Heartbreak Ender
Soap icon Peggy Mitchell’s final scene as she says goodbye to Albert Square after 22 years . . . with the ghost of Pat on her shoulder
PEGGY Mitchell waved farewell to Eastenders last night – going with her head held high
PEGGY Mitchell waved farewell to Eastenders last night after 22 years - in final scenes starring the ghost of Pat Butcher.
Viewers saw Peggy, played by Dame Barbara Windsor, swallow a whole bottle of pills, before the episode’s credits roll.
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The emotional scenes - which aired on BBC1 last night - show Peggy say goodbye to the Queen Vic pub she was the infamous landlord of.
On-screen sons Grant and Phil, played by Ross Kemp and Steve McFadden, are earlier seen trying to convince Peggy not to take her own life but her mind is made up - as she doesn’t want to let the breast cancer take over her body.
Eastenders worked closely with The Samaritans charity to make sure the final scene was done respectfully.
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In her final moments she talks to a hallucination of Pat, whose character died of pancreatic cancer in 2012.
Peggy tells Pat: “I can’t be eaten alive. I don’t wanna be that little old lady in bed that needs looking after.
“I will go as I have lived; straight back, head high, like a Queen.”
When Peggy asks Pat if she will ever leave her, she touchingly adds: “No sweetheart. Not for one single second.”
Peggy's eldest son Grant returned to the Square this week, having not been told about his mum's ailing health.
In the episode him and brother Phil nearly come to blows as Peggy reveals she wants to kill herself rather than let the cancer take over.
She tells her sons: "It's in my bones and in my brain and I'm not going to get any better.
"I hurt. I can't hold onto myself. I'm losing my thoughts — they slip through my fingers like water."
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The scenes — which EastEnders bosses worked closely with distress charity Samaritans to ensure they were done respectfully — show a frail Peggy make the short walk from her home on Albert Square to the Queen Vic.
As her eyesight goes and she begins to hallucinate she keeps repeating questions and asking if anyone can smell smoke.
She kisses goodbye to the pub, makes her way home and puts her finest clothes and make-up for her final farewell.
Pat — played by Pam St Clements — calls her a cow and tells her she doesn't look bad for a "bottle blonde" as Peggy drifts off.
Still clearly unsure about her decision, Peggy asks finally: "I'm gonna break their hearts. Will they ever forgive me?"
The final scene sees the camera cut a suicide note to son Phil and an empty bottle of pills.
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