Scott Mitchell, the widower of beloved EastEnders icon Dame Barbara Windsor, has opened up about how a tragic shared experience brought him together with his new partner, actress Tanya Franks.
Barbara and Scott married in 2000, but their lives took a heartbreaking turn when she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2014. She kept her illness private until 2018 and sadly passed away in 2020 at the age of 83.
Speaking on This Morning, Scott and Tanya revealed how they first connected through Bab’s Army – a campaign Scott created to raise awareness of Alzheimer’s disease. The pair became close after running the London Marathon together in 2019, with Tanya participating to honour her stepfather Derek, who also suffered from dementia.
What started as friendship slowly blossomed into something deeper. Scott reflected, “We were both affected by this horrendous disease. It created an incredible friendship for four years, and from that, something beautiful grew – the total opposite of what Alzheimer’s brings. That’s a gift I’m so grateful for.”
Ben Shephard, hosting the show, remarked that a marathon wasn’t exactly where one might expect romance to bloom. Tanya replied with a smile, “Someone asked me if he’s seen me without makeup, and I said, ‘He’s seen me run a marathon.’”
Scott added that he was lucky to have found someone who respects Barbara’s memory: “I’m so fortunate Tanya never makes me feel bad about talking about Barbara or keeping her legacy alive. We work together on this with equal passion.”
Tanya, known for playing Rainie Cross in EastEnders, joined the show in 2007 and became a regular in 2018 before leaving in 2022. Meanwhile, Scott continues to lead Bab’s Army in Barbara’s honour, with stars like Lacey Turner, Adam Woodyatt, and Natalie Cassidy joining him in marathons to raise awareness.