Barbara Windsor got a glimpse of theatrical life at an early age when her grandmother took her backstage at a theatre and she decided that was what she wanted to do. She attended several professional schools before making her stage debut at age 12. At 15 she got a job in the chorus line of a London musical and stayed with the show for the next two years, although she took some minor roles in films during that time. She did become well known in the London theatrical scene, but it was the series of "Carry On" comedies that made her a star. Although she appeared in only nine films in the long-running series as the matriarch of "The Queen Vic" - "Peggy Mitchell".
She was awarded an MBE in the 2000 Queens New Years Honours List for her services to entertainment.
Nominated for a 1965 Featured Actress in a Musical Tony Award for her performance in "Oh, What a Lovely War!" directed by her mentor Joan Littlewood.
First husband, Ronnie Knight, fled to Spain after bank robbery charges were filed against him.
A debilitating case of the Epstein-Barr virus forced a two-year long absence from "EastEnders" from 2003 to 2005.
In her autobiography "All of Me", Windsor candidly talks about her affair with her "Carry On" co-star Sidney James. She was also romantically linked to the gangster Reggie Kray in the 1960s as well as "Bee Gee" Maurice Gibb. She also discusses her five abortions, the first three taking place before age 21, and the last occurring when she was 42; her cosmetic surgeries; and numerous nervous breakdowns and hospitalizations. She also freely admits her penchant for younger men (present husband Scott Mitchell is 26 years younger than she).
The only child of John Deeks, a costermonger (fruit/vegetable street seller), and wife Rose Deeks , a dressmaker, who eventually divorced. She was trained in dance at age 6 and also took elocution lessons while young.
In a 1987 TV-AM interview, she stated her favourite Carry On film is Carry on Henry .
She married her third husband, Scott Mitchell , at the Dorchester Hotel in London, England.
Is a close friend of "EastEnders" co-star Patsy Palmer , referring to her as "the daughter she never had".
Was in attendance at the funeral of her former "EastEnders" co-star Wendy Richard (9 March 2009).
Was a very close friend of "Carry On" co-star Kenneth Williams.
First "Carry On" was Carry on Spying .
Was in attendance at the wedding of her "EastEnders" co-star Samantha Womack to Mark Womack (17 May 2009).
Her paternal great-grandmother Mary Ann Collins fled with her family from Cork in Ireland to the East End of London during the Irish potato famine and whilst in London she took up work as a match-stick girl.
In order to play the character Goldie in the film Carry on Again Doctor she went on a very strict diet without informing the films director, Gerald Thomas. Thomas was unhappy on seeing Barbaras new slimline figure and remarked, "Well, thats the joke about Bristols out of the window.".
Is best friends with Anna Karen.
As a child, her favourite actress was Betty Grable.
Was evacuated to Blackpool during World War II, where she lived for a year before returning home to London.
Her first job after leaving school at age 16 was as a customer service assistant in a shoe shop.
Made her West End debut in the musical "Love From Judy" in September 1952 at age 15.
Learned her craft at Aida Foster Theatre School in Golders Green, resulting in her stage debut in a pantomime in December 1950 at age 13.
Suffered a nervous breakdown in 1981 and underwent a hysterectomy in February 1994.
Had a much publicised affair with "Carry On" co-star Sidney James from 1973 until his death in 1976. The affair was dramatised in the stage play "Cleo, Camping, Emmanuelle and Dick" and its television adaptation Cor, Blimey! .
Her "EastEnders" character Peggy Mitchells wedding to Frank Butcher (Mike Reid ), dated on 1 April 1999, ranked #22 on "The 50 Greatest "EastEnders" Weddings of All Time" .
Her "EastEnders" character Peggy Mitchells wedding to Archie Mitchell (Larry Lamb ), dated on 2 April 2009, ranked #1 on "The 50 Greatest "EastEnders" Weddings of All Time" .
Holds the record for playing the shortest-serving soap character to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award, having won the award at The British Soap Awards 2009 for 15 years of playing Peggy Mitchell on "EastEnders" .
