Babs

No I didn't watch it, because I cannot stand the woman.

No reflection on the quality of the production or the actors involved.

But really, this is someone who has only ever played two known parts - the dizzy blonde who was willing to take her clothes off in cheap films and many years later, a raucous bar maid in a soap opera full of rubbish actors, which will employ anyone with a London accent.

The BBC describe her as 'the nation's favourite'. Which nation? Albania?

 ,, Well said IanH..

I watched it but from what I remember from reports years ago, I think  it glossed over some of the more seedier bits of her life. Either that or the press reports at the time were greatly exaggerated.

peedee

Peedee

At least your watched it It matters not to me whether someone is generally liked but more a case of how the programme was produced. As I said previously I thought it was clever in how it was done and the the three actors playing the role from childhood to late adult did really well. 

David

I'm afraid we watched about twenty minutes, and then gave up on it. Whilst the actors may have been good, t I thought the presentation was muddled, because of the changes from childhood to a young(ish) woman, then an older woman, and even Barbara Windsor playing herself, and then back again.  Or even the characters looking 'in on themselves' as someone of a different generation.  Just too confusing for me, I'm afraid, so I lost interest and turned over.

David - I don't have to 'like' the subject matter to be interested in their lives.

I have read about 20 books about Lance Armstrong and at least 10 books about Steve Jobs. I doubt that I would have liked either of them if I'd been lucky enough to meet them. But their achievements were massive and their lives were fascinating.

Not so with this bit-part actress, I'm afraid.

Ian

You are of course entitled to your view but what we are discussing here is the programme not really Barbara Windsor as such. Personally I am fairly neutral on her as a person but I thought the way it was tackled as an entertainment was interesting with some good performances. Others clearly have alternative opinions.

David

There are dramatisations of aspects of the lives of 'real' people which are fascinating, whether or not one admired the person featured. Not particularly liking Cilla Black, none the less we did enjoy the TV series where Sheridan Smith portrayed Cilla, brilliantly.

Having seen the National Theatre play "Cleo , Camping, Emmanuelle and Dick" with Samantha Spiro as Barbara Windsor, we were interested to see how this TV play would pan out.  The "how it's done"  can have more interest than the "who is featured". But we were disappointed as the story line was, to us, confused and lacked clarity. This was not good drama.

We did watch the programme but found it disappointing.For me Barbara Windsor has never been anything special but thats just my opinion.

v9