Since she was ten years old, Natalie Cassidy of EastEnders had collaborated with the late actress June Brown.
Over the years, EastEnders has produced a number of soap icons, including “Dirty” Den Watts, “Fiery” Peggy Mitchell (played by Barbara Windsor), and the sleazy businessman Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt) (Leslie Grantham). None other than Christian busybody Dot Cotton (June Brown), who starred in the BBC series for more than 30 years, is one of those honored in the Walford hall of fame. In 2020, she moved away from Albert Square to begin a new life with her grandson Charlie Cotton in Ireland (Declan Bennett).
In April 2022, veteran actress June Brown died peacefully at her home in Surrey, surrounded by her loved ones.
EastEnders had avoided killing off her character for months but earlier this month, the time had come for the residents of Walford to pay their respects to Dot.
Sonia Fowler (Natalie Cassidy) received the devastating news and broke it to her heartbroken neighbours in the Queen Vic.
Dot’s funeral saw past and present characters come together to show their love for both the character and June in real life.
Actress Natalie Cassidy opened up to Express.co.uk and other media outlets about her own connection with her fictional step-grandmother over the years.
Even though the performers were about 60 years apart in age, they were still able to form a close relationship.
“We had such fun, we went on holidays together, she used to stay at my flat, we had a two-hander episode when I gave Bex [Fowler] away with the adoption stuff”, Cassidy said.
“We had a couple of nights at my flat where we got a curry and drank a bottle of wine and read our lines.
“I’m absolutely such a lucky, lucky woman to have had the training, if you like, from the best.”
Cassidy persisted in referring to Brown as a “humble lady” who she frequently spent time with on the EastEnders set, even as a young child.
The actress, 39, referred to herself as a “old soul,” and she and Brown, along with Barbara Windsor and Pam St. Clement, enjoyed eating lunch together in the canteen.
Added her: “But June taught me so much over the many hours I spent talking to her in her dressing room about her life.
“The main acting secret is mostly to listen to other people.
“And she used to say that every sentence she says is a song, never let it be flat, it’s like a tune and try and slow it down, pace it, up and I always keep it with me.”
Fans met a new member of Dot’s family when the funeral episode finally aired.
Reiss Colwell (Jonny Freeman), her great-nephew, was welcomed to Albert Square and got along well with Sonia right away.
Reiss stayed at the house for a few nights before leaving to return home, and the two ended up sleeping together.
But when Sonia walked back inside and discovered Dotty Cotton (Milly Zero) threatening to set the house on fire, their tender farewell was swiftly forgotten.
To the full surprise of Dot’s blood relative, Sonia, who had cared for Dotty for many years, received the house in place of Dotty.
Dotty ignited a match and sprayed the floors with vodka in her rage about the treachery before Rocky Cotton (Brian Connelly) intervened.
Dotty declared she was done with Walford as she cried her way out of the square and into the back of a taxi.
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