BABS CALLS TIME ON EASTENDERS AFTER 15 YEARS

But Peggy Mitchell will tearfully pull her last pint next year after a tumultuous 15-year reign at the Queen Vic.

Barbara Windsor – or Babs as she is known to us now as a ­much-loved British “treasure” – is leaving Albert Square.

At 72, she wants to spend more time with her “young” husband, 45, whose name, funnily enough, is Scott Mitchell. “I’ll be so sad to leave Peggy behind,” she said last night.

“EastEnders has been wonderful to me and it’s no secret that it changed my life all of those years ago.”

She added Peggy has been a “wonderful character to play”, and singled out the day she showed the Queen around the set of EastEnders as “something that will stay with me forever”.

She said romance was behind her motivation for quitting, joking: “When all’s said and done, I should spend a bit more time with my old man – he’s not getting any younger.”

Scott, a recruitment consultant, is 26 years her junior.

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The actress wears a wedding ring inscribed with the words “True Love” and says Scott is the best thing that has happened to her.

The actress’s agent, Barry ­Burnett, denied emphatically that she is retiring from showbusiness altogether.

“Oh no, absolutely not, can you imagine that?” he said. “Anyone who knows Barbara knows what she’s like.”

Babs has played Peggy Mitchell since 1994. The star, who won a lifetime achievement gong at this year’s British Soap Awards, was described last night by EastEnders’ executive producer Diederick Santer as “truly iconic”.

He said: “Barbara has contributed so much to EastEnders over the past 15 years, plus countless amazing storylines.

“She has made the Mitchells the premiere family of British soap.

“All of us at EastEnders – and our audience – will miss her hugely.”

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