Breaking News
‘EastEnders’ Beloved June Brown Passes Away at 95
Actress June Brown, who for over three decades played Dot Cotton on the long-running UK soap, EastEnders has died.
Brown, passed away yesterday on April 3rd at the age of 95. No cause of death has been reported.
Back in 2020, Brown decided to quit EastEnders after no longer getting as much story. June first joined EastEnders in July 1985, as the mother of criminal, Nick Cotton. She left at one point for four years between 1993-1997 and took six months leave in 2012, but throughout the soaps run remained popular.
The BBC twitter Account posted on Sunday, “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.”
In a statement, a rep for EastEnders shared: “We are deeply saddened to announce that our beloved June Brown, OBE, MBE sadly passed away last night. There are not enough words to describe how much June was loved and adored by everyone at EastEnders, her loving warmth, wit and great humour will never be forgotten. 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 of EastEnders’ finest moments.”
June also racked up some awards for her performance of Dot through the years: She was a two-time British Soap Awards winner, recipient of their Lifetime Achievement Award and earned a BAFTA Award nomination for her work.
So, did you watch June on EastEnders? Saddened by her passing? Comment below.
1/3 From Emma Barton: “Working with June was like being part of an acting masterclass of dreams. The way she coloured every line, choreographed her movement to perfection, she knew exactly how she was going to deliver her scenes… pic.twitter.com/Vy1mYGZx4g
— BBC EastEnders (@bbceastenders) April 4, 2022
During last week’s Oscar telecast, I clocked the vocabulary-challenged Laverne Cox and her colleagues use the word “iconic” over 40 times, often describing people under 30. Well, folks, here’s the passing of an icon who earned the title. June Brown was a staple in British acting, always good for a laugh or a cutting remark. She’ll be missed.
Brilliant character and fantastic actress. Dot, Ethel and Lou Beale, powerhouses of EastEnders and Albert Square R.I.P.
What about Walford’s “Powerful P Troika” of Pauline, Peggy and Pat? Eastenders has never been the same since they lost the late Wendy Richard and Barbara Windsor, not to mention, the still much alive and kicking Pam St. Clement! I loved it when those three deeply-determined dames mixed it up, which was pretty much constantly! As for Miss Brown, I’ll never forget her skillfully oddball portrayal of that scary-looking, bible-spouting, chain-smoking Dot Cotton. Such a dichotomy….on one hand an extremely pious, disciplined Christian whose hair rollers always seemed to be wound far too tightly and on the other hand, a total nicotine fiend completely reliant upon her copious consumption of daily smokes. A true exercise in contradictions….At first, Dot was an extremely brittle, unlikable character, but with time, June Brown made her not only viewer-friendly, but actually beloved, by infusing her with a simultaneous sense of dark humor and vulnerability. She will be missed!
Excellent analysis, Shay. Yes, the days of Peggy, Pat and Pauline mixing it up in various combinations were glorious. And June Brown had that skill that’s hard to come by in making Dot beloved without changing the fundamentals of her personality — just giving the character more depth than the script’s words conveyed.
Thank you, hollyoaksboi! Yes, June Brown had that most special ability to make Dot even at her worst and sometimes hateful self to be not disliked but rather pitied…until later when she became a much more lovable and sympathetic figure for the viewer. (How could she not be when she so suffered over such a reprehensible reprobate son like Nick Cotton? He was the worst of the worst!) I’ve always wondered if Dot was originally envisaged by her creators as smoking like a chimney or if Miss Brown’s own self-proclaimed love of the ciggies brought that particular aspect to her purely peculiar character??? As far as those “glorious” days of the “Walford Three,” I have to admit I was pretty partial to the punch-packing Pat and Peggy when they fought over the affections of that cad, Frank Butcher!!!! It was such a sight to see the diminutive Babs Windsor holding her own against the more physically formidable Pam St. Clement….they certainly gave Krystle and Alexis a run for their money in the catfighting department! Later, it was that shared history which made Peggy’s swan song all the more poignant when she decided to end her own life after receiving her dementia diagnosis and who was there to comfort and guide her to the afterlife but her longtime frenemy, Pat??? Such a touching ending to Miss Windsor’s larger-than-life character whose eternal catchphrase,“Get outta my pub!” still resonates to this day! (And how ironic that we actually lost that British acting legend to the same malady which afflicted her famous Eastenders’ persona….) Alas, that sad scenario was the last I actually watched in its entirety…I still read in the UK press of the goings-on in Walford, but as with so many of the soaps here “across the pond,” I am content to keep my nostalgic memories of the superb storylines and classic characters of the past and ignore the less superior state of the present.
It can’t be overestimated how much of a British institution this actress and her character were. If you said to anyone in the UK…”She’s just like Dot Cotton,” they knew exactly what you meant. And getting a BAFTA nomination would nearly be like getting an Oscar nomination … for working in a soap. She was an amazing character actress and will be much missed.
Most people won’t remember, but June Brown gave a deliciously self-centered turn as Viloet Leyton, Louisa Trotter’s (Gemma Jones) aspirational mother in the two season British series The Duchess of Duke Street (on PBS in the States 1977-1978). That series is available to stream on BritBox.
Thanks for the tip, Kit. I have never seen that and will have to look it up. Raise a glass to June Brown while watching!
It’s available on Amazon Prime.
Breaking News
REPORT: Nicholas Chavez Not Returning to General Hospital
For those who were holding out hope that Daytime Emmy winner and fan favorite, Nicholas Chavez would be returning to General Hospital after filming his leading role in Ryan Murphy’s Monsters anthology, it looks like those hopes have been dashed.
According to a report from TV Line, although unconfirmed from General Hospital or a representative for Chavez, the actor will not reprise his role as Spencer Cassadine on the long-running ABC soap opera and continue the love story of Sprina opposite Tabyana Ali (Trina, GH).
