Martine: 'Windsor deserves time out'

Former EastEnders star Martine McCutcheon has spoken out in support of Barbara Windsor's decision to quit the BBC soap.

The 33-year-old, who played Windsor's screen daughter-in-law Tiffany Mitchell in the '90s, claimed that the actress is making the right choice and deserves more time to herself.

Windsor announced last week that she is to leave her role as Mitchell matriarch Peggy next year. She explained that she made the decision because she wants to spend more time with her husband Scott.

Speaking to PA, McCutcheon commented: "[Barbara's] worked so hard. She was and still is a great disciplinarian. She's such a professional, she's always on time. She'll never not do her lines."

She added: "She's tiny but she really is Little Miss Dynamite and she deserves some time out with her hubby. I just say, 'Go for it girl! Enjoy'."

Steve McFadden, better known as hardman Phil Mitchell, expressed similar sentiments last week, arguing that Windsor should not be expected to "keep working so hard she ends up collapsing".