ROSS Kemp revealed he had a “window” into the old Barbara Windsor during a video call three weeks before her death.
The actor and documentary maker appeared on Good Morning Britain today to pay tribute to screen and stage legend Babs.
He had remained close to his old EastEnders co-star in the years after leaving Albert Square, and their last exchange took place last month.
Ross said: “I spoke to her three weeks ago on FaceTime, and by that time Barbara was in a very bad state.
“I asked her husband Scott if she had a window. Because of the nature of the illness it comes and goes, as you get closer to the end you lose more and more consciousness. And she had a window, and he rang me on Sunday afternoon, and she just said ‘I just want everything to be good for you in your life’, and that will stay for me for the rest of my life.
“She is a genuinely good person, and she’s very, very lucky to have someone like Scott, who stayed by her side and was a rock for her.”
Barbara’s final wish was that a tax could be made in her name to help people living with dementia.
She made the declaration just weeks before her death on that FaceTime call with Ross.
She wanted it to be called ‘Bab’s tax’ and for the money to go to treating dementia in a better way than exists now.
“Barbara made it very clear she wanted dementia treated as a medical problem and not a social care issue,” Ross told The Celeb Reportday Mirror.
“And I know that’s very expensive. So bring in a Barbara Tax – another pound or so on your tax bill to prevent people having to sell their homes to look after their loved ones.
“Or perhaps that money could help to find a cure for dementia, or at least slow down the onset.”
Ross revealed Dame Barbara’s husband Scott Mitchell, 57, was also in favour of the tax.
The actress was most well known for playing Peggy Mitchell in EastEnders, and Ross player her son, Grant Mitchell.
The 83-year-old actress “peacefully” passed away on Thursday night following her battle with Alzheimer’s disease.
Ross spoke of how he felt “floored” at her passing and that she was very brave right until the end.
The much-loved star found fame playing a buxom blonde in the bawdy comedies and later became a TV favourite as Peggy Mitchell in the hit BBC soap.
Dame Barbara was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2014 and made the news public in 2018.
The 4ft 10in star died “peacefully” at 8.35pm on Thursday night at a London care home with her husband Scott Mitchell by her side.
In a moving tribute, he called her his “precious Bar” and said: “I’ve lost my wife, my best friend and soul mate.”
He said the cherished actress’s final weeks were “typical of how she lived her life” and “full of humour, drama and a fighting spirit until the end”.
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