EastEnders fans are shocked as they notice Dot Cotton’s secret Christmas trend which occurred for over 32 years.
Dot was played by the late June Brown, who was the nation’s sweetheart in the iconic BBC soap for nearly 40 years.
June passed away aged 95 of natural causes in April 2022 and her character was honoured with her own send off as the cast of Albert Square gathered for Dot’s funeral that year.
Now taking a look back at her iconic episodes, fans noticed Dot wore the same outfit every single Christmas Day episode since 1988.
Between 1988 and her final festive appearance in 2020, Dot made sure to wrap up in the very same red dress to celebrate the holiday period with her friends and family.
EastEnders fans are shocked as they notice Dot Cotton’s secret Christmas trend which occurred for over 32 years; pictured 2009
Dot was played by the late June Brown, who was the nation’s sweetheart in the iconic BBC soap for nearly 40 years, and seemed to wear the same outfit every single Christmas Day episode since 1988
Her iconic look was a red patterned-dress which featured a collar and she often chose to wear it underneath a scarf, coat or jacket of some sort.
More often than not, Dot chose to wear a light-yellow cardigan atop the outfit with it regularly accompanying her on her festive outings.
Whilst some soap characters often have their signature looks and from time to time re-wear the same clothes, it is very rare for one character to hold onto a piece of clothing for over thirty years.
Over the years, Dot played a main part to Christmas storylines and was never far away from the Queen Vic or back at home prepping dinner for the Cotton-cum-Branning clan.
Her most famous Christmas storyline however took place on Christmas Eve as opposed to Christmas Day.
In 2002, Dot’s soon-to-be husband Jim Branning proposed to her aboard the London Eye on Christmas Eve.
In 2008, Dot also donned the dress as she met her granddaughter Dotty for the very first time.
Her son Nick brought his little girl along for the Christmas holidays in 2008 as he made a grand return to the soap after seven years away.
Between 1988 and her final festive appearance in 2020, Dot made sure to wrap up in the very same red dress to celebrate the holiday period with her friends and family; pictured 2008
Her iconic look was a red patterned-dress which featured a collar and she often chose to wear it underneath a scarf, coat or jacket of some sort; pictured 2016
More often than not, Dot chose to wear a light-yellow cardigan atop the outfit with it regularly accompanying her on her festive outings; pictured 1992
In 2022, June’s character was honoured with her own send-off as the cast of Albert Square gathered for the character’s funeral in an episode that aired eight months after her death.
The on-screen funeral was also attended by three of June’s real-life children, Sophie, Nim and Billy, who asked to be in the emotional scenes.
The heartbreaking yet heartwarming episode saw the late Mrs Branning buried next to her dearest friend Ethel Skinner (Gretchen Franklin), who died in 2000 following her terminal cancer diagnosis.
Sonia also opted to listen back to a tape that Dot recorded for her late husband Jim not long after he suffered from a stroke in 2007. He later died in 2015 following a fatal heart attack.
But it wouldn’t be a special episode for the beloved Dot Cotton if veteran characters weren’t brought back into the picture.
Returning to Walford was EastEnders heavyweight Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt) – who paid his respects to the late great Dot from afar.
Also joining to say their goodbyes was Colin Russell (Michael Cashman) and Lauren Branning (Jacqueline Jossa), who watched on as the horses lead her coffin past No. 27, past The Queen Vic and past Albert Square.
For decades June was one of the most famous faces on British TV, playing the devout Christian famed on Albert Square for her chain smoking, gossiping and mothering of those in need while working in the launderette.