Can anyone imagine a Walford without Dot Branning? Neither can we. But last week, Dot's granddaughter Sonia got the news that EastEnders' viewers knew was coming - that the Square's stalwart Dot had passed away. Now Walford is gearing up to give Dot the biggest send off the Square has ever seen, which is very fitting for one of the most iconic characters EastEnders has ever had.
When it was revealed that legendary actress June Brown who had played Dot, had surprisingly quit the role just before the show's thirty-fifth anniversary episode aired, EastEnders' fans wondered if we'd see Dot back in Albert Square doing service washes at the launderette ever again. But when news broke in April this year that Brown had sadly passed away, we knew that we would never again see one of the most well-loved characters on British television.
Although Brown has been acting since the 1950s with roles in Coronation Street, Doctor Who, Minder and The Bill, it is her portrayal as chain-smoking, tomato-juice-drinking, Bible-verse-quoting, not-one-for-gossiping Dot Cotton (before she became Dot Branning) for which Brown will forever be remembered. Could there ever have been another actress who could have turned Dot into the legendary soap character that she became? Many people mistake Dot for being an original character when EastEnders first began in 1985, but Dot Cotton actually made her first appearance six months after the show began. But Dot Cotton, like June Brown, soon went on to become a household name.
While Dot was nowhere near as despicable as her son Nick and first husband Charlie, she did manage to rub a lot of people up the wrong way by being a gossipy, prying, rumour-spreading, meddling, judgmental busybody, often quoting chapter and verse at anyone she thought needed a lesson in morality. Pity Nick wasn't on the receiving end of that more often then! But despite this, Dot really did have a heart of gold and over the years she helped many of the Square's residents when they needed it, often giving them sound advice and a shoulder to cry on. She had strong friendships with Ethel Skinner, Pauline Fowler, and Yolande Trueman (or Your-lawnd as Dot used to call her) while becoming something of a mother or grandmother-figure to most of Albert Square. But if she didn't have something good to say and you needed telling, she wasn't afraid to say it to your face - just ask Den Watts!
Despite Dot's life often blighted by heartache, she was also something of a comic character, which brought another dimension to the role and June's comic timing was impeccable. Often this humour is highlighted in her friendship with the rather mischievous Ethel; or when she is confronted with what she believes to be a rather shocking situation (though quite humorous to others!) in which her face contorts itself into some rather amusing expressions, and is usually followed by her catchphrase "Ooh, I say!" Who can forget when Dot set up an organization called WARP (War Against Retired Prostitutes) after jumping to the conclusion that Walford newcomer Julie Cooper was running a brothel. She was setting up a hair salon! Or Dot's neighbourhood watch scheme where she caught a burglar in the act and then went on to proudly tell anyone who'd listen! Good on you, Dot!
Since 1985, Dot has been involved in a number of storylines of the comic, heart-wrenching, and poignant varieties. EastEnders is famous for it's two-hander episodes, but Dot Branning has been the only character to perform a rather moving monologue which earned June a BAFTA nomination for her iconic performance. Dot wasn't without her prejudices but she very much tried to practice what she preached giving chances to locals who no one else really wanted to know including prostitute Mary; homeless Disa O'Brien; drug-addict Donna Ludlow, and in more recent times Stuart Highway who was haunted by abuse that he'd endured as a child. It's a lovely touch that many of these past characters Colin (Michael Cashman) Barry (Gary Hailes) Disa (Jan Graveson) among others will return for Dot's funeral.
Those of us who grow up in eighties Britain during the AIDS epidemic, will remember that it was a time of fearmongering, prejudice and homophobia, as it was unfairly regarded by many as a 'gay disease.' Dot was no different in her attitude especially coupled with her strong Christian beliefs, and as a result treated gay couple Colin and Barry rather unkindly at first although she later overcame her prejudices. This storyline was used - along with Colin's return in 2016 - to highlight prejudice towards the gay community, as well as to educate people about the AIDS virus. Who said soaps can't teach and inform!
Since her first appearance on Albert Square, Dot has been involved in many memorable storylines. But it's the relationships and bonds that she had with other Square residents - both good and bad - that we will also remember. We take a look at some of the key people in the life of Dorothy Branning.
1. Nasty Nick
No one will ever understand how such a God-fearing, law abiding lady like Dot produced something as evil as her son 'Nasty' Nick Cotton? Clearly he got his genes from his equally vile dad, Charlie.
