'Life feels really good right now': Barbara Windsor's widower Scott Mitchell finds love again with EastEnders actress

14 July 2023, 11:56

Barbara Windsor's widower Scott Mitchell has found love again three years on after her death with EastEnders actress Tanya Franks.

Carry On star Dame Barbara who starred as Peggy Mitchell in EastEnders died in December 2020, aged 83, following a seven-year battle with Alzheimer's disease.

Scott, 60, and Tanya, 55, who played drug addict prostitute Rainie Cross on the soap, made their relationship official earlier this month while on holiday in Greece.

The recruitment consultant said: "Life feels really good right now and we are enjoying some special time together."

Scott and Tanya are in the early stages of dating, having forged a close friendship over the years while worked together to raise awareness about Alzheimer's with 'Bab's Army'.

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Alzheimers is close to Tanya's heart as she also ran in honour of her step-father Derek.

In 2019, Scott ran the London Marathon alongside Tanya and raised thousands Alzheimer's Research UK in Barbara's memory.

A source told The Sun, Scott is "truly happy".

They said: "Scott has found love again with Tanya and is truly happy.  His and Barbara's friends are delighted he's found someone to share his life with.

"It's fairly early days but Scott is cautiously now looking forward to the future. They made the decision to update their wider circles while on holiday in Greece and everyone was over the moon.

"There is so much friendship and respect between them both and they're taking things slowly."

Tanya made her EastEnders debut as Rainie back in 2007 and signed a full-time contract in 2018. Her last appearance on the soap was in June last year.

Barbara was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 2014 and kept her fight with the illness private for four years.