SPOILER ALERT EastEnders’ Dot Branning weeps her heart out

Veteran actress June Brown shoots first ever single-hander

Wednesday, 16 January 2008

June Brown has revealed she was left in tears when she filmed an emotional EastEnders special to be aired later this month.

The veteran actress, 80 – who plays Dot Branning in the BBC soap – has recorded the show’s first ever solo episode. The whole half hour will be devoted to her.

The episode has been filmed to explain on-screen hubby Jim Branning’s departure, after actor John Bardon, 68, was left unable to act after a stroke last year.

In the tear-jerker, Dot records a video message for Jim and June says she couldn't help weeping.

‘When I watched the episode back I shed a couple of tears,’ she says. ‘I’m not a sentimental person, I hate sentimentality but I cried for John.'

June is hoping that he will be able to recover so that he can return to EastEnders.

‘The hardest thing is that he hasn’t got his speech back yet and that’s what we must pray for because, of course, that’s what an actor needs,' she explains.

'It’s just the right side of his face that’s not quite there yet. It is upsetting because he was such an active man.

‘We are very close friends and I very much miss him on set.’

The door has been left open for John so he can make a comeback when he gets well.

The episode will be shown on 31 January on BBC1.