BBC honours EastEnders favourite Dot Cotton

EASTENDERS will honour the death of stalwart June Brown in a special episode, the BBC has announced.

The residents of Albert Square will gather for the funeral of her character Dot Branning, who left Walford to live in Ireland in 2020.

Brown, who died at her home in April aged 95, played the chain-smoking laundrette assistant Dot Cotton for more than 30 years.

She was the first actress to carry an episode singlehandedly in 2008.

EastEnders will run a special episode this winter in which news of her character’s passing reaches her former neighbours.

As per Dot’s wishes, her funeral will be held in Walford, with the BBC saying it will be a fitting send-off.

Executive producer Chris Clenshaw said: ‘For quite a while, no one could even think about saying goodbye to Dot; an iconic character who will go down in television history and be cherished for ever.

‘June was always adamant that she never wanted Dot’s time to end while she was still with us, but she also knew that EastEnders would rightly say their farewells to Dot when the time was right.’

He added: ‘Sadly that time has come and we are determined to give the audience, who treasured Dot for so many years, the fitting tribute that she so deeply deserves.’

Brown joined the soap in 1985 in its 40th episode. She took a break between 1993 and 1997.

In 2021 she was made an OBE as she was recognised for services to drama and charity.