Scott Mitchell has revealed Barbara Windsor “took control” of her death following a battle with Alzheimer’s.
Barbara’s widower claimed that the EastEnders icon “took herself away” as her life was coming to an end.
They were together for almost three decades until her death in December 2020.
Scott Mitchell on Barbara Windsor ‘taking control’
Devoted Scott likened the end of Barbara’s life to that of her on-screen character Peggy Mitchell.
Peggy’s exit from the soap came in 2016 after the character was diagnosed with cancer and took her own life.
A little part of them will always be in there and I truly believe that the strong, stubborn, survivor Barbara realised what was happening.
The character famously said: “I don’t want people looking at me thinking I’m this thin old woman, this poor old woman, oh look how she’s ended up.”
And Scott said he “truly believes” that Barbara “stopped eating to take herself away”.
He told The Sun: “In many ways, Barbara orchestrated her own death by stopping eating a couple of weeks after she arrived at the care home in July 2020.”
Scott said the disease “makes you lost interest” in food, but he thinks “Barbara took control”.
He then said: “A little part of them will always be in there and I truly believe that the strong, stubborn, survivor Barbara realised what was happening.
“She knew she wasn’t coming home, and she took a look around her and thought, this is not for me.”
Scott added that he insisted Barbara’s wishes were observed and he said they “never force-fed her”.
He also revealed that she “stopped taking her meds”.
And it was this, he said, that led him to believe it was “Barbara signing off”.
Barbara’s final moments
Scott has also revealed this week that he wasn’t with Barbara as she took her last breath.
He said staff at the care home advised him to head off and get some sleep.
They explained that some people won’t slip away while their loved one is still in the room because they “don’t want to put you through that”.
Scott explained that by the time he was woken and approached Barbara’s room, he knew she was gone.
And he said that he felt like her “soul” was “no longer in the room”.
Abuse from trolls
Scott also details “shocking” abuse he’s had from trolls in the wake of Barbara’s death.
He said they accused him of only being with the actress for her money and told him that the “long game” had paid off following her passing.
Scott is now in the process of writing a book about his life with Barbara and her battle with Alzheimer’s.
Read more: EastEnders star Jaime Winstone claims spirit of Barbara Windsor ‘visited’ her
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