11:34AM, Oct 28, 2009
There’s a sad day coming in EastEnders.
Barbara Windsor is quitting the show after 15 years.
The BBC confirmed this morning that Peggy Mitchell will walk out of Walford in the New Year, although they’re remaining tight-lipped about how she departs.
Barbara, who was awarded an MBE in 1999 and a Lifetime Achievement Award at the British Soap Awards in May this year, said she wants to “spend a bit more time with my old man, as he’s not getting any younger.”
She went on: "EastEnders has been wonderful to me and it's no secret that it changed my life all of those years ago. I'll be so sad to leave Peggy behind; she's such a wonderful character to play.
"I have had the pleasure of working with a marvellous cast and crew and have made many lasting good friends. To have had the honour of showing the Queen around the set is something that will stay with me forever.”
Since her arrival in Albert Square in 1994, Mitchell matriarch Peggy has yelled “get out of my pub” to pretty much every E20 resident, beaten cancer, been engaged twice, instigated a bigoted campaign against HIV sufferer Mark Fowler’s fruit and veg store, seen the error of her ways and met Boris Johnson.
What a great run.
Find out when EastEnders is on TV.
