British actress Barbara Windsor's fans were shocked on Wednesday after she announced that she was quitting BBC soap 'EastEnders' after 15 years of serving up pints and dramatic plot twists in the Queen Vic pub. Windsor, who plays landlady Peggy Mitchell in the soap, wants to spend more time with her husband Scott Mitchell.

Barbara Windsor claimed that the soap has changed her life. "EastEnders has been wonderful to me – it changed my life. I"ll be so sad to leave Peggy behind. She"s such a wonderful character to play. To have had the honour of showing the Queen around the set is something that will stay with me forever," Reuters quotes her saying

The actress made her film acting debut in The Belles of St Trinian's in 1954 and shot to prominence with the innuendo-laden 'Carry on' series in the 1960s and 70s. She was mostly known as a comedy actress. She joined the EastEnders cast in Albert Square in 1994. She is now all set to make her final exit in 2010.

However, Barbara Windsor said that she wants to spend more time with her husband Scott Mitchell, whom she married in 2000. "I'm looking forward to the future and I suppose when all's said and done, I should spend a bit more time with my old man, as he's not getting any younger," she said.