As of 2017 she is the 5th-longest serving actress in the history of "EastEnders" (behind only June Brown , Pam St. Clement , Wendy Richard and Letitia Dean ), having played the character Peggy Mitchell intermittently for 18 years (initially from 1994 until 2010, briefly in 2013, and then from 2014 to 2016).
Is one of 6 "EastEnders" actors to have won the Lifetime Achievement Award at the British Soap Awards; the others are June Brown , Wendy Richard , Pam St. Clement , Adam Woodyatt and Steve McFadden.
Is one of 7 "EastEnders" actresses to have won the Best Actress Award at the British Soap Awards; the others are Patsy Palmer , Natalie Cassidy , Kacey Ainsworth , Lacey Turner , Jessie Wallace and Kellie Bright.
Ranked #12 in the 100 Greatest "EastEnders" Characters of All Time for her performance as Peggy Mitchell.
In an amazing coincidence, Patsy Kensits ancestor that she found on "Who Do You Think You Are?", the Reverend James Mayne, is clearly recorded in the register of St Matthews Church Bethnal Green register on 24 September 1833 as performing the marriage of Golding Deeks and Elizabeth Livermore, two of the ancestors of Barbara Windsor found during her own quest for her ancestry in a different episode of the same series.
Ranked #14 in The 100 Greatest "EastEnders" Characters of All Time for her performance as Peggy Mitchell.
Was named after ice skater Barbara Ann Scott , as her parents were both fans.
She was awarded the Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 2016 Queens New Years Honours List for her services to charity and entertainment.
Was unable to appear in Carry on Behind because she was touring New Zealand with her variety showcase Carry On Barbara.
Before her marriage to Ronnie Knight, she had a one night stand with Reg Kray.
Was supposed to play Cleopatra in Carry on Cleo , but she had a brief falling out with the producers. Amanda Barrie was cast instead.
Was very unhappy with the "EastEnders" storyline where Peggy Mitchell launches a hate campaign against Mark Fowler when he is HIV positive.
Was offered the role of Queen Isabella in Carry on Columbus , but turned it down, because she thought the script was shit. She chose to do end-of-pier theatre instead. June Whitfield was cast instead.
During the 1960s, she had a brief relationship with footballer George Best.
Was meant to play several roles in Carry on Emmannuelle - the female fantasy figures in the kitchen-table flashback sequences, as well as a nurse at the end of the film. However, she was unable to appear, as she was on holiday at the time.
She has said she never wanted children as a result of her father rejecting her.
In 2012, she became a patron of the Amy Winehouse Foundation, and in November 2014, she was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of East London.
Became pregnant twice by her 1st husband Ronnie Knight; on both occasions she had abortions. She aborted their 1st baby in January 1960 at 4 months pregnant and their 2nd in December 1965 at 2 months pregnant.
Was made a dame by Queen Elizabeth II for her services to charity on 22 March 2016. Her former "EastEnders" co-stars Pam St. Clement and June Brown were in attendance.
Was presented her Lifetime Achievement Award at The British Soap Awards 2010 by her "EastEnders" co-stars Steve McFadden and Ross Kemp. McFadden and Kemps characters Phil and Grant Mitchell were Windsors character Peggy Mitchells sons on the show.
Played her first grandmother role on-screen at age 59 on "EastEnders" .
Her "EastEnders" character Peggy Mitchell was a mother, grandmother and great grandmother whereas Windsor had no children in real life.
Was in attendance at her former "EastEnders" co-star Lacey Turner s wedding to Matt Kaye in Ibiza on September 2, 2017.
Was portrayed by Honor Kneafsey as a child, Jaime Winstone as a young woman, and Samantha Spiro in her fifties in the biopic Babs .
I am not like my image; I take my work so seriously. Everyone thinks I,just bounce in, but I study and everything has to be just right.
I found myself in the doldrums in the early Nineties. I was too old to,play the dolly bird any longer and I looked too young to play a woman,of my real age. No one ever saw me as the aunt, mother or grandmother.
I check all my props, everything. Acting is something I love. I have,done it since I was 13 but it had completely taken over my life,absolutely.
[about her damehood] For a girl from the East End born into a working,class family and an evacuee during World War Two, this is truly like a,dream. .
