June Brown played Dot Cotton – a legend on our screens since Eastenders began in the mid 80s. Dot Cotton was a much-loved British TV icon for many years, known for her rollers, cigarettes, bible quotes and loving nature. Dot ran the laundrette in Albert Square, in which many locals sat with a cuppa, spilling their problems to her. Dot’s storylines included some rather sinister twists of death, scandal and loss, as well as some more heart-warming tales of love, friendship and hope. Her funeral was re-enacted on the show, with many of her co-stars sharing real tears. A true indication of how loved and respected she was.
June Brown – 19th February 1927 – 3rd April 2022
June Brown sadly passed away last April at the age of 95. The soap legend is best known for her role in Eastenders, but she also featured in Doctor Who and Coronation street, among other shows. June won many awards over the years, including an OBE, BAFTA AND MBE and became a national treasure just before her 60th.
Her initial role on Eastenders was meant to be short-lived, but June ended up appearing in 2,884 episodes and was the only soap character to feature solely in an episode in 2008. June’s health declined in recent years, and she suffered partial blindness due to macular degeneration. Despite this, she worked in Eastenders until two years before her death.
June’s Will
Suffolk-born June had six children, one of which sadly passed away at just a few weeks old. Her surviving five children are reported to have split her estate between them equally. At the time of June’s death, she is reported to have a fortune in the region of 3-4 million. It was June’s wish that everything was split equally.
June herself was one of five children, although her brother passed away as a baby from pneumonia and her sister shortly afterwards due to meningitis. June spoke of the grief this loss caused.
In the tribute episode of Eastenders, in which they incorporated Dot’s funeral, many faces, old and new, attended. This included June’s own children as well as characters/actors who were close to June on the show. Ian Beale, Lofty and Mary all returned to pay their respects in an episode that was watched across the nation.
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