Dame Barbara Windsor told Jaime Winstone to play her in her biopic 15 years ago

3 May 2017

Dame Barbara Windsor told Jaime Winstone she should play her in her biopic 15 years ago.

Jaime Winstone

The 31-year-old actress is set to play the leading role in the upcoming BBC One drama 'Babs' based on the life of the 79-year-old actress, but the star has revealed the former 'EastEnders' legend told her she should "play me one day" when she was a teenager after hearing her let out a "big giggle" at the BAFTAs.

The brunette beauty - who is the daughter of hard man Ray Winstone - told The Sun Online: "She sat behind me and I did this big giggle and she turned and said 'Oh you should play me one day' - and my dad and I had this moment of 'Wow that would be amazing.'

"Fifteen years later and it has happened."

The London-born star has hinted her first meeting with Barbara was a sign for the future, and she believes her latest venture was always "meant to be".

She continued: "I do tell that story quite a bit but it did happen and you've got to stay true to the history of it and you know what? This is my role and without being arrogant something felt right, some things are meant to be."

Barbara believes Jaime has done a "fantastic job" portraying her, and thinks she acts more like the 'Carry On' star than she does.

She said: "Life has a funny way of coming full circle. Jaime has done a fantastic job with the role and at times she is more me than I am."

And Jaime, who will play the younger version of Barbara, is "super excited" to be cast as the television icon when she first entered the world of showbiz at the age of just 13.

She said: "I hope my performance shows that but I was just super excited to be playing such a British icon."

'Babs' is set to depict Barbara's life story from 1943 to 1993 and will be told retrospectively through the star's perspective.

While Jaime portrays Barbara's early years, Samantha Spiro will later take over and represent the legendary actress in her older years right up to her time in the longstanding BBC soap in the 90-minute drama, which is set to hit screens this weekend.