[Cal.]

EASTENDERS legend June Brown says she has quit after 35 years as chain-smoking hypochondriac Dot Cotton after being disappointed by her recent storylines.

The 93-year-old telly favourite said she turned down the chance of a retainer contract but admitted: “It’s almost as if I’ve been bereaved.”

Arguably the soap’s best-known remaining cast member, her character had not been since last month when she left a voicemail for Sonia Fowler, played by Natalie Cassidy, 36, saying she had moved to Ireland.

June has now said: “I don’t want a retainer for EastEnders, I’ve left. I’ve left for good.


“I’ve sent her off to Ireland where she’ll stay. I’ve left EastEnders. I did make up a limerick. It’s a bit dirty.

“I went back to do a good story. Alas and alack, when I got back it had gone up in smoke.

“I got a small part, a very small part. And that ended up as a big wet fart. Alas and alack, I will never go back.”

The veteran actress has been a regular in Albert Square since just after the BBC1 soap began in 1985, apart from a break between 1993 and 1997. She also took six months off in 2012 to pen her autobiography.

Don’t feel good about linking The Sun so I’ve removed the link but felt this was a big news story. Not giving the tabloids the clicks anymore!