Dot Cotton
| Dot Cotton | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| File:Dot cotton branning.jpg | |||||||
| Duration | 1985–1993, 1997— | ||||||
| First appearance | 4 July 1985 | ||||||
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Dorothy "Dot" Branning (née Colwell; previously Cotton) is a fictional character in the popular BBC soap opera, EastEnders. She is played by June Brown, but was played by Tallula Pitt-Brown in flashbacks in a special episode entitled EastEnders: Dot's Story.
Dot first appeared in EastEnders in July 1985 and has worked as a laundrette assistant for most of that time along with her best friend Pauline Fowler. She took a four year absence from the show in 1993 when she moved away with her son Nick Cotton and his family and returned in 1997. She is known for her devout Christian faith, addiction to cigarettes, and motherly attitude to those in need. Since Pauline Fowler's death in December 2006, Dot remains as the main assistant of the launderette. Honey Mitchell and Yolande Trueman work here to cover Pauline.
Dot is married to Jim Branning, and she was previously wed to conman Charlie Cotton with whom she had her only son Nick.
Early life
Dot was born in Walford, but during the Second World War she was evacuated to Wales when she was three years old while her uncaring mother remained in London. She stayed on a farm with a couple she called Auntie Gwen and Uncle Will. She became extremely close to them and they wanted to adopt her as they were unable to have children of their own. However, Dot's stay was marred with tragedy when Will was killed in an accident. Dot felt responsible for his death due to an altercation she had with Will regarding the death of his dog, Blue, who had been maimed in an animal trap whilst in Dot's care. Devastated, a young Dot prayed for Will's death as vengeance for his harsh treatment of her and when Will was killed she believed it was her doing. Unable to cope with the knowledge that she was responsible for Gwen's devastation, she ran away from the farm and returned to London. She lived with the guilt all her life, and had always been too afraid to return to the farm to visit Gwen until 2003, when Gwen's son Iwan persuaded her to return to visit his dying mother.
Dot received a frosty reception from Gwen initially. Gwen had always felt that she was in some way responsible for Dot's departure and found it hard to forgive Dot for abandoning her. Dot struggled to face up to the past, but she was finally able to relay that she had left because she blamed herself for Will's accident and feared Gwen would reject her. Gwen was relieved to finally learn the truth and she and Dot were able to put the past behind them and reconcile. Gwen explained that she and Will had always loved Dot, and she had never blamed her for what happened. Sensing the end was close, they shared some precious final moments together before Gwen died peacefully in her sleep later that night.
After her return to London, she lived with her mother, Martha, in a crowded house in Carver Road, Walford. She was often kept home from school to look after her younger siblings, Gerry, Tim and Rose.
Life in Walford
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Dot had a difficult life, largely due to her first husband, Charlie, and their son, Nick. Her mother slept around with various men and abandoned her after she was evacuated to Wales during the war. Charlie came and went from Albert Square since his arrival in 1986, and always treated Dot badly and stole from her. He conned her by saying he had changed his evil ways and then ran off after taking her money. In 1991, he died in a lorry accident off-screen, away from Walford.
Her son Nick was worse than his father in terms of evilness. He had been involved in drugs, robberies, and murder and always tried to cheat Dot out of her money just like his late father. He even tried to poison her once for her bingo money but backed out at the last minute.
She was a good friend of Nigel Bates who lived in her house as lodger for a few years. Dot always thought of him as the son she never had because he was the complete opposite of Nick.
She was pursued by fellow pensioner, Jim Branning, in whom she had no interest. He proposed to her on the London Eye, and she accepted. They married on Valentine's Day 2002 and have remained happily married ever since.
Dot had a very peculiar yet strong relationship with Dennis Rickman, the son of her previously-supposed-dead neighbour, Den Watts. She looked upon him differently to the bad boy he made himself out to be. She always took him under her wing in his times of need, and gave him advice. He acted like her surrogate son, and in return, he saved her life by making her choose to have chemotherapy rather than go through with her original plans to die after her diagnosis of cancer. Her world was rocked after Dennis was stabbed and killed on New Year's Eve 2005 by Danny Moon just days after his decision to leave for the United States with his pregnant wife, Sharon.
Departure
In July 1993, Nick turned up with his estranged wife Zoe who he never told Dot about, and introduced Dot to their son Ashley Cotton. Dot became close to Ashley and eventually was asked by Zoe to move away from Walford with her, Nick and Ashley to Gravesend. Dot was reluctant to move away at first but agreed. She left the Square in July 1993 and wasn't seen again for nearly four years.
