Barbara Windsor, the nation’s best-known landlady, is to step down from her role as Peggy Mitchell after 15 years in the BBC soap, EastEnders.

Windsor, 72, regarded as a national treasure after her performances in the Carry On films, said that she was not retiring completely, but that she wanted to spend more time with her husband, Scott Mitchell, 47, because “he’s not getting any younger”.

Both the BBC and sources close to the actress said that the decision to quit was Windsor’s. Although no decision has been taken on how her exit will be dramatised, there is speculation that it will coincide with the show’s first live episode in February.

Windsor joined the soap in 1994 as the second actress to play Peggy, the landlady of Albert Square’s famous pub, the Queen Vic. Her role as a matriarch and her catchphrase — “Get outta my pub” — endeared her to millions of fans.

She said: “EastEnders has been wonderful to me and it’s no secret that it changed my life all those years ago. 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 for ever. I would like to thank the BBC for the incredible opportunity they gave me and above all, I must thank the wonderful viewers for their support. 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.”

The BBC’s controller of drama production, John Yorke, said: “To most of the British public Barbara is EastEnders and it’s almost impossible to imagine Albert Square without her.

“For 15 years she’s given her heart and soul to EastEnders — she’s been a consummate professional, a national treasure and a joy to work alongside. We will all miss her hugely, both as a character and as a friend.”

Born Barbara Ann Deeks, Windsor was appointed MBE in 1999. In her time as Peggy the character has been married twice and battled breast cancer. In real life, she has been married three times and was forced to take a two-year break from the soap after suffering from the Epstein-Barr Virus.

Diederick Santer, the executive producer of EastEnders, said: “Peggy is a truly iconic character and, along with Steve McFadden and Ross Kemp, Barbara has made the Mitchells the premier family of British soap.”

Mark Thompson, the BBC Director-General, said: “She has captivated millions, including me, week by week with stunning performances on EastEnders and I look forward to seeing what she does next on our screens.”

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