Ross Kemp has revealed that Dame Barbara Windsor’s husband Scott Mitchell has lost his father as she continues to battle her illness.
Barbara’s EastEnders co-star broke the news on Loose Women today, when he was asked about how the actress is doing amid her health problems.
Ross, 54, said he had just received the sad news of their loss from Scott over the phone, shortly before coming on air.
Ross explained that Scott’s elderly father Ron Mitchell had passed away just last night (19 May).
The former EastEnder star is still close with 81-year-old Barbara, who played his mum on the soap, and her 56-year-old hubby.
Chatting to Loose Women Jane Moore, Coleen Nolan, Andrea McLean and Brenda Edwards, Ross said: “Scott’s had a pretty hard time of it recently, he ran the marathon as you know and raised a lot of money, but his dad sadly passed last night.
“I was on the phone to him just now.”
Loose Women’s Jane added: “His dad was called Ron Mitchell and he wanted to say, ‘My dad was my hero.'”
Ross continued: “I met him, he was a lovely man. Obviously we’re thinking about his family right now.”
It’s yet more heartache for Scott, who has been caring for Barbara ever since she was diagnosed with her illness in 2014. They have been together for 25 years.
Read more: Dame Barbara Windsor becoming more scared, reveals husband Scott Mitchell
Ross also gave an update on how Barbara is doing on the ITV show today.
He said: “It’s ups and downs. I’m sure things will turn around for them, I hope.”
Read more: “Overwhelmed” Dame Barbara Windsor thanks fans for staggering donations to her charity
Scott has spoken openly about how “heartbreaking” it has been to see screen star Barbara deal with the degenerative disease.
During an interview on Chris Evans’ Virgin Radio show in March, Scott said: “For anyone who has seen a loved one go through it, it’s a horrible thing to witness. You see that person slowly disappearing before your eyes, being stripped of who they were.
“Anyone who has been through it would tell you it’s the most heartbreaking thing to watch.”
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