Barbara Windsor’s widower on ‘incredible’ reason he found love again with EastEnders star

Dame Barbara Windsor's widower, Scott Mitchell, has previously opened up on the moment that brought him together with his new partner, Tanya Franks. Scott and Barbara married in 2000, but she sadly died aged 83 in 2020. Speaking on This Morning last year, Scott and Tanya spoke about how they bonded over their shared experience of losing loved ones to dementia. The duo became close friends after they raised awareness about Alzheimer's with "Bab's Army." In 2019, the pair ran alongside each other in the London Marathon, with Tanya raising money in honour of her stepfather Derek. They ran the London Marathon again in 2023 with fellow EastEnders stars.

Whilst on This Morning, Ben Shephard asked: "You've seen each other at your absolute worst!" to which Tanya said: "Someone said to me, 'Has he seen you without make-up?' and I said: 'Well, he has seen me run a marathon.'" Ben then said: "But it's not necessarily the first place you think of where a romance happens, is it, Scott?"

Scott responded: "Absolutely not, I think it was was that we shared a common bond that both of us were being affected by this horrendous disease in Alzheimer's and it forged an incredible friendship for the first four years or so and something wonderful came out of it, exactly the opposite of what Alzheimers is, it is not kind or loving, and thank god."

Cat Deeley then chimed in: "When you feel like there is no hope at all, and you're absolutely devastated and heartbroken, something positive came out of it?"

Scott said: "That's right, she will always be there and I am very fortunate to have a partner who doesn't make me feel bad about talking about my late wife or keeping this memory alive and working together, we are both equally as passionate."

Barbara and Scott married in 2000; however, she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 2014. She kept her illness private for four years before she passed away in 2020.

In 2023, Lacey Turner, Adam Woodyatt, and Natalie Cassidy, along with other EastEnders stars, took on the gruelling London Marathon to raise awareness. Scott set up the group Bab's Army in Barbara's memory.

Tanya first appeared in EastEnders in 2007 as Rainie Cross and signed a full-time contract in 2018. She left Albert Square in 2022 with husband Stewart and their son Roland.

This Morning airs daily on weekdays at 10am on ITV and ITVX.