Entertainment

Funeral of Dame Barbara Windsor to take place

Ross Kemp and Christopher Biggins are expected to attend.
Ross Kemp and Christopher Biggins are expected to attend. Ross Kemp and Christopher Biggins are expected to attend.

The funeral of Dame Barbara Windsor is due to take place in London.

The beloved actress, known for her work in the Carry On films and EastEnders, died in December at the age of 83. She had suffered from dementia.

She will be cremated at a private ceremony at Golders Green Crematorium in London on Friday afternoon and numbers will be limited because of coronavirus.

Barbara Windsor death
Barbara Windsor death Dame Barbara Windsor and her husband Scott Mitchell (Dominic Lipinski/PA)

Fellow EastEnders star Ross Kemp, who played her onscreen son, is among those expected to attend while pantomime performer and close friend Christopher Biggins has said he will be delivering a eulogy.

Dame Barbara was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2014.

She and her husband Scott Mitchell have been widely praised for their work raising awareness of dementia after the actress went public with her diagnosis in 2018.

A JustGiving page set up as a tribute to Dame Barbara and in aid of Alzheimer’s Research UK has raised more £145,000, reaching more than £150,000 with Gift Aid, and people have the option of donating in lieu of flowers.

Alzheimer’s Research UK said it had seen a spike in donations since her death.