Hurricane Nick breezed in and out of Walford for thirty years. You never knew when he was going to hit but he arrived with his trademark "Ello Ma" greeting to his mother, and was guaranteed to be leaving a trail of destruction by the time he breezed out of the Square again. And Rotten Cotton really was as nasty as they came. Every time he turned up like the proverbial bad penny, you could be certain it wasn't because he was doing missionary work - although there was that one time he turned up claiming he'd 'found Jesus'.
And while Dot always tried to see the best in her son, preaching forgiveness and believing that he could be redeemed, everyone else saw Nick for exactly what he was: an evil, lying, manipulative sociopath who took advantage of his mother's good nature and Christian values, and would hurt anyone without a second thought. Theft, blackmail, attempted murder, murder, pretending to be at death's door... there's nothing Nick wouldn't try his hand at. Even his daughter, Potty Dotty, who wouldn't have looked out of place in The Shining, proved to be a chip off the old block when she tried to scam and kill Grandma Dot. Is anyone surprised that a now grown-up Dotty a.k.a Kirsty was welcomed into Grandma Dot's home just before Dot headed over to Ireland to live with her grandson Charlie? Of course not!
For such a long-running character, viewers were stunned by the decision to kill off Nick as part of a subplot for EastEnders' thirtieth anniversary in 2015. For thirty years, we'd watched Nick waltz in and out of Walford, wreaking all kinds of havoc and we just took it for granted that he'd continue to do so for another thirty years. The end for Nick came following a fatal reaction to a heroin overdose, where Dot, finally realizing that her son was the antichrist, allowed Nick to die and let the Lord deal with him. The scene in which Nick's body was found was a reenactment of the very first EastEnders' scene where Reg Cox's body was found...
…after he'd been murdered by Nick Cotton.
2. Friendship With Ethel Skinner
The friendship between Dot Cotton and Ethel Skinner was legendary and the stuff good laughs are made of. The pairing of straight-laced, easily-shocked Dot who was always quoting chapter and verse and mischievous, fun-loving Ethel with her cheeky glint and naughty cackle was comedy gold. Theirs was another friendship that went back to the early days of EastEnders, when along with Pauline's mother Lou, they were a trio of long-time friends who had remained close well into their old age. After Lou died in 1989, Ethel and Dot stayed firm friends, and their friendship created much of the shows more lighthearted moments. Who can forget the time Ethel was trying to comfort Dot after hearing that Dot's husband Charlie had died, and then very dramatically walked shocked and shaken into The Vic, and made it all about her, announcing that Charlie had been "found decreased by the M25?"
They may have been chalk and cheese and forever winding each other up but they had an incredibly strong bond, reinforced by a mutual love of gossip and reminiscing about the past. But there's no denying that both ladies had genuine hearts of gold and were always willing to help anyone in trouble. The two hander featuring Dot and Ethel revealed the underlying sadness that was in their lives and the tragedy and trauma that they had endured, showing another side to the comedic double-act.
In one of EastEnders most controversial storylines in 2000, Ethel, discovering that she was terminally ill, asked Dot to help her die - something committed Christian Dot was against. But when the time came, Dot gave her the pills, telling Ethel, "I only want you to be happy," with Ethel declaring that Dot was the best friend she ever had. And then in what had to be one of the most moving death scenes on the show, Ethel peacefully slipped away.
But even death couldn't eradicate the bond that the two women had, and Dot made sure she visited Ethel's grave before heading to the church to become Mrs. Jim Branning, placing a rose from her bouquet on her best friend's grave. Dot may have had many friends in Walford over the years but nothing compares to her friendship with Ethel.
3. Her Grandkids
Dot's first brush with 'grandmotherhood' was back in 1989 when she heard that Nick had become a father to a baby girl named Dorothy Nicola.
"My Nick has had a baby," Dot proudly announced to some of the Square's residents.
"Didn't know he was pregnant!" quipped a mischievous Cindy Beale much to Dot's annoyance!
Relishing her new role, Dot threw herself on being a grandmother, doting on baby Dorothy and becoming friends with the baby's mother, Nick's girlfriend Hazel, even helping her out financially. But it was Dot's husband Charlie who detected a rat (probably because a scammer can always spot a scam) and in doing some detective work, Charlie discovered that Dorothy Nicola was really Katy Joanna - the daughter of Hazel's sister! Poor Dot was devastated when she discovered the truth but being the good Christian lady that she was, she forgave Hazel for her cruel deception.
