EastEnders star Ross Kemp reveals poignant message from ‘best friend’ Barbara Windsor after her death
Ross Kemp has revealed a poignant message he received from EastEnders co-star Barbara Windsor following her death.
Ross played Grant Mitchell, son of Barbara’s Peggy Mitchell, from 1990 until 1999, as well as making several appearances throughout the 2000s.
His final appearance came during Barbara’s last episodes as iconic landlady Queen Vic Peggy, during which the character was killed off on her request.
During their time working together, Ross and Barbara formed a close bond, with Ross describing their relationship as ‘very special’ in a recent interview on Loose Women.
‘She was my best friend and I loved her dearly and I miss her,’ he told the panel.
Barbara died in 2020, aged 83, after being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease in 2014, and Ross was asked to write a eulogy for her funeral.
While trying to look for a pen, he instead found a letter from the actress.
‘It took me two days to write it because I was crying, sobbing through it,’ he revealed.
‘I reached up for the pen and I got this card stuck under my nail. I pulled the card down and it was a card from her to me, from flowers.
‘Now, I’m not into all that stuff about ghosts and dolls and all that stuff, but that was a weird moment.’
Barbara was a hugely loved member of the EastEnders family, and following her death a number of the stars have continued to raise money for Alzheimer’s Research UK in her memory.
YOUR WEEKLY HOROSEastEnders stars including Jake Wood, Adam Woodyatt, Natalie Cassidy and Tanya Franks all teamed up with Barbara’s husband, Scott, to form Babs’ Army, and ran the London Marathon together in a bid to raise funds and awareness for the condition.
EastEnders fans want Jean Slater (Gillian Wright) to have her own detective spin-off series as she discovered vile Dean Wicks’ (Matt Di Angelo) abuse towards his daughter Jade Green (Elizabeth Green) during last night’s episode (Thursday, March 21).
After cystic fibrosis sufferer Jade told Dean that she was moving to Pakistan with her mum Shabnam Masood (Rakhee Thakrar) after her lung transplant, Dean conjured up a truly sick plan to keep her in the country.
When Jade contracted a chest infection, Dean started opening Jade’s pill capsules and emptying the contents down the sink.
Dean has continued to cruelly tamper with Jade’s antibiotics, wanting to keep her ill to stop her from going to live in Pakistan and stay with him.
But Dean sunk to a diabolical new low when he unplugged Jade’s oxygen tank at her charity fundraiser and she collapsed, unable to breathe.
Dean blamed the incident on Jean, who has been supporting the ill teen through her struggles as a loyalty to her best friend Shirley Carter (Linda Henry).
As Jade was rushed to hospital, Dean struggled to hide his guilt in front of Jean and a suspicious Jean soon noticed something was wrong when Dean confessed his own guilt about what happened.
Jean tried to get to the bottom of the mystery by asking Dean if he had done something to her that was eating away at him, but he quickly refused.
Her suspicions only intensified when the doctor explained that while Jade’s oxygen level was going up, he was concerned about her chest infection as it should be clearing up by now.
Dean lashed out at the doctor, thinking that he was accusing him of something. But when the doctor asked to see the antibiotic dose that Jade was on, Jean offered to go and get them from Dean’s flat.
A panicked Dean did everything he could to try and stop her, but Jean insisted and he was forced to hand over his keys.
Back at Dean’s flat, Jean was convinced that Dean had meddled with Jade’s medication and told partner Harvey Monroe (Ross Boatman).
When they returned to the hospital, Jean attempted to hand over Jade’s pill box and a new box of tablets to the doctor, but Dean quickly intercepted her and only gave the doctor the new strip of pills.
Later on, Jean confronted Dean about her suspicions and realised he was hiding something like she had thought. Dean broke under Jean’s pressure and let slip that he felt like Jade was being punished for his past.
Soon enough, the conversation got heated when Jean said that he had done something to Jade’s pills and was going to tell the doctor that Jade was not safe in his care.
He viciously grabbed her arm to stop her and she insisted that she wasn’t scared of him. Caved in by Jean’s pressure, Dean said he would tell her everything and started to manipulate Jean.
Dean conjured up a sob story by telling her how much he loved Jade and how terrified he was of losing her all over again if she moved away. Jean was taken in by his words and he proceeded to tell a shocking lie that Jade had insisted on dealing with the medication herself and he realised that she hadn’t actually been taking them.
Dean claimed that Jade had risked her own health so she didn’t have to make a decision about who she wanted to live with. But has Jean seen through Dean’s lies?
Fans are now calling for a detective spin-off series focusing on Jean after her investigating skills…
Grace is a digital writer with WhatToWatch.com, where she writes series guides, recaps and features for must-watch shows and delivers all the latest soap news and reactions. She graduated from Anglia Ruskin University in 2020 with a degree in Writing and Film Studies, which only made her love for creative writing, film and TV grow stronger.
You’ll usually find her watching the drama unfold in the latest reality series or much-loved UK soaps (usually with chocolate by her side!). She’s an expert in EastEnders, Emmerdale, Coronation Street and everything reality-related from Selling Sunset and Married At First Sight UK to 90 Day Fiancé UK. Plus Netflix megahit Virgin River!
Grace also likes to explore new places with her friends and family and, of course, watch and read about the latest films and TV series.
