Talk:Barbara Windsor

A news item involving Barbara Windsor was featured on Wikipedia's Main Page in the In the news section on 14 December 2020.

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Discussion[edit]

ambiguous date: born 6-8-1937

Since Babs is British, I'd imagine the date is in British format; and the IMDB agrees. Psmith 01:37, 11 Oct 2003 (UTC)

6 August gets more Google hits. Angela 01:45, Oct 11, 2003 (UTC)

Cockney Sparrow[edit]

What does that mean? NorthernThunder 16:20, 18 July 2006 (UTC)[reply]

http://www.cockneyrhymingslang.co.uk/slang/cock_sparrow says all you need to know 87.194.44.145 20:15, 26 October 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Photograph[edit]

Could anyone find another photo of her, this one really isnt too flattering! I've tidied this page up, but it doesn't look right with this photo. Thanks to anyone that can help. --Berks105 19:58, 20 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Yes, that photo is terrible. There must be a better one available. Colin4C 18:28, 27 September 2006 (UTC)[reply]

I have changed the photo to a more flattering one. Planman94 (talk) 15:20, 13 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Sorry, that screenshot you replaced the free image with is copyrighted to the BBC and not fair use in the actor's bio, so I have reverted. The current free image will have to do until someone comes up with a more "flattering" free picture of her. Personally, I think it's a very good image.GunGagdin ^Moan 17:44, 13 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

I have provided two photographs on wiki commons from a recent ceremony honouring her - I hope these will help you PortlandVillage

Thanks, this one is very good. Anemone Projectors 18:50, 16 November 2010 (UTC)[reply]

References[edit]

I've added GRO references for her birth (there are two Barbara A. Deeks born in that quarter - one in Finsbury; one in Stepney - choose Stepney for Shoreditch) and the first and third marriages, but am unable to locate her second marriage. Can anyone confirm the date (as given?) and the location. I suspect it was abroad. Ian Cairns (talk) 11:04, 17 December 2007 (UTC)[reply]

According to her autobiography, it was in Jamaica (at the Ocho Rios resort) on April 12 1986. Gusworld (talk) 01:53, 16 January 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks for that, I've added that as a ref.--UpDown (talk) 08:02, 16 January 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Eastenders on Dr Who[edit]

"She appeared briefly in the 2006 Doctor Who episode "Army of Ghosts" as Peggy Mitchell in a fictional episode of EastEnders."

Er, aren't they all fictional? (I hope that's not shattering anyone's illusions). I think I know what was meant, but could it be put better? Rojomoke (talk) 07:55, 23 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

I was just about to write that on this discussion page. Wouldn't non-canonical be more appropriate? Patyo1994 (talk) 15:09, 12 November 2009 (UTC)[reply]

The episodes you watch on TV are real episodes, but the subject matter is fictional. The Army of Ghosts scene wasn't a real episode of EastEnders, which is why it's described as a fictional episode. It's a bit like The Itchy & Scratchy Show in The Simpsons being a fictional cartoon series. Perhaps metafictional? AnemoneProjectors (talk) 15:37, 12 November 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Windsor[edit]

I'm not an English native and not familiar with Barbara Windsor. Why does she have the surname Windsor? Is that her stage name or did she marry someone of the royal family? It's not very clear to me. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 87.211.40.7 (talk) 22:19, 3 June 2010 (UTC)[reply]

The royal family does not have a monopoly on the surname, Windsor. There are many families with that name.

Yes and Barbara Deeks' family isn't one of them. It's a legitimate question to ask where she got the Windsor name from. Vauxhall1964 (talk) 22:21, 9 October 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Here's an explanation though sadly I don't think it can be counted a reliable source --5 albert square (talk) 22:37, 9 October 2010 (UTC)[reply]

That's a very long page, can you quote the relevant part? Anemone Projectors 23:27, 9 October 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Sorry, didn't think. Here it is:

"Barbara continued her studies at Aida Foster’s until the West End run continued, and left the school with Aida Foster remaining her agent. At sixteen Barbara Deeks became Barbara Windsor, after her Auntie Dolly, and as a tribute to the coronation!"

--5 albert square (talk) 23:34, 9 October 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks :-) Anemone Projectors 00:26, 10 October 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Carry On[edit]

Why such little prominence to The Carry On films? These were by far her best known roles, with the much later Eastenders coming a distant second. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 86.184.234.82 (talk) 17:52, 21 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Yes a bizarre lack of coverage of Carry On and other films. --Penbat (talk) 18:54, 10 September 2010 (UTC)[reply]

There is no mention of the role she played as herself at the end of a drama documentary of her life, aired a few years back on BBC4(?), a run-through of her time on the Carry On films and particularly her friendship with Sid James. All roles were played by actors, including hers, but she appeared as herself at the very end of the film. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 109.158.2.216 (talk) 15:48, 16 October 2011 (UTC)[reply]

It was called "Cor, Blimey!" 124.120.236.162 (talk) —Preceding undated comment added 16:43, 21 October 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Indeed, this is an omission; we have an article for it at Cor, Blimey!; and there is an IMDb entry also. As with Babs, Samantha Spiro played Barbara Windsor, and Windsor herself appeared at the end. --Redrose64 🌹 (talk) 10:25, 15 May 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Piers Morgan Interview[edit]

