right) 

In December, Ross appeared on GMB where he emotionally discussed his final conversation with Dame Barbara days before her death (Pictured together in 1996)

In December, Ross appeared on GMB where he emotionally discussed his final conversation with Dame Barbara days before her death (Pictured together in 1996)

Ross, who along with Scott, has endeavoured to raise awareness around dementia and improve care for the condition, urged the government to spend more money on research. 

He said: ‘I know we’re headed for a dreadful economic time, Brexit, COVID. But bear in mind someone develops dementia every three minutes in the UK and its still considered a social care issue

‘It’s a medical issue which affects people mentally and slowly takes over their entire bodies. It’s part of Barbara’s legacy, Scott wants the government to fulfill their promise

‘I would like to see a dementia tax. There is no cure, there is no vaccine and its getting worse

Awareness: Both Dame Barbara and her husband campaigned to raise awareness of Alzheimer's following her diagnosis (pictured in December 2017)

Awareness: Both Dame Barbara and her husband campaigned to raise awareness of Alzheimer’s following her diagnosis (pictured in December 2017) 

‘There are 850,000 people with dementia in the UK. By 2050, they estimate there will be 2million people with dementia, we need to spend more money on research and find out how to prevent this.

‘Because of the friends and family around people with dementia, it’s estimated because of the care they provide, they save the government in the region of 11.7billion a year’. 

Ross praised Barbara’s intelligence and ‘rapier wit’ during his interview, adding: ‘she’d stop and talk to every person when we’d go out for lunch. She had time for everybody.  

He also recalled a humorous anecdote of the pair’s first ever scene together on  EastEnders, revealing Barbara had thrown up due to nerves, before nailing the scene. 

He said: ‘No-one knew who we were, she turned around and said “hold my hand dear”, she said she was going to be sick, was sick and then switched it on.’

By her side: Carry On actress Barbara died at 8.35pm on December 10th at a London care home, her husband Scott Mitchell, 57, confirmed (pictured together in 2009)

By her side: Carry On actress Barbara died at 8.35pm on December 10th at a London care home, her husband Scott Mitchell, 57, confirmed (pictured together in 2009)

Barbara died at 8.35pm on December 10th at a London care home, her husband Scott, 57, confirmed.    

The Carry On actress was cared for round-the-clock by Scott until she was moved into a care home when her health declined further. 

He had moved into her home a few days earlier to be by her side when she passed away. 

Scott said in a statement: ‘Her passing was from Alzheimer’s/Dementia and Barbara eventually died peacefully and I spent the last seven days by her side.  

‘Myself, her family and friends will remember Barbara with love, a smile and affection for the many years of her love, fun, friendship and brightness she brought to all our lives and the entertainment she gave to so many thousands of others during her career.’

Lovely words: Ross and Barbara were close pals in real life - he even made a film with Dame Barbara's husband Scott Mitchell and other families living with dementia

Lovely words: Ross and Barbara were close pals in real life – he even made a film with Dame Barbara’s husband Scott Mitchell and other families living with dementia

Support: Ross, who along with Scott, has endeavoured to raise awareness around dementia and improve care, has urged the government to spend more money on research

Support: Ross, who along with Scott, has endeavoured to raise awareness around dementia and improve care, has urged the government to spend more money on research

He added: ‘It was not the ending that Barbara or anyone else living with this very cruel disease deserve.

‘I will always be immensely proud of Barbara’s courage, dignity and generosity dealing with her own illness and still trying to help others by raising awareness for as long as she could.’

At the end of his moving tribute, Mr Mitchell said: ‘May you rest in peace now my precious Bar. I’ve lost my wife, my best friend and soul mate and my heart or life will never feel the same without you.’   

Dame Barbara was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2014 and made the news public in 2018. 

She starred on EastEnders as pub landlady Peggy Mitchell on and off from 1994 to 2016 and was famous for her catchphrase: ‘Get outta ma pub!’         

Paying tribute when Barbara’s death was announced, Ross wrote: ‘Dame Barbara Windsor, the woman who always had time for everybody, has sadly left us.

‘I will miss Bar always. My thoughts are with her husband Scott, who could have done no more and who stayed strong for her to the very end.’     

Back in June, Ross, who was close friends with Barbara and her husband Scott, said there had been a ‘marked decline in her health’ ahead of her move to a care home.  

Iconic: Dame Barbara became one of the most famous faces on British screens for her fun-filled saucy roles in the Carry On comedies of the 1960s and 70s before before becoming the no-nonsense Queen Vic landlady Peggy Mitchell

Iconic: Dame Barbara became one of the most famous faces on British screens for her fun-filled saucy roles in the Carry On comedies of the 1960s and 70s before before becoming the no-nonsense Queen Vic landlady Peggy Mitchell