Jaime Winstone: Reprising Peggy Mitchell role in EastEnders was âoverwhelmingâ
The actress is returning to the role as part of a mental health storyline on the BBC soap.
Sign up to our free weekly newsletter for exclusive competitions, offers and theatre ticket deals
I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice.
Actress Jaime Winstone has said it was an âoverwhelming feelingâ reprising the role of a young Peggy Mitchell for an upcoming EastEnders episode because the matriarch is âsuch a strong, amazing characterâ.
Winstone, who portrayed Dame Barbara Windsor in 2017 biopic Babs and later took on the actressâs role as formidable pub landlord Peggy in a 1979-based flashback episode for EastEnders in 2022, is returning to the BBC soap as part of a mental health storyline.
The episode will see Phil Mitchell, played by Steve McFadden, experience symptoms of psychosis as his depression continues to take hold, with hallucinations that take him back to the Mitchell family home in 1985, including seeing his mother Peggy in her younger years.
Jamie Winstone as the young Peggy Mitchell (Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron/BBC/PA)
PA Media
Reflecting on her return, Winstone said: âPeggy Mitchell is so iconic: Everybody refers to her still, everybody knows her, and itâs such an honour.
âWhen I knew I was going to be reprising the role, at first, you go, âwow, this is really excitingâ, then you read the context of the script and get into it.
âWe all grew up with Peggy in our front rooms so itâs an overwhelming feeling because sheâs such a strong, amazing character.â
Dame Barbara played the head of the Mitchell clan for more than two decades after she joined the long-running soap in 1994 and became one of its biggest stars.
The actress died in December 2020 aged 83 after being diagnosed with Alzheimerâs disease in 2014.
Barbara Windsor in 2014 (Ian West/PA)
PA Archive
Winstone played Peggy in a 2022 flashback episode of EastEnders that took viewers back to 1979 which saw Peggy struggling to keep things afloat as her marriage to Eric started to show cracks.
The actress said she found the flashback interesting as it revealed why Peggy was âso feisty, so proud of her boys and fiercely protectiveâ.
âSheâs a real representation of a woman who had been through domestic violence and had to protect her childrenâ, she added.
To prepare for her return, Winstone rewatched the characterâs most âiconic momentsâ but said the moment she dons Peggyâs classic voluminous blonde wig is when it all âhits homeâ.
âAs soon as I put that wig on in the make-up chair, I always feel such warmth and confidence because I feel like Barbaraâs giving me the go-aheadâ, she said.
âThe moment the wig goes on, everybody is quiet in the make-up room.
âIt happens, and then, all of a sudden, I look at myself in the mirror, and the giggle comes out, and sheâs just there, she just makes her presence known.â
Dame Barbara Windsor played Peggy Mitchell for more than two decades (Kieron McCarron/BBC/PA)
PA Media
Peggyâs return sees Phil still struggling with loneliness following his former partner Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean) forming a relationship with his long-lost cousin Teddy Mitchell (Roland Manookian), and the end of his own marriage to Kat Slater (Jessie Wallace).
The flashback to 1985 will show Phil as a teenage bystander to a pivotal moment and offers him the chance to talk to his younger self, played by Daniel Delaney.
George Russo, who played Eric Mitchell in the 2022 flashback, and Teddy Jay, who portrays Philâs brother Grant as a child, also reprise their roles.
Winstone said it was âvery excitingâ to be given new material about Peggy which could help viewers fill in more gaps about her past.
She also commended the soap for its approach to difficult subject matter by grabbing âthe bull by the hornsâ.
âThere is such a stigma around menâs mental health, particularly. I think the way the writers havenât rushed this storyline has been incredibly importantâ, she added.
âEastEnders has been so clever doing this story with such a beloved character and an amazing actor.
âSteve McFadden has just done an amazing job committing to where his journey is going, and itâs been so important and handled so carefully because it is a tough subject to talk about.â
EastEnders has said it is working closely with The Samaritans, Rethink Mental Illness, the Campaign Against Living Miserably (Calm) and Mind to ensure Philâs depression story is portrayed as accurately and as sensitively as possible.
To mark this yearâs 40th anniversary, Ross Kemp will also return to EastEnders as Philâs brother Grant after an absence of almost 10 years.
It Ends With Us director and star Justin Baldoni, who is embroiled in legal drama with Blake Lively, revealed he 'wasn't in the best place' in an old podcast episode
Read more >> : Cick here
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Wayne Rooney was sacked as Plymouth manager at the start of January
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Real Madrid manager, Carlo Ancelotti, tore into his players during the half time of their 1-1 draw with Atletico Madrid in LaLiga on Saturday, Marca
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
We welcome director Mike Lee back to the show. He talks with us about his recent film Hard Truths and what it was like to reunite with actor Marianne Jean-Baptiste on the project. He also tells us about how he reacted to reading one of the first rave reviews he received as a filmmaker.
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
The pilot of the singer's plane was tragically killed in the crash at Scottsdale Airport in Arizona on Monday.
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has been issued a stark warning by Reform UK's former spokesman as farmers put on their latest united front against the Government.Descending on Westminster for the third time, agricultural workers drove their tractors through the streets of London in protest against ...
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
"I was just trying to be witty..."
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
The actress is heading back to the Square.
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Doctor Who and Broadchurch star David Tennant is returning as the host of the 2025 EE BAFTA Film Awards, and has revealed why he accepted the prestigious job for the second time
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Brooklyn: Jalen Hurts is now a Super Bowl champion and Super Bowl MVP. Let that sink in. After years of perseverance, countless doubters and every challenge thrown his way, he has risen above them …
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Twitter (X), Inc. was an American social media company based in San Francisco, California, which operated and was named for its flagship social media network prior to its rebrand as X. In addition to Twitter, the company previously operated the Vine short video app and Periscope livestreaming service
Twitter (X) is one of the most popular social media platforms, with over 619 million monthly active users worldwide. One of the most exciting features of Twitter (X) is the ability to see what topics are trending in real-time. Twitter trends are a fascinating way to stay up to date on what people are talking about on the platform, and they can also be a valuable tool for businesses and individuals to stay relevant and informed. In this article, we will discuss Twitter (X) trends, how they work, and how you can use them to your advantage.
What are Twitter (X) Worldwide Trends?
Twitter (X) Worldwide trends are a list of topics that are currently being talked about on the platform and also world. The topics on this list change in real-time and are based on the volume of tweets using a particular hashtag or keyword. Twitter (X) Worldwide trends can be localized to a Worldwide country or region or can be global, depending on the topic's popularity.
How Do Twitter (X) Worldwide Trends Work?
Twitter (X) Worldwide trends are generated by an algorithm that analyzes the volume of tweets using a particular hashtag or keyword. When the algorithm detects a sudden increase in tweets using a specific hashtag or keyword, it considers that topic to be trending.
Once a topic is identified as trending, it is added to the list of Twitter (X) Worldwide trends. The topics on this list are ranked based on their popularity, with the most popular topics appearing at the top of the list.
Twitter (X) Worldwide trends can be filtered by location or category, allowing users to see what topics are trending in their area or in a particular industry. Additionally, users can click on a trending topic to see all of the tweets using that hashtag or keyword.