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Actress June Brown, who was widely known for her role as character Dot Cotton in the British soap operaEastEnders, died on Sunday. She was 95.
The BBC, which has been broadcastingEastEnderssince 1985, confirmed her death to PEOPLE with a statement from Brown’s family.
Brown has starred onEastEnderssince 1985, though she took a brief break from playing the character in the mid ’90s. She returned years later, and left the show permanently in February 2020.
“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 ofEastEndersfinest moments,” anEastendersspokesperson told PEOPLE. “We send all our love and deepest sympathies to June’s family and friends.”
Added Adam Woodyatt, known to viewers as Ian: “I’m lost for words, something June never was. So many memories, so much fun. 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. They never made you a Dame (we did try), but to me you will always be Dame Brown.”
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Born on February 16, 1927, Brown also starred inAin’t Misbehavin,Gormenghast,The 14,Straw Dogs,Lace,Sunday Bloody Sunday,Coronation Street,The Duchess of Duke Streetamong several other projects over her decades-long spanning career.
Prior to her death, Brown’s health had started to decline in recent years.
In 2019, Brownopened upabout suffering from age-related macular degeneration, which was causing her to slowly lose her vision. “I’ve got very poor sight. I’ve got extra lenses inside my eyes to try to help me read better,” she said. “They help with peripheral vision, but I’ve got no central vision.:
The condition became so severe that Brown struggled to recognize her longtime friends and colleagues. “I can’t go out socially,” she said at the time. “I never go to soap awards now. I don’t recognize people I know and they would think that I was snubbing them.”
“When you joinEastEnders, 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,EastEndersExecutive 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 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. “I speak for us all atEastEnderswhen I say that today is a very sad day as June Brown was a truly special and unforgettable woman. We send our deepest sympathies to June’s family.”
source: people.com
