Scott Mitchell reveals heartbreaking moment Dame Barbara Windsor forgot who he was as he gives emotional interview about Alzheimer's diagnosis

Natasha Sporn8 October 2018

Barbara Windsor’s husband Scott Mitchell has opened up about the heartbreaking moment she forgot his face as her Alzheimer’s progressed.

Mitchell, who married the EastEnders legend in 2000, joined Monday’s Loose Women to share an update on Windsor’s health as he talked about living with her diagnosis four years ago.

And the 55-year-old struggled to hold back tears as he talked about the moment the couple received the devastating news, and briefly explained his “fear” being realised a few weeks ago.

Mitchell said: “It was about two weeks ago. I think it was always my biggest fear - what if she looks at me and doesn’t know who I am? And that haunted me, and two weeks ago that reality came.

Opening up: Scott Mitchell gave an update on Dame Barbara Windsor's health (Ken McKay/ITV/REX )
Ken McKay/ITV/REX

“It was only brief. I was helping her, she was getting out the bath and she looked at me and looked suddenly apprehensive. Her eyes went blank and she went ‘I’m sorry, who are you?’.”

Mitchell spoke about the journey to the actress’ diagnosis, revealing that it was after around 18 months to two years after the initial trip to the doctors that the neurologist was able to confirm Alzheimer’s.

He said: “I thought, I wasn’t imagining this. There was something there, so there was that sense of it. There was also a sense of I think a slight numbness as well that happened to me.

Fundraising: Barbara Windsor and husband Scott Mitchell
PA

“We were sitting down and Dr Kennedy said, ‘Look I’m really sorry but it is Alzheimer’s that you’ve got’. She looked at me and said, ‘I’m so sorry’,” he added as he began to well up.

Mitchell also detailed how he feels “mortified” if he loses his patience with Windsor and struggles to keep irritation from his voice.

Mitchell explained: “I’m learning as I go along is the honest truth. I never know what’s coming next. I’ve learned different techniques of how I handle things.

“Obviously, the thing I think that most people who have a loved one with this illness will get is the testing, challenging thing of the repetitive nature of it.

“For instance, when you’re sitting there of an evening and maybe the same question comes at you, however many times, let’s see eight to 20 times in one evening, sometimes it’s hard to keep that calmness in your voice, to not show that you’re slightly irritated.

“As much as you love someone, you’re human and you get to that point where you yourself may have had a day - I’ve got my own work to do, I’m thinking about Barbara - occasionally I show it. And I’m always mortified afterwards if I show it. She won’t remember what I’ve said, but she’ll remember how I’ve made her feel.”

Loose Women airs weekdays at 12.30pm on ITV.

Barbara Windsor - In pictures

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