Ross Kemp is in mourning after Barbara Windsor died from Alzheimer’s on Thursday.
And on Monday’s Good Morning Britain he shared with Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid his last chat with the EastEnders icon – who played his on-screen mum Peggy Mitchell on the soap.
Ross explained that Barbara and her husband Scott FaceTimed him last Sunday, and as he grew emotional he revealed that the exchange will stay with him “forever”.
The TV actor – who played Grant Mitchell on EastEnders from 1990 until 2006 – said: “I spoke to her three weeks ago on FaceTime and by that time she was in a very bad state.
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“I asked her husband Scott if she had a window and he rang me on Sunday afternoon and she said to me, ‘I just want you to have a very good life,’ that will stay with me forever.”
Ross also reflected on the first time he filmed scenes with the Carry On icon on the EastEnders set in Elstree.
He shared: “I remember doing my first scene at the lot at EastEnders. And her first.
“She held my hand said ‘I’m going to be sick’ and then she walked off was sick by the market! She then pulled herself together and got on with it.”
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Praising the acting sensation, he continued: “She was just fantastic, she never switched off, she was always on, she would giggle, tell stories, between scenes I would stand by the stairs she would come and chat.”
Ross later told Piers and Susanna about the famous soap scene where his character Grant slapped the Queen Vic barmaid Peggy.
Ross said: “I am still getting hate mail!
“I read the script and said I can’t do it.”
He then recalled: “In the take she went down like she was hit by Tyson, Lennox and Fury!
“When it came to the moment she hit the floor and knocked over glasses et cetra! She was better than any stunt woman. I received bin bags full of hate mail!”
Late on Thursday, Barbara’s devoted husband Scott Mitchell announced the news she had passed.
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He said that the actress’ final weeks were “typical of how she lived her life” and “full of humour, drama and a fighting spirit until the end”.
Mr Mitchell told PA: “Her passing was from Alzheimer’s/dementia and Barbara eventually died peacefully and I spent the last seven days by her side.
(Image: PA)
“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.
“Barbara’s final weeks were typical of how she lived her life. Full of humour, drama and a fighting spirit until the end.
“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.”
Originally from https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/ross-kemp-says-barbara-windsors-23163501