Return
Dot returned to Walford on 14 April 1997, revealing that Nick had gone back to his old ways and had been arrested for drugs possession and Zoe and Ashley had moved away. Dot had been left alone in her house since Nick was arrested and decided to move back to Walford, realising that leaving there in the first place was a mistake. As long as Nick was in prison she was happy.
She was shocked by his surprise return in April 1998. He tried to cheat her out of money once again by telling another lie: that he had AIDS. He claimed he needed money to go to France where Ashley and Zoe had moved to. Dot believed him but a week later, she discovered Nick had been lying about his illness and was on the run from police. She informed the police of his whereabouts a week after his return and he was arrested.
She later moved in with fellow senior citizen Lilly Mattock, where she was arrested for the illegal use of cannabis, which she had mistakingly confused for herbal tea after new age wannabe Irene Raymond convinced her of its "healing properties". After Lilly was mugged, she moved out of the square, and Dot went to live with her old friend Pauline Fowler.
Friendship with Ethel
Dot has since been involved in many storylines, including the death her old best friend Ethel Skinner. She had been friends with Ethel for decades, who stunned her when she revealed, in 2000, that she had returned to Walford to die of cancer. As a very weak Ethel lay in bed after celebrating her birthday (when it wasn't really her birthday, she later told Dot), she begged Dot to help her end the pain in her life. Torn between her Christian beliefs on euthanasia and her best friend's final wishes, she opted for the latter option, and helped Ethel to die, although later she thought that she should be punished and wanted to serve time in prison for murder. Dot battled with her conscience after Ethel's death, and for a long time she struggled to believe that she could be forgiven in the eyes of God.
Ashley's death
Just when Dot thought she had seen the last of Nick, he reappeared in November 2000 with his son Ashley. His feud with Mark Fowler tragically caused the death of his son, Ashley, in June 2001 after he cut the brakes on Mark's motorcycle. Ashley, not knowing this, stole the bike and died after crashing into a market stall, and having his body thrown against the launderette door. At Ashley's funeral, Nick said Mark should have been in the grave instead of Ashley, and Dot overheard this.
Dot finally disowned Nick for good after realising that he unintentionally caused the death of his son, and threw him out from Walford soon after the funeral. Ashley was the only decent family she had in her life and Nick had to destroy the only happiness she had.
Second marriage
Although Dot was initially against the idea, after much persuasion from her senior neighbour Jim, the pair embarked on a slow burning romance. Dot was very set in her ways, and getting used to another man in her life was hard for her. However, Jim provided the companionship and care that had been lacking from her life for so many years, and whilst Dot may not be the most demonstrative of people, she does care for Jim very much.
Jim eventually proposed to Dot in 2001, but this proved too much for Dot, who swiftly disappeared from Walford and sought refuge with her old friend Nigel Bates for a while. However, Jim didn't give up, and whilst the pair took a trip on the London Eye on Christmas Eve 2001, he proposed again, and this time she accepted. Dot spent much of her time before the wedding despairing over whether she would be able to consummate her vows after the wedding. This appeared to be a worry for Jim too, who had had to resort to Viagra to enhance his performance. The pair eventually decided that sex wasn't needed and that their love would remain platonic.
Dot has become a surrogate grandmother to Jim's grandchildren, particularly Sonia and Bradley, who even call her Gran. Dot and Jim have remained happy, although Dot's loyalty to Jim was tested in 2005 when her driving instructor, Michael Rawlins, made unwanted advances towards her, causing her to crash the car that she was attempting to drive.
Dot often complains about Jim and despairs of his gambling and drinking, but she makes his life complete in old age and she relishes being needed once again.
Cancer
In 2004 Dot began to go through some ill health and started to make regular visits to the doctor. Her new friend Dennis Rickman took her regularly and was the only one she confided in about her visits. Dot was shocked to be diagnosed with cancer of the kidney and decided to hide it from everyone, including Dennis, who she had earlier told that the doctor supected she may have cancer. She refused treatment from the doctor and planned to die without telling anyone. However, while arguing with Den Watts in the launderette she burst out that she had cancer. Den was stunned and started lecturing her about not confiding in Jim over it and she eventually heeded his words and admitted the truth to her husband. Dot initially stuck to her decision not to have surgery but after realising how much they needed each other Dot decided to go through with chemotherapy. Jim only told Pauline about Dot's illness due to her not wanting people to know but Sonia overheard a phone conversation between Pauline and Jim at the Fowlers' and she had to admit the truth. Sonia and Pauline went to the hospital on the night of Dot's surgery while Jim went to The Vic and announced to everyone about Dot's condition. Dot's surgery was a success and she made a full recovery from her illness.
