AN iconic face in Walford, June Brown was known for her portrayal of chain-smoking Dot Cotton.
Little did EastEnders fans know she appeared in a rival soap before her big break.
Making her first appearance in Albert Square in 1985, Dot Cotton became one of its longest-standing resident over the decades, until her departure from Walford in 2020.
While her character has packed her things to go to Ireland with her grandson Charlie, actress June Brown has sadly passed away at the age of 95, as it was announced today.
The news is a devastating blow to EastEnders, who were perhaps hoping she would change her mind about not returning to the long-running drama.
However, viewers of another TV staple are saddened by the news of June’s death.
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In 2017, Coronation Street bosses celebrated June’s 90th birthday by unearthing her appearance in the cobbles – a video which was also shared by Sally Dynevor aka Sally Metcalfe, paired with happy returns from the entire cast.
June appeared in the cobbles in 1971, as Sally captioned.
She said: “Hi June, I just want to wish you a very happy 90th birthday, we’ve got a big surprise for you because you were in Coronation Street in 1971 and we just want you to take a look at this…”
The film then shows archive footage of June in a scene with legendary Coronation Street resident Ena Sharples, portrayed by Violet Carson.
The women are seen sharing a cup of tea while discussing June’s character Mrs Parsons’ son and his education.
In the clip, June is wearing a smart dress and her hair is pulled back off her face with a hair band, while Violet sports Ena’s infamous hairnet.
Her stint in Weatherfield was short and led to her starring in movies and even more TV shows.
In 1985, June landed the role of gossiping matriarch Dot in EastEnders and gave viewers a series of strong and emotional moments for over 30 years.
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As mentioned above, June left the programme in 2020 (after a break in the 90’s), when her character was convinced by Sonia Fowler to see her grandson Charlie in Ireland.
She eventually made the decision to never return.
