EastEnders actor Jake Wood has revealed Dame Barbara Windsor asked him “why me?” following her Alzheimer’s diagnosis.
Babs, 81, was diagnosed with the illness in 2014, although her battle with the condition was only made public last year by her husband Scott Mitchell.
Jake, who plays Max Branning in the soap, said it’s “devastating” to watch the legendary actress live with the condition.
Read more: Barbara Windsor’s husband Scott reveals she doesn’t recognise him sometimes
He told the Daily Star: “I spoke to Barbara about it quite early on and she was asking: ‘Why did it happen to me?’ And I didn’t have an answer.
“It’s such a dreadful disease with no rhyme and reason to it and it really had an impact on me.”
He added: “Barbara is such a special friend to me. She is such a big character and so well loved by all of us and the nation.”
Jake said the last time he saw Barbara was just before Christmas and she had “deteriorated”.
The star is taking part in the 2019 Virgin Money London Marathon in April alongside his co-stars, including Adam Woodyatt – who plays Ian Beale – and Natalie Cassidy – who plays Sonia Fowler – and Barbara’s husband Scott.
The group aim to raise £100,000 for Dementia Revolution.
Earlier this month, Scott said he cannot leave Babs by herself anymore because of the disease.
Speaking on Good Morning Britain, he said: “I can’t leave Barbara by herself anymore, life has changed drastically for her and of course that reflects on our whole life together.
“Don’t get me wrong, Barbara and I don’t just sit there in some state of continual misery, we have chats, we laugh, we watch the telly and we make each other giggle.
Read more: Barbara Windsor’s husband Scott: “I can’t leave her by herself anymore”
“There’s still life going on, but of course that’s interspersed with some of the difficult moments too.”
He said that, when he gets tired and wants to stop when training for the 26.2-mile race, he pushes himself and thinks of a number of personal circumstances.
“I think of every time I have to explain to Barbara where she is when we’re sitting in our front room and she’s asking me if we’ve stayed here before – that gets me through the pain barrier,” he said.
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