Barbara Windsor - Peggy Mitchell

Steve McFadden has admitted that he understands Barbara Windsor's reasons for quitting EastEnders.

Windsor announced last October that she was leaving her role as Peggy Mitchell. McFadden, who plays her on-screen son Phil, told RTÉ that he had been "sad" to hear the news.

"Barbara told me quite early on and although I was sad to hear that she would be going, I completely understood her reasons," he said. "EastEnders is a great place to work and Barbara has given it 16 years of her life, but I think she deserves to put her feet up for a bit."

He added: "On her last day it was strange knowing that she wouldn't be filming up here again but Barbara is a great friend so we will always stay in touch."

Windsor's final scenes, which she filmed in July, will air this week.

Barbara Windsor leaves EastEnders this week, but whether she goes out in a blaze of glory, or just a blaze, remains to be seen.

But bereft fans won't have to wait too long to see the queen of the Vic again as, just 15 minutes later, she will emerge over on ITV1 as the, er, queen of bingo.

The actress, who says goodbye to Peggy Mitchell after 16 years, fronts a new ad campaign for bingo website Jackpotjoy.com.

It will see her use the giggle she made famous during her Carry On days.

Barbara Windsor said she was "thrilled" with her new role, adding: "EastEnders marks the end of one of the happiest chapters of my life but I'm really excited about the future - the giggle is back for good. Long live the 'Queen of Bingo'!"

She's obviously feeling lucky.


Bet shes glad she has found something in keeping with her acting talent

EastEnders star Barbara Windsor has revealed that she loved her character Peggy Mitchell's exit from Albert Square.

The actress, who bowed out of the BBC One soap on Friday after 16 years, told the Daily Star Sunday that her final scenes were "beautifully written" and admitted that she is glad Peggy was not killed off.

She said: "I absolutely loved what EastEnders did with my exit. Bryan Kirkwood is a very clever producer. He looked at my very first episode and decided my exit should be about Peggy and Phil. My very first scenes were when Phil needed me most.

"Grant had beaten him to a pulp after he discovered he'd been having an affair with his wife Sharon. Since those first scenes Peggy had always believed that Phil needed her. But it turned out that what he needed wasn't her at all. My exit was beautifully written and I really couldn't have asked for a better send-off for Peggy.

"But I have to admit that there were a few weeks quite near the end of my time on the show when I did start to panic. It was after I'd heard about the fire in The Queen Vic, I genuinely thought I was a goner when I heard the news. I thought, that's it, they're going to set fire to me in The Vic."

She added: "I really couldn't bear the thought of Peggy dying. It was bad enough saying goodbye to her after all these years but I like the fact that she's out there somewhere, living her own life and making Phil get on with his."

Barbara Windsor has revealed that she was at home with her husband when she watched her final EastEnders episode for the first time.

On Friday, viewers saw the actress's iconic character Peggy Mitchell bow out of Albert Square after deciding that her departure would be in the best interests of her troubled son Phil.

Speaking on This Morning today, Windsor admitted that her partner Scott Mitchell found Peggy's final scenes emotional to watch as they enjoyed the episode together.

The 73-year-old explained: "[EastEnders] had a special showing, but I didn't want to see it like that - I wanted to see it in the right order. So me and Scott were sitting there with a cup of tea, and he went to pieces, absolutely!

"But I held on. I haven't grieved for it yet. You know why? Because I was still on screen - so I thought, 'Oh, I'm part of it!'"

Windsor also recalled how she kept her decision to leave the BBC soap quiet after sharing the news with her bosses, who were forced to change their plans for the 'Who killed Archie?' reveal.

The actress said: "They didn't want me to tell anybody, so I kept it a secret. That was because it was all changing backstage, and we were getting a new executive producer. Also, I've only just found out that I was going to be the killer of Archie, so I messed the whole storyline up!"

Barbara Windsor has revealed she was given the original Queen Vic bust from the EastEnders pub as her leaving present.

The 73-year-old actress left the soap after playing landlady Peggy Mitchell for 16 years and her dramatic final scenes saw Peggy devastated as her beloved Queen Vic pub burned to the ground.

Barbara revealed on Loose Women on Thursday that when she left the soap she was presented with an enormous memento of her time on the soap.

She said: "There was this great big present all wrapped up in pink. It was the Queen Vic, the original."

It is now on display in a recess off the stairs at her home.

The bust was the murder weapon used to kill Peggy's villainous husband Archie Mitchell. A whodunnit storyline left everyone wondering who the murderer was from a long list of suspects, and the killer finally emerged to be Stacey Branning.

But Barbara revealed it was meant to be Peggy.

