June Brown

June Brown played chain-smoking hypochondriac Dot Cotton for 35 years and was one of Albert Square's most beloved characters.

Taking a break from the BBC show between 1993 and 1997, she officially left the cast in 2020. It keeps me alive," she said. In December 2021 Brown was made an OBE in the New Year Honours, and she was previously made an MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours in 2008, both for services to drama and charity. A very bright light has gone out at EastEnders today but we shall all be raising a sweet sherry in June's memory. I vote Conservative." The only soap actor to have single-handedly led an entire episode, she was nominated for a BAFTA for her performance in the 2008 half-an-hour special in which her character looked back on her life.

Tributes have flooded in for EastEnders star June Brown, who has died aged 95, with Stephen Fry praising her “wonderful human qualities”.

“We send all our love and deepest sympathies to June’s family and friends. June Brown (left) with Queen Elizabeth II during a visit to Elstree Studios where EastEnders is filmed June Brown (left) with Queen Elizabeth II during a visit to Elstree Studios where EastEnders is filmed

Veteran stage and screen actor best known for playing Dot Cotton in the BBC's long-running soap EastEnders.

When she appeared in Calendar Girls in the West End in 2009, aged 82, she claimed she was the only one of the replacement cast who stripped completely naked for the photo call. Sipping from a large glass of red wine, she had the audience, and her fellow couch squatters, who included Jude Law, eating out of her hand for half an hour. She married the actor Robert Arnold in 1958. Small roles on TV followed in the 1960s in both Dixon of Dock Green and Z Cars, though by now she was up to her elbows in children. “And here’s a funny thing,” she said, quoting Max Miller, “when I was in hospital, having given birth to my first child, I did my ballet exercises every day at the end of my bed. Apart from anything else, she produced six children in seven and a half years with her second husband, all of them in her fourth decade.

Brown played the character of Cotton for 35 years in the long-running TV show, appearing in the show's 40th episode in July 1985 and only leaving in 2020.

There will never be another June Brown and I'm sending all my love to her family." Just purely and simply an incredible woman who had the most incredible life and career, I was fortunate to have shared a small part of it. "So many memories, so much fun.

June Brown, the actor best known for portraying Dot Cotton in the BBC soap EastEnders, has died at 95. Brown, who played the chainsmoking Christian and ...

I shared many scenes with her over the years and she was always someone I looked up to and learnt from. She served in the Women’s Royal Naval Service during the second world war, before training as an actor at London’s Old Vic Theatre School. Early TV roles included appearances on Coronation Street, Doctor Who and Play For Today, before she joined the longrunning soap on the recommendation of Leslie Grantham, who played Den Watts. June Brown, the actor best known for portraying Dot Cotton in the BBC soap EastEnders, has died at 95.

Actress June Brown, best known for her role as chain-smoking hypochondriac Dot Cotton on British drama EastEnders, has died at the age of 95.

it was a privilege to know her." Tributes include a tweet from actor and writer Stephen Fry who has remembered Brown "as a tireless and fearless LGBT ally". From 1985 to 2020, Brown starred in 2884 episodes as Dot Cotton, a laundrette worker and mother to criminal Nick Cotton, better known to fans as "Nasty Nick".

Actress June Brown, who was widely known for her role as character Dot Cotton in the British soap opera EastEnders, died Sunday at 95.

"I had the pleasure of working with June when I was the story producer and when you have the talent such as June Brown to work with, you always knew it was going to be magic," Clenshaw continued. "When you join EastEnders, there are some characters both on and off screen that are just iconic and June Brown, OBE, MBE is at the top of that list, EastEnders Executive Producer Chris Clenshaw said in a statement to PEOPLE. "Her creation and portrayal of Dot Cotton made a huge impact in British television, she created iconic moments that not only entertained the nation but at times changed it a little for the better." "I speak for us all at EastEnders when I say that today is a very sad day as June Brown was a truly special and unforgettable woman. EastEnders Star June Brown Dead at 95: 'Loved and Adored By Everyone' British actress June Brown died "very peacefully" Sunday at her home, her family told PEOPLE in a statement Actress June Brown, who was widely known for her role as character Dot Cotton in the British soap opera EastEnders, died on Sunday. She was 95. "June created one of the most iconic characters in Dot Cotton, not just in soap but in British television, and having appeared in 2,884 episodes, June's remarkable performances created some of EastEnders finest moments," an Eastenders spokesperson told PEOPLE. "We send all our love and deepest sympathies to June's family and friends." "We are deeply saddened to announce our beloved mother, June, passed away very peacefully at her home in Surrey on Sunday evening, with her family by her side," the statement read.

