EastEnders: fans fear Dot Branning’s DEATH as she exits soap

Is this the end of an era for a soap legend?

Dot Branning

by William Marriott |
Updated on

EastEnders fans have taken to Twitter worried the soap's longest running character, Dot Branning, is going to die.

They believe the iconic soap character, played by June Brown, will bow out of the soap after Dot left a very cryptic letter for Sonia Fowler, following the news Martin Fowler had stolen all of her savings.

EastEnders
EastEnders ©BBC

Sadly however, Dot's money was in fact stolen by Sonia herself so she could pay off her blackmailer but Sonia didn't own up to her actions.

In scenes aired last night, Dot was seen throwing the ex wife and husband duo out of her house, packing her belongings and leaving for Ireland to visit grandson Charlie Cotton and his new baby.

EastEnders spoilers: Leo King is pushed off a balcony – but who’s responsible?

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EastEnders spoilers: Leo King is pushed off a balcony - slider

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Leo King is pushed off a balcony

The week begins with Leo causing trouble on the market. After he spots Kat Moon and hurls abuse at her, she responds by exploding at him and ripping his stall to pieces.

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Leo King is pushed off a balcony

Kat, Kush Kazemi and Martin Fowler all calm down in The Vic but just as they're reassuring Whitney about the events that have occurred – Leo arrives.

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Leo King is pushed off a balcony

Leo is then stunned when the police arrive and take him away and Kat suggests they all celebrate the good news at the Prince Albert.

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Leo King is pushed off a balcony

Just as Whitney begins to relax on her night out, Leo arrives and things quickly get out of hand. Leo grabs Whitney but when Kush spots their scuffle he accidentally shoves Leo off the balcony…

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Leo King is pushed off a balcony

Everyone reels at the events that's occurred, but Martin and Kat are quick to cover a stunned Whitney and Kush. Whit races to Leo and soon after the paramedics arrive.

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Leo King is pushed off a balcony

Kush is left wracked with guilt but Kat is adamant that he keeps the truth from coming to light. Whitney is left horrified after learning an alarming truth – but what is it?

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Elsewhere on the Square, Sharon Mitchell couldn't be less than interested as Ian Beale revels in his Councillor win. After Shirley Carter interrupts them, Sharon is left distraught.

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Kathy pops in to check on Bobby but as tensions escalate between her and Sharon, Bobby is forced to intervene. It dawns on Kathy that her grandson is struggling at home so she decides to move back in – leaving Bobby elated. When Kathy is preoccupied, Sharon takes her house key and sneaks into the Mitchells…

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It's not long before Kathy catches her red handed and urges Sharon to learn from her own mistakes. Following a conversation with Bobby, Kathy decides to take matters into her own hands.

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Linda Carter's week doesn't get off to a great start when she overhears Mo Slater and Jean Slater gossiping about her.When it dawns on her that Mick hasn't stood up for her, she heads to the Prince Albert. Things spiral out of control and after hitting her head, Tina Carter refuses to serve Linda and warns Mick.

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Linda reassures her hubby that she doesn't need to go to rehab and even tells Mick she'll start rationing her drinks but temptation proves too much for her…

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The following day, Linda suggests a day out with Ollie and Mick to take her mind off having no alcohol but her good mood is short lived.At the end of the week, Mick worries when his wife is nowhere to be found – he's unaware that she's taken Ollie out of school for the day.

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Mick and Tina are left panicking but when Linda returns home and remains adamant that she's done nothing wrong, Mick is furious.

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Suki Panesar arrives in Walford and immediately makes an impression on Jean when she orders her sons about. It then becomes clear that Suki's main priority is to find Ash.

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However when Kheerat spots his mum approaching Ash's house, he quickly rushes over… Later, Ash and Suki come face to face but their reunion ends in disaster when Suki collapses.

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Suki then pleads with her daughter and tries to call a truce – leaving Ash conflicted.

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Kheerat is determined to find office space but when Suki persuades him to take an office nearby it quickly becomes clear that she's planning something.

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Ash and Suki begin to build bridges but Ash's suspicions rise when her mum's story doesn't add up. As Suki settles into Walford it soon becomes clear that she has an ulterior motive for her arrival and will go to any lengths to reunite her family.

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Tiffany Butcher panics when she receives a phone call from Walford Council who are looking for Ted Murray. She decides to lie and pretend she's Ted's wife.

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Keegan is left humiliated when his contract at Gray Atkins' office is terminated. When he arrives home, Tiff asks him and Patrick to help with her plan to fool the council.

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After Gray checks on Keegan, he confides in his wife about what's happened. Later on when he's alone, Keegan confides in Patrick.

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Iqra Ahmed tries to reason with Keegan but Vinny Ahmed's attitude ends up winding him up… At the end of the week, Keegan has a new lease of life and throws himself into work.

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Sheree Trueman is not impressed when Patrick suggests Isaac move in with them.

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Elsewhere Dotty Cotton impresses Shirley so much at The Arches that she bags herself a job.

EastEnders
EastEnders ©BBC

While there has been no announcement that June is leaving the soap, fans took to Twitter saying there was something strange about her final lines, which suggested to them she was never going to return.

One viewer took to Twitter to write, "Dot will probably die when she’s in Ireland visiting Charlie. Her goodbye sounded so final", while another commented, "I get nervous whenever Dot goes on one of her sabbaticals."

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A third said, "I think Dot's departure tonight was very final. [I] hope this isn't the end of her, she deserves so much more than that exit", and a fourth added, "HAS DOT LEFT EASTENDERS PERMANENTLY?!"

Dot Branning first appeared on our screens in 1985 and has never left.

She's been embroiled in various high profile storylines, most famously the arching narrative of being Nick Cotton's mother, and fans love her for her quick wit, one-liners and nostalgia.

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