Dame Barbara Windsor, star of EastEnders and the Carry On films, has died aged 83.
She passed away peacefully at 8.35pm on Thursday at a London care home, her husband Scott Mitchell confirmed.
Mr Mitchell said the actress' final weeks were "typical of how she lived her life", being "full of humour, drama and a fighting spirit until the end".
READ MORE: Life in pictures: Dame Barbara Windsor, Carry on star and Eastenders landlady
In a moving tribute, he wrote: "I've lost my wife, my best friend and soul mate and my heart or life will never feel the same without you."
Ms Windsor first found fame in her role in the Carry On films and later became a household name playing Peggy Mitchell, the Queen Vic's battle-axe landlady in BBC soap EastEnders.
She was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2014, going public with the news four years later.
In a statement released last night, Mr Mitchell said: "It was not the ending that Barbara or anyone else living with this very cruel disease deserve. I will always be immensely proud of Barbara's courage, dignity and generosity dealing with her own illness and still trying to help others by raising awareness for as long as she could.
"Dementia/Alzheimer's remains the UKs number one killer. Although in challenging times, I urge the Prime Minister, his government and other parties to be true to their previous promises and invest more into Dementia/Alzheimer's Research and Care.
"Thank you to all the Drs, nurses and carers who are angels at the care home for your kindness and care to Barbara and I throughout her stay with you. You are my heroes.
"And my gratitude to our family, friends and everyone in the media and the general public for all the good wishes and warm support that has been shown to Barbara over the last few years during her illness. Barbara deeply appreciated that."
Dame Barbara made her debut as Peggy in 1994 and soon became one of the small screen's best-loved characters as she yelled at rogue drinkers to "get outta my pub!"
It became the defining role of her career and saw her star alongside Ross Kemp and Steve McFadden as her fictional sons Grant and Phil, with the late Mike Reid as her on-screen husband Frank Butcher.
The character left our screens in 2003 when Dame Barbara took a sabbatical for medical reasons after being diagnosed with the Epstein-Barr virus, but she returned as a series regular in 2005.
In 2009, Dame Barbara announced she would be leaving the soap again in order to spend more time with her husband Scott, who she married in 2000.
She returned for cameo appearances in the soap over the next few years but in 2016 she played Peggy for the final time.
Her final scenes aired in May that year as the Walford stalwart took her own life after being diagnosed with terminal cancer.
Before becoming synonymous with Albert Square, Dame Barbara delighted Carry On fans with her portrayals of a "good time girl," appearing in nine films in a series known for its bawdy humour.
She first appeared in Carry On Spying in 1964, with her final film role coming in 1974's Carry On Dick.
One of Dame Barbara's most famous scenes was in 1969's Carry On Camping, when her bikini top flew off in the middle of an exercise class.
The actress was made a dame in the 2016 New Year's Honours list for her services to charity and entertainment.
Both Dame Barbara and her husband campaigned to raise awareness of Alzheimer's following her diagnosis.
In August this year Mitchell said his wife had been moved to a care home in London.
Following the news of her death, tributes flooded in from across the entertainment industry.
A representative for actor Steve McFadden, who plays Dame Barbara's on-screen son Phil Mitchell, told PA he was "devastated" by her death.
Veteran DJ Tony Blackburn wrote: "So sorry to hear Barbara Windsor has passed away, a lovely lady who was always such fun. R.I.P. Babs."
TV presenter Jonathan Ross tweeted: "Barbara Windsor in real life was everything you might have hoped for. So warm, so funny, so kind. Goodnight sweetheart x #BarbaraWindsor".
Red Dwarf star Danny John-Jules paid tribute, tweeting a black and white picture of Dame Barbara, writing alongside it: "Chorus Girl - Star, Dame Barbara Windsor, has taken her final bow... #RIP".
Chorus Girl - Star, Dame Barbara Windsor, has taken her final bow... #RIP pic.twitter.com/VhSOUFPSrp
— Danny John-Jules🇩🇲 (@DannyJohnJules) December 11, 2020
Dame Floella Benjamin added: "So sad to hear the news that #BarbaraWindsor has passed away. She brought much joy to the nation and was a true national treasure in every sense of the word. May she rest in peace. #RIPBabs".
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