Dame Barbara Windsor needs '24-hour care' as Alzheimer's worsens

EastEnders legend has been helped by music therapy and has a special radio with her favourite songs, her husband says

Dame Barbara Windsor now needs round-the-clock care, with her Alzheimer's so bad that she "cannot be by herself", her husband has said.

Scott Mitchell told The Sun that the 81-year-old EastEnders legend has been having flashbacks to when she was a child growing up in Stoke Newington, north London, which makes her "very emotional".

"I used to feel guilty about leaving her, so I could be stuck in the house for two or three days," he said. "When I did first have carers in I still felt a sense of guilt."

He added: "I realised it is so important for me to have that little bit of rest from the situation – otherwise you can't keep strong. You need to keep strong for the other person."

Mr Mitchell also revealed that music therapy has been helping to trigger her memories: "We have a lovely, special radio for people with dementia, they make it very easy and you can do playlists – there's a whole thing of Barbara's career and her songs on that. She really loves that, she connects with it."

Windsor was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 2014. Her husband revealed the diagnosis four years later, explaining he wanted the public to know because "they are naturally very drawn to Barbara and she loves talking to them".

"Rather than me living in fear she might get confused or upset, they'll know that if her behaviour seems strange, it's due to Alzheimer's and accept it for what it is," he said.

As well as her role as the battleaxe landlady of the Queen Vic in EastEnders, Windsor is best known for appearing in several of the Carry On films in the role of the "good time girl", including Carry On Spying, Carry On Camping, and Carry On Dick.

Mr Mitchell and eight of Windsor's former co-stars are running the London Marathon on 28 April to raise £100,000 for the charity Dementia Revolution.