Trivia

In her autobiography "All of Me", Windsor candidly talks about her affair with her "Carry On" co-star Sidney James. She was also romantically linked to the gangster Reggie Kray in the 1960s as well as "Bee Gee" Maurice Gibb. She also discusses her five abortions, the first three taking place before age 21, and the last occurring when she was age 42; her cosmetic surgeries; and numerous nervous breakdowns and hospitalizations. She also freely admits her penchant for younger men (present husband Scott Mitchell is 26 years younger than she).

She has said she never wanted children as a result of her father rejecting her.

A debilitating case of the Epstein-Barr virus forced a two-year long absence from EastEnders (1985) from 2003 to 2005.

Her paternal great-grandmother Mary Ann Collins fled with her family from Cork in Ireland to the East End of London during the Irish potato famine and whilst in London she took up work as a match-stick girl.

Was very close friends with "Carry On" co-star Kenneth Williams.

Was very unhappy with the EastEnders (1985) storyline where Peggy Mitchell launches a hate campaign against Mark Fowler when he is HIV positive.

In a 1987 TV-AM interview, she stated her favourite Carry On film is Carry on Henry VIII (1971).

She said she was asked to play Cleopatra in Carry on Cleo (1964), but had a disagreement with the producer. Amanda Barrie was cast instead. Carry On producer Peter Rogers said in a DVD interview that Windsor was never seriously considered to play Cleopatra.

Was made a dame by Queen Elizabeth II for her services to charity on 22 March 2016. Her former EastEnders (1985) co-stars Pam St. Clement and June Brown were in attendance.

In order to play the character Goldie Locks in the film Carry on Again Doctor (1969) she went on a very strict diet without informing the film's director, Gerald Thomas. Thomas was unhappy on seeing Barbara's new slimline figure and remarked, "Well, that's the joke about Bristols out of the window.".

Suffered a nervous breakdown in 1981 and underwent a hysterectomy in February 1994.

First husband, Ronnie Knight, fled to Spain after bank robbery charges were filed against him.

Made her West End debut in the musical "Love From Judy" in September 1952 at age 15.

She was offered the role of Queen Isabella in Carry on Columbus (1992) but, despite the big name cast which included several Carry On veterans, she turned down the role because she thought the script was rubbish. She chose to do end-of-pier theatre instead. June Whitfield was cast in the role.

Was evacuated to Blackpool during World War II, where she lived for a year before returning home to London.

Had a much publicised affair with "Carry On" co-star Sidney James from 1973 until his death in 1976. The affair was dramatised in the stage play "Cleo, Camping, Emmanuelle and Dick" and its television adaptation Cor, Blimey! (2000).

Her first job after leaving school at age 16 was as a customer service assistant in a shoe shop.

Learned her craft at Aida Foster Theatre School in Golders Green, resulting in her stage debut in a pantomime in December 1950 at age 13.

Was close friends with EastEnders (1985) co-star Patsy Palmer, referring to her as "the daughter she never had".

Was nominated for the 1965 Tony Award for Featured Actress in a Musical for her performance in "Oh, What a Lovely War!" directed by her mentor Joan Littlewood.

During the 1960s, she had a brief relationship with footballer George Best.

In an amazing coincidence, Patsy Kensit's ancestor that she found on "Who Do You Think You Are?", the Reverend James Mayne, is clearly recorded in the register of St Matthews Church Bethnal Green register on 24 September 1833 as performing the marriage of Golding Deeks and Elizabeth Livermore, two of the ancestors of Barbara Windsor found during her own quest for her ancestry in a different episode of the same series.

She was awarded the MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) in the 2000 Queen's New Years Honours List for her services to entertainment.

In 2012, she became a patron of the Amy Winehouse Foundation, and in November 2014, she was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of East London.

Her debut "Carry On" film was Carry on Spying (1964).

As a child, her favourite actress was Betty Grable.

She was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in April 2014 and retired from public life in May 2018.