She said: "I told them [I wanted to leave] at the wrong time. Unbeknown to me they were getting HD, a new gov'nor and the main thing, I only found out recently, was I was the murderer of Archie. I messed that whole storyline up.

"That's why they kept saying 'can you stay a little bit longer'."

I don't really understand why Barbara's leaving now messed up the "Who killed Archie?" storyline. There's no reason that I can think of why they couldn't have played out Peggy having killed Archie in the nine months since it happened. It could have been the reason she left the Square too.

Dazzle, this is exactly what I was thinking but then again I think old Babs just wants the limelight for this as the writers themselves said they already knew it was Stacey from the very beginning so why would they tell her to stay a bit longer as she was going to be the killer.. I think what babs has said is bull!

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Originally Posted by Siobhan

Dazzle, this is exactly what I was thinking but then again I think old Babs just wants the limelight for this as the writers themselves said they already knew it was Stacey from the very beginning so why would they tell her to stay a bit longer as she was going to be the killer.. I think what babs has said is bull!

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I agree with you. This sad old has-been realises that without Deadenders she is nothing. She actually beileves all the crap they write about her. National Treasure my ****. The woman is a legend in her own mind. Lets not forget what she did for gangster Ronnie Knight. She allegedly gave him a false alibi. Anyone else would of course have been done for perjury but sadly not the Poison Dwarf. No doubt she will still be polluting our TV screens collecting more awards for the programme that saved her flagging career. Deadenders made Barbara Windsor not the other way about. They call her the Queen of the Vic. For me and Im sure many others Angie was and always will be Queen of the Vic

So, after months of hype, Peggy has finally left East-Enders.
After weaving the storyline for most of the year, we were really intrigued to see how the writers would finish it - what clever twists and turns would they come up with to explain a woman whose raison d'etre is her "faaaaamily" naffing off when two of her kids needed her like never before? (Phil's a crack addict and Peggy only talked Sam out of having her baby adopted a few days before, promising she'd look after it.) Guess the reason they came up with? None. Peggy just left, nonsensically and at complete odds with everything we've learnt about her character over the last 15 years.

She took no money (the pile Roxie gave her was still on the kitchen table when she walked out) and no belongings, as she'd lost everything in a lot-of-fuss-about-nothing-fire, in which no one even got hurt. And, the realistic icing on the true-to-life cake, not one of Peggy's family asked her where she was going, or when she'd be back.

EastEnders - it never lets you down (as long as you don't expect it to be better than Hollyoaks).


From the Daily Mirror

I like Barbara Windsor and she'll always be Queen of the Vic to me. Saying Angie is Queen of the Vic is living in the past.

As for saying she's lying by saying she was going to be Archie's killer, that's an unwarranted thing to say without evidence. Barbara gets lots of accolades - it doesn't mean that she asks for them. The cast and crew obviously love her, going by her recent send-off and the documentary that followed. They wouldn't do so if she was the attention-seeker some people here make her out to be. It may be that she often collects the awards for EE because she's put forward to do so by the rest of the cast and crew, who probably don't want to do it themselves.

Referring to the above article, Peggy didn't leave for no reason. Didn't they notice that the love of Peggy's life, the Queen Vic, had burnt down?

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Originally Posted by Dazzle

Referring to the above article, Peggy didn't leave for no reason. Didn't they notice that the love of Peggy's life, the Queen Vic, had burnt down?

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The Queen Vic will be rebuilt so not really a reason to leave. What about her precious FAIRMILLEEEE. Surely they would be a reason to stay. After all shes the one who always talked about how precious FAIRMILEE is.

IMHO the poor reason for Peggy leaving is that the luvvies at the BBC want to keep the door open for her possible return which doubtless she will when the work dries up.

Have to disagree with you about her being Queen of the Vic. For me it will always be Angie.

Dazzle.. I have to agree with Alan.. Angie will always be Queen of the vic for me and if that is living in the past so be it... Den and Angie were the best Vic owners in the history of EE... There is just some places you associate with people.. like Bet Lynch in the Rovers... Alan Turner in the woolpack.. they just fit!!

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Originally Posted by Siobhan

Dazzle.. I have to agree with Alan.. Angie will always be Queen of the vic for me and if that is living in the past so be it...

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I didn't mean anything by it, Siobhan. I like Barbara Windsor and just get irked at seeing her put down on these boards all the time. At least now she's gone, Alan'll have to find another target. I don't mind Kym Marsh bashing, since I happen to agree with that :)

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Originally Posted by Dazzle

I didn't mean anything by it, Siobhan. I like Barbara Windsor and just get irked at seeing her put down on these boards all the time. At least now she's gone, Alan'll have to find another target. I don't mind Kym Marsh bashing, since I happen to agree with that :)

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Different horses for different courses.