Chavez was cast as Lyle Menendez over the the summer of 2023 for the second season of Murphy’s limited Monsters series on Netflix. In the upcoming season, the series will focus on the the case of Lyle and Erik Menendez, the two well-to-do Beverly Hills brothers accused of murdering their parents in 1989.
Photo: ABC
After word from Chavez casting was revealed, GH fans were concerned over the fate of the Sprina story, a spokesperson for GH shared, “We support Nicholas’ endeavors and look forward to having him return to General Hospital once this project is wrapped.”
In story, the series “killed off” Spencer when he went overboard with Esme to the steely waters below after being injected with a drug, thanks to Esme and falling into the Seine River in France. However, his body was never recovered, and believed to have drowned or washed away. Thus, leaving an opening for Spencer to return in the form of Chavez or be recast down the line.
Photo: ABC
TV Line shared that ‘multiple sources’ are confirming that Chavez is not returning to the ABC soap opera, which is what many had suspected might be the case once he left for this major starring role in a Ryan Murphy project. Chavez has been relatively quiet on social media for months.
Photo: ABC
The Michael Fairman Channel spoke with Nicholas Chavez for a virtual interview when he first joined the show in 2021, and spoke to him right after when he won the Daytime Emmy in 2022 – you can see those below.
No word yet on when Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menéndez Story will debut on Netflix, but it is assumed later this year.
So, what do you think about the news of Nicholas Chavez not returning to his role as Spencer Cassadine on General Hospital? Comment below.
Breaking News
‘Neighbours’ EP Jason Herbison on Series Daytime Emmy Nomination: “It’s a Huge Honour to be Nominated Alongside Such Iconic US Daytime Dramas”
When the 51st annual Daytime Emmy nominations were revealed last Friday, the iconic Australian soap opera, Neighbours, made the grade as one of the nominees for this year’s Outstanding Daytime Drama Series going up against U.S. titans such as General Hospital, The Young and the Restless et al.
That is because the revival of Neighbours, which is now seen in the United States streaming on Amazon Freevee, is now eligible under the rules from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS).
Not only did Neighbours receive its first Daytime Emmy nomination for Drama Series, but also for one of its legendary stars, Guy Pearce, who returned for a stint in the revival as Mike Young. Pearce is nominated for Outstanding Guest Performance in a Daytime Drama Series.
Photo: Freemantle
Throughout its run, Neighbours has received several nominations and wins in Australian and the UK, with this being its first nomination in the U.S.
Neighbours Executive Producer Jason Herbison shared on this momentous moment for the series: ‘Neighbours has been on an incredible journey these past few years and a Daytime Emmy Award nomination is the icing on the cake! It’s a huge honour to be nominated alongside such iconic US daytime dramas. This news is an exciting moment for our hard working cast and crew and a wonderful recognition of the new chapter of the show on Amazon Freevee.”
Photo: Freemantle
For those who need a bit of a refresher on the revival of Neighbours. The series streams exclusively on Amazon Freevee in the UK and U.S. and on Prime Video in Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa. New episodes air daily Monday-Thursday on Amazon. The new series launched on 18 September, 2023, and picks up two years after the finale left off. In Australia, Network 10 retains first-run rights in Australia for the new chapter of the series.
Photo: Freemantle/AmazonFreevee
The series is known as the longest running local drama of all time in Australia and has launched the careers of so many celebrities including: Margot Robbie, Kylie Minogue, Jason Donovan, the aforementioned Guy Pearce, and Liam and Chris Hemsworth, to name but a few.
Long running series star Alan Fletcher and Jackie Woodbridge shared their many thanks on Neighbours Daytime Emmy nominations in a video message below.
So, what do you think of ‘Neighbours’ being nominated for Outstanding Daytime Drama Series at the 51st annual Daytime Emmy Awards? Could they be the spoiler in the category? Weigh-in below.
Alan Fletcher and Jackie Woodburne would like to share a special message regarding our incredible #Neighbours Daytime Emmy Award nominations 💛 @DaytimeEmmys pic.twitter.com/wWWo5PxmfD
— Neighbours (@neighbours) April 23, 2024
Breaking News
Kim Kardashian, Emma Roberts and Marlene King Land ‘Calabasas’, a Soap in the Vein of the ‘O.C’ and ‘Beverly Hills 90210’, at Netflix
There has been lot of soapy projects coming to life and in the works of late, and now comes word that Kim Kardashian is executive producing a new series in development for Netflix called Calabasas.
After a bidding war last week, it looks like Netflix cemented the development deal from Kim, and her producing partners American Horror Story co-star Emma Roberts (pictured below) and Pretty Little Liars creators Marlene King and Alexandra Milchan.
The concept of Calabasas is based on the book If You Lived Here You’d Be Famous By Now by Via Bleidner. King set to write the adaptation and will serve as the series showrunner.
Photo: JPI
According to Deadline, Calabasas is said to be in the vein of primetime young teen and young adult soaps the O.C. and Beverly Hills 90210. The story follows “Via, a 16-year-old sheltered Midwestern Catholic school girl whose world is turned upside down when her family moves and she’s forced to transfer to the fast world of Calabasas High where nothing is as it appears and where everyone is trying to be someone else. It’s a place where dreams come true … but not without complications and sometimes unforeseen consequences.”
Photo: Hulu
As fans of the Kardashians know, Kim and her family made the town of Calabasas a household and worldwide name. Kim being attached to this project helped make its sale. This marks her fourth project to sell since the writers and actors strikes concluded at the end of last summer.
So, would you be interested to see a teen soap called ‘Calabasas’ on Netflix from Kim and company? Comment below.
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