London: N.p., 1970. i) 2pp. ALS on Windsor's scalloped personal stationery; ii) Post Office telegram. Faint horizontal folds to the letter consistent with a journey by envelope (not present), otherwise very well preserved. Top corners of telegram missing, not affecting text. 2pp. ALS AND A POST OFFICE TELEGRAM FROM BARBARA WINDSOR, APOLOGISING TO BOTH EDDIE JOFFE AND BOB MONKHOUSE FOR HER NON-APPEARANCE ON AN EPISODE OF THE GOLDEN SHOT DUE TO ILL HEALTH. The Golden Shot was a British game show made by ATV for ITV, which ran between 1967 and 1975 and was hosted by Bob Monkhouse for the first five years. In 1970 Eddie Joffe was in the director's chair and Barbara Windsor was booked for the 22 February 1970 episode of the show, to appear alongside the pop group Herman's Hermits. But ill health intervened. In her letter to Joffe, (written on her Hendon Hall Court stationery) she apologises for her absence: 'I've already written & told Bob [Monkhouse] how sad I've been over letting you down last Sunday, but the day before the producers of my new show [the stage show Sing a Rude Song, in which she played the music hall star Marie Lloyd] just whisked me into a car straight to hospital & that's where I've been ever since filled up with sedatives....[C]ontrary to what papers say, I wasn't suffering from laryngitis but bronchitis....It must have been hectic for you Sunday but everybody tells me it was super & Bettine [Le Beau: actor, Bond girl and Windsor's replacement] did very well.' Accompanying the letter is the telegram Windsor sent on the day of recording to Joffe and Monkhouse: 'So sorry not to be with you today and I hope I haven't caused you too many headaches. Apologies and love to all Barbara Windsor'.