There are plenty of useless actors in all three soaps to keep me occupied.

Glad we agree about Kym Marsh though :):angel:

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Originally Posted by Dazzle

I didn't mean anything by it, Siobhan. I like Barbara Windsor and just get irked at seeing her put down on these boards all the time. At least now she's gone, Alan'll have to find another target. I don't mind Kym Marsh bashing, since I happen to agree with that :)

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I know you didn't.. I like Peggy too, everyone will remember her catch phrases but she annoyed me so much with the "family" thing or "you're a mitchell".. but only when it suited her... She didn't give a toss about Billy until she needed something from him... and as Alan said.. for something that meant so much to her (the vic and her family) she walked about from both of them without a bother.... I always found Peggy as a character so hypocritical. I don't rate Barbara windsor as a good actress either.. she is average but she does hold a high opinion of her self...

I liked Peggy when she first appeared played barbara windsor. She gradually particuarly towards the end started to become obsessed about the Queen Vic and having it back. Her character flaws were highlighted by Phil and for years had controlled her children and her grand children-I still believe peggy has gone to live with Grant or hopfully gone to start a life of her own and not live through her children/grandchildren. Barbara Windsor had taken upon herslef to become the face of Eastenders and rubbed Adam Woodyat and Wendy Richards RIP in it when they should have been acepting it/them as they were/are the longest serving cast member, I don't remember Adam/Wendy going up and saying a speech even EE won best soap. I remember watching her WDYTYA and she did come accross as a bit of a snob

I saw Babs in a Bingo advert this afternoon. Oh dear!!!

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Originally Posted by parkerman

I saw Babs in a Bingo advert this afternoon. Oh dear!!!

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Something which shouldnt strain her limited abilities.

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Originally Posted by alan45

Something which shouldnt strain her limited abilities.

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Actually I think it did....

""come on boys show us your balls ""

Cue dirty laugh

Yes I think you are correct Parkerman. This was beyond her limited talent. Oh how the 'mighty' have fallen. From self appointed queen of the Vic to sad old Bingo Queen

next she will be on Celebrity Total Wipeout. Can you imagine her bouncing off those big red balls. :lol:

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Originally Posted by Chloe O'brien

next she will be on Celebrity Total Wipeout. Can you imagine her bouncing off those big red balls. :lol:

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:lol: I have laughed so hard I spit my tea on my laptop... she wouldn't go over them cause she is so little, it will just be her on the 1st one bouncing for an hour

Oh dear, I hadn't though of it before, but I suppose we can expect to see her ladyship turn up on Strictly Come Dancing, Strictly Come Dancing on Ice, I'm a Celebrity get me out of here...etc. etc. now.

Anyway, in case any of you don't read the Radio Times, I thought I'd reproduce this letter sent in by Diane Westmoreland of Amble, Northumberland, and published today.:

"Woeful! That's the only way I can think of to describe the departure of the Queen of Walford, Peggy Mitchell. the storyline with Christian, Syed and the Masoods was wonderful: tender, complex and well acted. But this was a sudden descent into caricature and the very worst sort of melodrama.
"The inferno episode was utterly unconvincing, with only Lacey Turner coming out of the smoke with any credibility.
"Still, at least the writers can no longer dish up that hackneyed old line, 'Get aht of my pub.'"

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Originally Posted by alan45

So, after months of hype, Peggy has finally left East-Enders.
After weaving the storyline for most of the year, we were really intrigued to see how the writers would finish it - what clever twists and turns would they come up with to explain a woman whose raison d'etre is her "faaaaamily" naffing off when two of her kids needed her like never before? (Phil's a crack addict and Peggy only talked Sam out of having her baby adopted a few days before, promising she'd look after it.) Guess the reason they came up with? None. Peggy just left, nonsensically and at complete odds with everything we've learnt about her character over the last 15 years.

She took no money (the pile Roxie gave her was still on the kitchen table when she walked out) and no belongings, as she'd lost everything in a lot-of-fuss-about-nothing-fire, in which no one even got hurt. And, the realistic icing on the true-to-life cake, not one of Peggy's family asked her where she was going, or when she'd be back.

EastEnders - it never lets you down (as long as you don't expect it to be better than Hollyoaks).


From the Daily Mirror

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Originally Posted by parkerman

Oh dear, I hadn't though of it before, but I suppose we can expect to see her ladyship turn up on Strictly Come Dancing, Strictly Come Dancing on Ice, I'm a Celebrity get me out of here...etc. etc. now.

