EastEnders actor Jake Wood has turned his hand to art, unveiling a portrait of his late friend and co-star Dame Barbara Windsor as part of a new exhibition. The 53-year-old, best known for playing Max Branning, will showcase his 'Icon Series' at Indelible Fine Art in Brighton from 7 May to 7 June.
The centrepiece of the exhibition is a striking painting of Dame Barbara, who died in 2020 at the age of 83 after a battle with dementia. Wood said he aimed to capture her 'joy and light', inspired by a photograph of her receiving her Damehood from Queen Elizabeth II in 2016. 'She had this incredible energy; I just wanted the painting to feel like her,' he told the Mirror.
Wood, who was close to Windsor during their time on the BBC soap, said she took him under his wing when he first started. He recalled her advice: 'Don't change anything about who you are or what you do or where you go.' The exhibition also features portraits of other iconic figures, including Winston Churchill, David Attenborough, and Nelson Mandela.
Ten per cent of proceeds from the exhibition will go to Dementia UK, a charity close to Wood's heart. Windsor's widower, Scott Mitchell, is expected to attend the private view on 7 May. Wood, who ran the 2019 London Marathon with Mitchell for the Dementia Revolution, said raising awareness for dementia research 'really matters'.