Before her marriage to Ronnie Knight, she had a one night stand with Reggie Kray.

Was portrayed by Honor Kneafsey as a child, Jaime Winstone as a young woman, and Samantha Spiro in her fifties in the biopic Babs (2017).

In 1999, she made the record "The More I See You" with Mike Reid which reached the top 50 in the record charts.

Upon her death, she was cremated at Golders Green Crematorium in Golders Green, London, England after a memorial service on January 8, 2021. Her ashes were scattered in the garden of memory at the Golders Green Crematorium in Golders Green, London, England after a short ceremony on August 6, 2021 (her 84th birthday). Her widower, Scott Mitchell, unveiled a plaque in her memory at the crematorium in her honor on what would have been her 84th birthday.

She was the only child of John Deeks, a costermonger (fruit/vegetable street seller), and wife Rose Deeks (née Ellis), a dressmaker, who eventually divorced. She was trained in dance at age six, and also took elocution lessons while young.

Ranked #12 in the 100 Greatest EastEnders (1985) Characters of All Time for her performance as Peggy Mitchell (2010).

She married her third husband, Scott Mitchell, at the Dorchester Hotel in London, England.

Was unable to appear in Carry on Behind (1975) because she was touring New Zealand with her variety showcase Carry On Barbara.

Was in attendance at the funeral of her former EastEnders (1985) co-star Wendy Richard (9 March 2009).

During rehearsals for Carry on Laughing there was a little old lady with granny glasses, grey hair and a shawl in a scene. No one knew who she was but thought was excellent. Rehearsals over she took off the glasses and wig to reveal herself as Barbara Windsor. However before filming it was decided that the public wouldn't stand for her in anything but her usual type of role so she reverted to her usual performance in what was her last Carry on appearance as it was for Sid James and Hattie Jacques.

Her EastEnders (1985) character Peggy Mitchell's wedding to Frank Butcher (Mike Reid), dated on 1 April 1999, ranked #22 on "The 50 Greatest EastEnders (1985) Weddings of All Time" (2010).

Holds the record for playing the shortest-serving soap character to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award, having won the award at The British Soap Awards 2009 (2009) for 15 years of playing Peggy Mitchell on EastEnders (1985).

As of 2020, she is the sixth-longest serving actress in the history of EastEnders (1985) (tied with Laila Morse, and behind only June Brown, Pam St. Clement, Letitia Dean, Wendy Richard and a tied Gillian Taylforth and Natalie Cassidy), having played the character Peggy Mitchell for a total of 18 years (initially from 1994 until 2010, briefly in 2013, and then from 2014 to 2016).

Is one of eight EastEnders (1985) actors to have won the Lifetime Achievement Award at the British Soap Awards; the others are June Brown, Wendy Richard, Pam St. Clement, Adam Woodyatt, Steve McFadden, Rudolph Walker and Letitia Dean.

She was awarded the Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 2016 Queen's New Years Honours List for her services to entertainment and to charity.

Was presented her Lifetime Achievement Award at The British Soap Awards 2010 (2010) by her EastEnders (1985) co-stars Steve McFadden and Ross Kemp. McFadden and Kemp's characters Phil and Grant Mitchell were Windsor's character Peggy Mitchell's sons on the show.

She changed her stage name from Deeks to Windsor in 1953, just after the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, and chose the surname of the Royal Family as her stage name.

Became pregnant twice by her first husband Ronnie Knight; on both occasions she had abortions. She aborted their first baby in January 1960 at four months pregnant and their second in December 1965 at two months pregnant.

Was best friends with Anna Karen.

Was named after ice skater Barbara Ann Scott, as her parents were both fans.

Played her first grandmother role on-screen at age 59 on EastEnders (1985).

Fitted with a pacemaker in August 2018 after suffering a fall at home.

Was meant to play several roles in Carry on Emmannuelle (1978) - the female fantasy figures in the kitchen-table flashback sequences, as well as a nurse at the film's ending. However, she was unable to appear, as she was on holiday at the time.