Babs goes under the knife

Eastenders star Barbara Windsor has revealed that she has spent 14,000 on plastic surgery to make her look younger.

14:53 13 February 2005

Eastenders star Barbara Windsor has revealed that she has spent 14,000 on plastic surgery to make her look younger.

The 67-year-old star, who is shortly to make a comeback on the soap, told the News of the World: "I feel ten years younger!"

Windsor acknowledged she had undergone liposuction, surgery to lift her "turkey neck," and had a scar from her abdomen and a lump from her thigh removed.

But the petite actress, who plays matriarch Peggy Mitchell in the show, stressed she would never consider a facelift.

"I'd never have a facelift - as one newspaper wrongly reported to my anger - because I like the wrinkles on my face and forehead. They're my laughter lines," she said.

She added: "I'm not a saucy sex symbol any more, I'm a character actress."

Windsor is set to return to Albert Square after becoming ill with the Epstein-Barr virus, which she was diagnosed with after being involved in a taxi crash in October 2002.

The actress, who said she was looking forward to reappearing in the show, admitted her illness had caused her to feel suicidal.

"I felt so depressed I prayed to God and told him I wanted to die in my sleep. Now I feel guilty about that because after an 18-month battle and lots of prayers, I beat the virus and got my strength back," she said.