EastEnders star June Brown dies aged 95

EastEnders veteran June Brown has died aged 95.

The veteran actress, who is best known for playing Dot Cotton/Branning on the long-running soap, passed at her home on Sunday. Her family told the BBC they were "deeply saddened" to announce that their "beloved mother" had passed away "very peacefully".

Brown originally played chain-smoking Walford resident Dot, one of the BBC soap's longest-running characters, between 1985 and 1993 before reprising the role between 1997 and 2020.

"There are not enough words to describe how much June was loved and adored by everyone at EastEnders, her loving warmth, wit and great humour will never be forgotten," an EastEnders spokesperson said. "June created one of the most iconic characters in Dot Cotton, not just in soap but in British television, and having appeared in 2884 episodes, June's remarkable performances created some of EastEnders finest moments."

During her early career, Brown also appeared in episodes of Coronation Street, Doctor Who, Now and Then, and Play For Today. In 2009, she starred in the West End stage adaptation of the movie Calendar Girls.

Brown was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2008 Birthday Honours and an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2022 New Year Honours, both for services to drama and charity.

She is survived by her six children from her marriage to Robert Arnold, who died in 2003.