It has been revealed that Windsor has no intentions of returning to EastEnders in 2012. This is contrary to what was printed in The Sun's article which is mentioned on the page. The interview is on ITV on 9th October. The bit about her not returning has been mention on Digital Spy here http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s2/eastenders/news/a279467/barbara-windsor-wont-return-to-enders.html Would it be possible for someone to edit? I'm fairly new and not great at sorting out references properly. Demoneatgod (talk) 11:33, 1 October 2010 (UTC)[reply]

I've done it now Anemone Projectors 13:51, 1 October 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Date of birth[edit]

Minor I guess, but she was just live on BBC News, and said that she was 78 tomorrow (3 August) - perhaps this is referenced elsewhere and we can get the date corrected? Tom Green (talk) 14:13, 2 August 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Hi Tom,

I came on here to say the exact same thing! I can confirm what you have said, meaning the D.O.B given here is wrong? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 92.18.164.145 (talk) 15:17, 2 August 2015 (UTC)[reply]

As this hasn't been changed, I'm guessing the latest bizarre theory on Wiki is that she doesn't know her own birthdate. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 92.18.164.145 (talk) 11:56, 3 August 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Wikipedia goes on what can be verified. I have googled this and I can find no reliable sources to support she is 78 tomorrow, however I can find plenty supporting the date of birth that Wikipedia has. Unless you find a reliable source supporting the change you've mentioned above then the date of birth must stay as it is. If it is changed and there is no source to support the change then your edit will be reverted as per WP:BLP and WP:OR--5 albert square (talk) 21:08, 3 August 2015 (UTC)[reply]

The BBC News show can be used as a reference, though. @TomGreen: was this on the radio or TV? –Anemone Projectors– 15:29, 4 August 2015 (UTC)[reply]

That's what I meant AP. I looked online and I couldn't find anything on BBC News etc.--5 albert square (talk) 21:00, 4 August 2015 (UTC)[reply]

On BBC News channel on 2 August, she said she was 78 tomorrow. She was live on air talking about Cilla Black, whose death as announced that day. Tom Green (talk) 21:04, 4 August 2015 (UTC)[reply]

I did manage to find a news article where Windsor is talking about Black, so I assume it's from that programme, but this part of the interview wasn't included. The BBC News channel doesn't seem to be available on catch-up, which is a shame, meaning there's no page we can cite. But it seems odd that her date of birth would be widely reported as wrong. This news article says she celebrated her birthday in 2013 on the 6th (or at least, implies it as the article is dated the 7th and it's likely to be reporting on the night before) and says "The much loved actress was spotted enjoying a cosy meal for two with husband Scott Mitchell on Tuesday night to raise a glass or two to her big day." - that's Tuesday 6 August 2013. The source given in the article (this one) says her 70th birthday was on 6 August 2007. This one as well. Maybe she actually doesn't know when her birthday is, or she just likes to celebrate it a few days late, which seems strange! –Anemone Projectors– 08:29, 5 August 2015 (UTC)[reply]

External links modified[edit]

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EastEnders[edit]

Dame Barbara Windsor was on EastEnders again tonight 1701Will (talk) 20:22, 15 January 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Improve article by discussing why her name was changed[edit]

This is not a forum.

I wish to improve the article by finding the reason for the name change from Deeks to Windsor.92.28.34.122 (talk) 05:44, 23 March 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Why are you telling us? If you want to find something out, then find it out. Though you'll probably find that it's her stage name. Anemone Projectors 14:26, 23 March 2016 (UTC)[reply]

I've just found the reason. It took about 3 seconds. I'm not sure why you didn't do it instead of just talking about it. Anemone Projectors 14:28, 23 March 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Actually, having found a source, there is quite a lot of information about her life. I wonder what else of her early life and relationships might be worth adding to the article. Anemone Projectors 14:40, 23 March 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Years Active[edit]

OK, I now have more than one reliable source stating that she is no longer working. I can't find anything stating that she has appeared in anything since 2017 but the source in the infobox states that she was working in 2018. What do we put her years active as then? Is it 2017 which is when I can last find something she was credited in, 2018 which is what the source in the article suggests, or 2019 which is the dates of the two articles I've posted above?-- 5 albert square (talk) 12:28, 11 January 2019 (UTC)[reply]

Her retirement was announced by her husband last year. She was still doing charity appearances early last year, so I think that's why the 'years active' originally stated 2018.

A Commons file used on this page has been nominated for deletion[edit]

The following Wikimedia Commons file used on this page has been nominated for deletion:

Barbara Windsor at unveiling of Joan Littlewood statue 2015.jpeg

Participate in the deletion discussion at the nomination page. —Community Tech bot (talk) 06:25, 23 July 2019 (UTC)[reply]

Twitter[edit]

Can the reference to Twitter get removed? It’s not a reliable source. MikaelaArsenault (talk) 00:37, 11 December 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Gabi Roslin interview[edit]

Can anybody help me out here? I'm certain that I watched Gaby Roslin interview Windsor on a TV chat show in the late eighties or early nineties, where Roslin suggested that Babs would be an ideal landlady for the Queen Vic and proposed that there should be a "get Babs on Eastenders" campaign. Looking at Roslin's page, I'm guessing it must have been during her time on The Big Breakfast, but despite extensive online research, I cannot find any reference to this. ~dom Kaos~ (talk) 20:39, 11 December 2020 (UTC)[reply]

BBC Hall of Fame[edit]

Windsor was the first artist to be inducted - 20 years ago. I just added it, but it's pretty poor show when an article like this can't be kept up to date. Kudpung กุดผึ้ง (talk) 05:17, 9 April 2021 (UTC)[reply]