Dot may not have been Katy's grandmother but over the years, the children that her son Nick had had from various relationships did turn up in the Square. And while Dot may have been dubious at first, especially after having been taken in by Hazel, she did warm to all of them - even forgiving Nick's daughter Dotty (real name Kirsty) for plotting with Nick to kill Dot! Her grandson Ashley had been killed in an accident as a result of a feud between Nick and Mark Fowler for which Dot couldn't forgive Nick for. Although of course she eventually did! And finally there was Charlie, who arrived in Walford posing as a police officer to break the news of Nick's death (Nick was very much alive and kicking!)
When Dot married Jim she became a grandmother and great-grandmother to Jim's grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and she enjoyed a much more stable relationship with them than she did with Nick's kids. At least she didn't have to worry about the Branning kids deceiving or trying to murder her!
4. Husband Jim Branning
Dot's first marriage to emotionally abusive, neglectful adulterer Charlie Cotton was a total disaster and brought Dot nothing but misery. Especially as most of the time he was carrying on with Dot's half-sister Rose. But when Carol Jackson's dad, Jim Branning, arrived in Albert Square, he took a shine to Dot. Unfortunately on paper Jim didn't look like ideal husband material either. A once heavy-drinker and racist, who wasn't a good dad to his six kids, favouring some while being cruel to others. Was Dot letting herself in for heartache again?
But time seemed to have softened Jim. Even though his children sometimes struggled with Jim's past mistakes, he proved to be a much better grandfather than he was a father. And the locals took to the new likeable Jim, and as the Queen Vic's potman, he spent more time mingling with the punters and being friendly than collecting glasses. His racist views were clearly cast aside as he become firm friends with Patrick and Yolande Trueman.
While wary of Jim's advances at first, Dot eventually accepted Jim's proposal which happened during an iconic scene at the London Eye, and Dot Cotton went on to marry Jim in 2002, thus becoming Dot Branning. In Jim, Dot found a new family, some of whom she'd known even before she met Jim, like Jim's daughter Carol and her children. And after becoming a Branning, Dot got from Jim the love, support and care she never received in her first marriage. EastEnders' fans also approved of the sometimes comical, often moving partnership of Dot and Jim with the actors Jim Bardon and June Brown going on to win awards for Best On-screen Partnership (2002 British Soap Awards) and Best Couple (2005 Inside Soap Awards.) This partnership came to an end after Bardon sadly died in 2014 but this is a Walford couple who continues to live on in the hearts of the show's fans.
5. Surrogate Son Dennis Rickman
The most unlikeliest of friendships was also one of the most sweetest. When Den Watt's long-lost son, hard-as-nails Dennis Rickman arrived in Walford to find the sisters who had tracked him down at his mother's funeral, little did he know that he would also find the mother-figure he never knew he needed...
Dennis's don't-give-a-damn attitude concealed a childhood that was far from idyllic, filled with abuse, neglect and being in and out of foster care, as well as a young adulthood that came complete with shady characters, dodgy dealings and a trail of broken hearts. Like father, like son all right. For Dennis, life was all about survival and looking after number one. He didn't care who got hurt as long as it wasn't him. But being in Walford changed Dennis for the better. Sharon, the love of his life was part of the reason for that. The other part was Dot.
From the time Dennis chased after muggers who'd snatched Dot's handbag the night they first met, the two forged a strong bond, with both of them finding the mother-son relationship they were looking for. They became each other's confidantes, and when Dot discovered that she had cancer, Dennis was initially the only person who knew and he helped her through it. And Dot was there for Dennis with the turmoil and drama that ensued from the love triangle he found himself in with Sharon and Zoe. Furthermore Dot was the only one who stood by Dennis when he flew into a rage in the Queen Vic that caused some of the locals, Sharon included, to get hurt knowing that his manipulative dad Den was behind the whole incident.
As she did with her son Nick, Dot saw the best in Dennis and never judged him. The difference was that Dennis was worth the effort. Nick not so much! When Dennis was murdered on the orders of Johnny Allen on New Years' Eve 2005, Dot was left heartbroken, even going as far as to say that Dennis was the son that Nick never was to her.
Recent scenes that aired on EastEnders showed the characters reacting to Dot's passing, and tonight we saw Dot return to her home on Albert Square where her tearful granddaughters kept vigil. During these scenes, it's more than likely that viewers shed a tear or two as well. And we think it's safe to say that June's friends and colleagues on set didn't have to get into character as they wept for Dot - as the tears were for June too. Rest in peace June Brown. Thank you for years of entertainment and laughter, and for giving us the formidable character of Dot Branning who will live on in the hearts of EastEnders' fans forever.
What were your favourite Dot moments?
Photos: YouTube
Blog Graphics: Angel Noire
