Barbara Windsor slams 'Enders baby swap storyline

Barbara Windsor has slammed EastEnders' cot death storyline as "a disgrace".

The 73-year-old TV veteran - who played loudmouth landlady Peggy Mitchell in the BBC One soap until last autumn - thinks the show should stick to comedy rather than shocking plot twists, such as the harrowing New Year's Eve (31.12.10) scenes which saw Ronnie Branning (Samantha Womack) swapping her dead child with the baby of Kat Moon (Jessie Wallace).

According to the Daily Mirror newspaper, Barbara told a fan: "EastEnders doesn't need to shock to get figures, it should stick to what it's good at - comedy and pathos.

"Someone's lost the plot and it makes me so sad. This isn't the show I know and love. It is a disgrace and I just hope they get back to doing what they do best."

However, this wasn't the only swipe the actress took at the soap.

Speaking to audiences at the Bristol Hippodrome - where she is currently playing Fairy Bowbells in 'Dick Whittington' - Barbara reportedly said: "Are you watching 'EastEnders' at the moment? Urgh. God help us."

After already having received more than 9,000 complaints from BBC viewers disturbed by the shocking plot, 'EastEnders' bosses are believed to have shortened the baby swap storyline to chop out any further harrowing scenes.