EastEnders viewers will bid farewell to Dot Cotton in upcoming scenes.
Actess June Brown died at the age of 95 in April this year.
Her death was announced by her family, who it is reported that the soap icon spent the final months of her life with, following her departure from EastEnders as Albert Square resident Dot in 2020.
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June was one of the soap’s longest reigning cast members, after starting out her career at the Old Vic Theatre School in the late forties, where she met her first husband.
Her acting career would also bring her into contact with her second husband, later in life.
However before she became an EastEnders icon, June’s life started with tragic losses in her childhood, including the deaths of two of her siblings.
Heartbreaking loss
(Image: ANL/REX/Shutterstock)
Dot Cotton star June Brown was born on February 16, 1927 in Suffolk to her parents Louisa and Henry Brown.
She was one of five children and lived with her family in the village of Needham Market, but sadly in her early years, June suffered two heartbreaking losses.
In 1932 when the actress was five years old, her younger brother Peter was born, but sadly died 15 days later after been diagnosed with pneumonia.
(Image: PA)
Two years later, June also suffered another loss when her elder sister Marise died in 1934 at the age of eight from a disease similar to meningitis.
Speaking about her loss to Daily Mail, June reflected on how she had never found anyone similar to the role model she had in her elder sister, saying: “I’ve never felt such loneliness. Her death was the defining moment of my life.
“Micie was the only person to know the real me. The result was that I’ve spent my life looking for a companion who could show me the same sort of love. And I’ve never found anyone to match her.”
Sad death of first husband
(Image: BBC)
During her life, June was married twice – marrying her first husband and fellow actor John Garley in 1950 when the actress was 23 years old.
The couple fell in love when they were both training at the Old Vic Theatre School, with June describing him to Daily Mail as “a lovely person and the wittiest man I’ve ever known.”
She also added that he was an excellent actor with ‘an incredible personality’, and the couple were later married for over seven years.
However it was reported that John battled with depression and he later died at the age of 31 after he took his own life at their home.
(Image: Getty Images)
Speaking about his death during an interview, June told to The Sun: “I walked into the bedroom and there was Johnny, lying on the bed.
“Suicide was still a criminal offence in the late-Fifties. I’d got him breathing again but it was obvious he’d suffered severe brain damage.”
John later died in hospital three days later on May 8, 1957, when June was just 30 years old.
Although June had experienced the loss of two siblings and her first husband in by the time she was in her twenties, the actress told Daily Mail that she did not let the tragedies define her life, saying: “I can’t say my life has been dominated by tragedy. I refuse to accept that. I’ve had less than some, more than others.
“I’ve known great happiness, and, throughout it all, I’ve had my career.”
Marriage and children
(Image: REX/Shutterstock)
Following the death of John Garley, June Brown married the actor Robert Arnold, who was famous for starring in TV series including Dixon of Dock Green, Dial M For Murder and Blakes 7.
June and Robert had previously met at the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford Upon Avon, where they appeared in several productions together.
They later married in 1958, and had six children together called Sophie, Bill, Naomi, Louise and Chloe.
(Image: Reveille)
However they sadly suffered another heartbreaking loss when their daughter Chloe died after she was born prematurely at just 28 weeks, with June telling Daily Mail: “On the surface, I was fine. But, inside, my heart was breaking.
“Even today, I can’t make a noise when I’m crying. That’s because I’d lie in bed at night after Chloe died, Bob asleep, the tears running silently down my cheeks.”
June and Robert were married for over 45 years and speaking about her family life, June admitted on Piers Morgan’s life stories: “I wasn’t a natural mother. I love my children but it was a lot of work.”
However after 45 years of marriage, Robert sadly died at the age of 72 years old on February 3, 2003 after being diagnosed with Lewy-Body dementia.
Final months with family
(Image: REX/Shutterstock)
June’s family announced that the iconic EastEnders actress had died at the age of 95 on Sunday April 3, 2022.
A source told The Sun that after leaving EastEnders in 2021, June was spending quality time with her family after making her shock departure from the BBC soap, and had been with them in the final months of her life.
Following her death, June’s family said: “We are deeply saddened to announce our beloved mother, June, passed away very peacefully at her home in Surrey on Sunday evening, with her family by her side.
“We would kindly ask that our privacy is respected at this very difficult time.”
EastEnders airs on BBC One Monday to Thursday at 7.30pm
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