Anyway, in case any of you don't read the Radio Times, I thought I'd reproduce thsi letter sent in by Diane Westmoreland of Amble, Northumberland, and published today.:

"Woeful! That's the only way I can think of to describe the departure of the Queen of Walford, Peggy Mitchell. the storyline with Christian, Syed and the Masoods was wonderful: tender, complex and well acted. But this was a sudden descent into caricature and the very worst sort of melodrama.
"The inferno episode was utterly unconvincing, with only Lacey Turner coming out of the smoke with any credibility.
"Still, at least the writers can no longer dish up that hackneyed old line, 'Get aht of my pub.'"

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Similar to what the Daily Mirror had to say

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Originally Posted by parkerman

I saw Babs in a Bingo advert this afternoon. Oh dear!!!

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http://www.jackpotjoy.com/content/ma...601Partner.jpg

Here is the sad old Queen

Barbara Windsor has opened up about her decision to leave EastEnders - saying she had stopped being "fun".

The actress, who left the soap after nearly 16 years, said it was time to leave when she couldn't leave the character of Peggy Mitchell at work.

She told the BBC: "One of the reason I made a decision to leave was because I wasn't leaving it outside. It's very important to go in your front room, have a recce about what you and your partner have done, and then you must forget about it... I'd stopped doing that."

She went on: "I was taking home Peggy. I'd become her and get through the front door and everything was about Peggy and everything was about EastEnders, and Sunday was spent learning. It just took over and I wasn't fun anymore."

Babs will be seen later this year as Fairy Bowbells in a panto of Dick Whittington at the Bristol Hippodrome.

Let's hope her fun side comes out for that!

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Originally Posted by alan45

Let's hope her fun side comes out for that!

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I can't quite work out the logistics for the obvious joke here! :hmm:

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Originally Posted by parkerman

I can't quite work out the logistics for the obvious joke here! :hmm:

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I can but I dont want to get banned :banned:

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Originally Posted by alan45

I can but I dont want to get banned :banned:

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Well, Carry on Alan!!

http://www.peeperstv.com/pictures/98...arawindsor.jpg

http://www.barbarawindsor.com/wp-con...ra-windsor.jpg

http://www.barbarawindsor.com/wp-con...or-carryon.jpg

http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:A...rcdy-fPWKwhK8=

Captions please

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Originally Posted by alan45

http://www.barbarawindsor.com/wp-con...or-carryon.jpg



Captions please

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This week on EE, Peggy loses all her clothes in the Vic fire

Anyone wanna Carry On with me? I am an icon, you know!

I don't remember this in Eastenders: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6ymj...eature=related

What a fantastic bit of acting. No wonder she has won so many awards and is a National Treasure

Why she not got an OBE for her services i just don't know.

http://www.barbarawindsor.com/wp-con...or-carryon.jpg

"At least me 'eart's in the right place!"

or

Tart with a heart.

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Originally Posted by parkerman

I don't remember this in Eastenders: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6ymjJDo0rA&feature=related

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Archie really let himself go

As landlady of the Queen Vic, Peggy Mitchell presided over Albert Square like a monarch, often making long important speeches.

Now Barbara Windsor has departed, Phil would have inherited the pub from his mum - if he hadn't burned it down.

Now Steve McFadden is worried he'll inherit the monologues, meaning he'll have lots of lines to learn.

Barbara told Inside Soap magazine: "I created a fast-talking character, and had so many long speeches to do. Steve McFadden is worried he'll get them instead now.

"I'll be happy not to learn all those b****y lines!"

But Babs doesn't want to completely forget about the soap.

She added: "I won't mind not having my head in my scripts every Sunday night, but I'll keep watching EastEnders, of course.

"I've already told everyone, 'You'd better keep up the good work, because I'll be at home keeping my eye on you all!'"

So, Peggy will still be ruling Albert Square in her own little way!


Surely it wont take the Beetroot man long to learn ''Gerrrouttttaaaamaaaaahhhppaaaaaaaaabbbbbbb

EastEnders star Scott Maslen has admitted that Barbara Windsor's exit has left a "massive hole" in the soap's cast.That is probaly her big wig and huge ego

Speaking at the Inside Soap Awards, the Jack Branning star - who was crowned 'Sexiest Actor' - said: "For such a small little woman she packed a massive punch, in all ways.

"She is a legend, she's an icon." The man is clearly deluded

Windsor's Peggy Mitchell recently made her exit from the BBC soap, following The Queen Vic blaze and has now got a job advertising bingo on ITV where she is able to put her limited abilities to good use. She is particularly well suited to her line ''Go on boys show us yer balls'' follwed by her trademark dirty laugh

Her advert makes me cringe and would put me off using that bingo site!