Barbara Windsor asked EastEnders' Jake Wood 'why me?' after her heartbreaking Alzheimer's diagnosis

The 46-year-old actor, who plays Max Branning on the BBC soap, revealed that he was lost for words after she broke the heartbreaking news to him.

Speaking to the Daily Star, he said: "I spoke to Barbara about it quite early on and she was asking: 'Why did it happen to me?' And I didn't have an answer.

"It's such a dreadful disease with no rhyme and reason to it and it really had an impact on me."

The soap star is set to run the 2019 Virgin Money London Marathon alongside eight of his co-stars, including Adam Woodyatt, who plays Ian Beale, and Natalie Cassidy, who plays Sonia Fowler, and Barbara's husband Scott.

The group aim to raise £100,000 for Dementia Revolution.

Discussing Barbara's health, Jake said that the actress, who played Peggy Mitchell on the soap, has "deteriorated" in recent months.

He added: "Barbara is such a special friend to me. She is such a big character and so well loved by all of us and the nation.

"The last time I saw her was just before Christmas and she had deteriorated. It's devastating to see her go through this."

His comments comes after The Sun's Bizarre revealed that the star now needs constant nursing care as her Alzheimer’s is so bad.

Husband Scott Mitchell, 55, said the TV legend can no longer be left alone.

Barbara has carers six hours a day and Scott cares for Barbara every day from 4pm to 10am when the carers arrive.

She can get "very emotional" and often mistakenly believes she is in Stoke Newington, North London, where she grew up.

Scott said: "I used to feel very guilty about leaving her, so I could be stuck in the house for two or three days.

"When I did first have carers in I still felt a sense of guilt.

"But I also realised it is so important for me to have that little bit of rest from the situation — otherwise you can’t keep strong. You need to keep strong for the other person."

Scott revealed music therapy helps trigger the ex-EastEnders' star's memories.

He said: "We watch quite a lot of TV and we have a lovely, special radio for people with dementia.

"They make it very easy and you can do playlists — there’s a whole thing of Barbara’s career and her songs on that. She really loves that, she connects with it."

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