The late EastEnders star June Brown was best known for her role as the legendary Dot Cotton - but it wasn't the actresses first experience on a British soap ...

She was previously made an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in 2008 for services to drama and charity. June announced the bombshell news of her exit from EastEnders in 2020 with little fanfare, revealing her decision on a podcast with a former co-star. But before her time in Albert Square, June had a stint on the cobbles. It was shared by the ITV soap as the veteran star celebrated her 90th birthday. Brown landed the role of Dot Cotton back in 1985 and her biggest storylines explored controversial issues such as euthanasia, cancer and homophobia, until her departure from Eastenders in 2020. The soap icon's family confirmed she died surrounded by her family at home in Surrey on Sunday (April 3).

Brown, who played the beloved Albert Square scandal-monger Dot Cotton, was the most technically gifted EastEnders star – and the only actor in UK soap ...

For the last eight years of Brown’s time on EastEnders, from 2012, her character’s name was doing double duty in BBC primetime. As a Christian with a concept of sin that conveniently excluded scandal-mongering, drinking and smoking, Dot was recognisably a latter-day sister of Corrie’s Sharples. Brown was recommended for the part by Leslie Grantham, already cast as “Dirty” Den Watts, who had seen Brown convincingly play working-class roles on stage and screen. Her character, unlike some in later decades of EastEnders, was an authentic East End type – a feature of criminal trials at the time was the loyal mum who, clutching her Holy Bible as her son was sent down, refused to accept his guilt. Although born in 1927, before British television existed, Brown belonged to the second generation of great British soap opera women. Brown’s contribution to the show – and status as one of its most accomplished performers – had already been internally recognised in Episode 3518, screened on 31 January 2008. The episode, for which Brown won a Bafta TV nomination (only the second soap performer to do so, after Jean Alexander, for her Hilda Ogden), established her at the heart of the show, where she remained, Brown’s workload reducing only due to deteriorating eyesight, until she retired at around the time of the soap’s 30th anniversary.

Brown discovered unexpected matrilineal Jewish lineage in 2011 while taking part in the popular TV show 'Who Do You Think You Are?'

“EastEnders” became a British institution — Queen Elizabeth II even visited the set in 2001 — and Brown was one of its longest-serving stars. “EastEnders” was intended as a southern rival to the northern England-set soap opera “Coronation Street” when the show launched in 1985 and soon became a ratings hit. One memorable plot strand saw Cotton struggle with her faith after a terminally ill friend asked for help to end her life.

The chain smoking, devout, gossiping Dot Cotton wasn't just familiar to EastEnders fans. Brown's character defined British television.

“But when I look back, I know that from that moment on, everything that I ever cared about I’ve lost.” She was, rightfully, nominated for a Bafta for Best Actress for her performance in the episode, making her the second actress nominated for work in a soap opera. “I know it is silly, remembering such a little thing,” Dot said, recalling the death of her uncle and the song he used to sing to her as a child as he tucked her in each night. An old school professional, she excelled in some of the soap’s most serious storylines. Or the time that she got into a fight with her Sat-Nav and drove the wrong way down a busy street. Who could forget the time she accidentally walked into a living room to see Jane Beale giving Ian Beale a pole dance? She had long since ascended to the wider British cultural consciousness.

June Brown, who played chain-smoking Dot Cotton on the BBC soap for more than 30 years, died at her home on Sunday aged 95.

“Often in a soap, you know the character but you never know the actress. She had classical training, she had worked her way up and she expected you to do your job. “She was a dear friend, someone I could confide in, and probably my second mother, really. “She knew everything. Turner added: “She wasn’t like Dot so much at all. It was amazing.”

Paul revealed EastEnders legend June Brown once called him and revealed she had just rescued two donkeys for him.

‘Here we are Donkeys years ago at The Kings Head in Islington watching Sally Lindsay in a play. ‘A great actress and a lovely human being. A very bright light has gone out at EastEnders today but we shall all be raising a sweet sherry in June’s memory.