EastEnders’ June Brown refused to give up three things before death as there was ‘no point’
EastEnders icon June Brown passed away in 2022 and the actress refused to give up a number of things she loved prior to her death as she thought there was no point
June Brown refused to give up three things she loved before she died.
The actress, famed for playing Walford matriarch Dot Cotton for 31 years on EastEnders, passed away in 2022 aged 95. Three years before her sad passing, the soap icon admitted she would keep indulging in her favourite things such as booze and smoking because she wanted to enjoy life before she died.
She also had no interest in saying goodbye to dark chocolate, despite being allergic. June told Radio Times magazine in 2019: “I’m going to die of something fairly soon so why not enjoy myself, (I) love red wine and also dark chocolate, even though I’m allergic to it and it makes me sneeze.
“And the Guinness helps me keep a bit of weight on. So I don’t need to be careful about what I eat or drink.”
It comes after Natalie Cassidy opened up about the “very difficult” time she went through following June’s death. The 40-year-old has been playing Sonia Fowler – Dot’s step-granddaughter – for nearly 30 years.
Of losing June, Natalie told OK!: “It was very, very difficult for me, because obviously I’ve lost a dear friend as well as a colleague. She taught me a lot and we had a lot of laughs over the years.”
She also recalled fond memories she shared with June, such as holidays together, drinking wine and learning their lines. Natalie added: “When she was 82 years old she’d be partying in a nightclub, and she was just so amazing. We had the best time.”
At the end of 2022, EastEnders paid tribute to June as they aired a special episode on Dot’s funeral. Natalie was a huge part of the episode, branding it an “honour”.
“It was an honour to lead that episode [Dot’s funeral] and be at the helm of everything. There was a lot resting on my shoulders, but I think I did her proud.”
