The actress Dame Barbara Windsor has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, her husband has said.

Speaking to the Sun, Scott Mitchell said his 80-year-old wife had been given the news in April 2014.

He said the EastEnders star had been taking medication to manage her condition but that symptoms had worsened in recent weeks.

The veteran of film and TV was made an MBE in 2000 and a dame in 2015 for services to drama.

In a newspaper interview Mr Mitchell said: "Since her 80th birthday last August, a definite continual confusion has set in, so it’s becoming a lot more difficult for us to hide.