In May 2006 Jim received a call from Nick, who was in a prison hospital suffering from throat cancer. Jim tried to keep this a secret from Dot but she eventually found out and was upset that Jim did not tell her. She then decided to visit Nick to care for him while he was ill and returned to the Square when Nick recovered.
Pauline's death
In 2006, Dot's oldest remaining friend, Pauline Fowler, started to suffer with depression, brought on by her son's reconciliation with his ex-wife Sonia. Dot sided with Sonia, which infuriated Pauline and their friendship suffered. Pauline became increasingly bitter and deceitful and Dot could not get through to her. They were not given the chance to reconcile as on Christmas Day 2006, Pauline collapsed and died of a brain hemorrhage in the middle of Albert Square. Her death devastated Dot.
At Pauline's funeral, Sonia's daughter, Rebecca, told Dot that she'd witnessed her mother hitting Pauline on the day of her death. Thinking that Pauline had been murdered, Dot contacted the police. The funeral was halted and Pauline's body was taken away for an autopsy, which confirmed that her death was caused by a blow to the head from a heavy object. Panicking, Sonia tried to persuade Dot not to implicate her, but Dot could not neglect her Christian duties and she told the police everything she knew. Sonia was eventually arrested for Pauline's murder, however in January 2007 Dot discovered that the real killer was actually Pauline's husband, Joe Macer. He broke down one evening at the Fowlers' house and confessed to Dot that he had struck Pauline across the head with a frying pan, causing the brain haemorrhage that claimed her life. Appalled, Dot tried to phone the police and when Joe stopped her she began shouting "murderer" at the top of her voice. Joe attempted to apprehend her, but she was rescued by Jim's sudden appearance and the resulting scuffle caused Joe to lose his footing and fall out of the Fowlers' first floor window, to his death.
Dot struggled to come to terms with her best-friend's death, and she initially had trouble adjusting to Pauline's replacements at the launderette. Dot kept Pauline's ashes for several months, until Jim refused to share Dot with Pauline anymore and ordered her to dispose of them. Dot eventually relented and in June 2007 she buried the ashes at the grave of Pauline's first husband, Arthur, bidding her friend an emotional farewell.
Tomas
On 9 April Jim decided to take Dot to the hop-picking fields that they both went to in their youth. Dot decided that she wanted to visit her old friend Margot who lived nearby but was devastated to hear from a vicar of a church they used to visit that Margot had died two weeks previously. The vicar, Mary Lavender suggested going to the house to visit her son Douglas who had also trained as a vicar, so Dot and Jim went to see him. While there, Doulgas revealed he was no longer a vicar because he has lost his faith, which caused him and Dot to get into an argument about religion while Jim went to a local pub. Dot accused Douglas of being taken in by Satan but he responded by saying that his mother's religion ruined his life and that he was glad that his mother was dead and Nick would feel the same way when Dot died. Very upset by Douglas's comments, Dot fled and returned to the church. A woman rushed past Dot as she entered the church and started to pray, asking God if she had been a bad mother. It was during her praying that she heard crying and found a baby in a sports bag with a note saying his name was Tomas. Dot took the baby back to the car and put a note on the church display with her name and address written on it. Despite Jim's protests Dot told him to drive home with Tomas. The next day Mo Harris came to the Brannings' house and confronted Dot about the loud crying but Dot made excuses not to let Mo in. Later Jim's grandaughter Abi arrived at the house and was shocked to see the baby but agreed to keep it a secret and hid Tomas when Mo returned later on. In Tomas' bag Dot found a flyer for a pole-dancing club on it. Jim went to look for Tomas' mother at the club, but meanwhile, Tomas' mother knocked on Dot's door and revealed she was called Anya. She was initially angry with Dot as she wanted her baby to be taken in by the Reverend Lavender but Dot managed to convince her to stay for a cup of tea. Anya stayed with the Brannings but Jim kept urging Dot to make her leave. Dot decided to enquire about Anya's reasons for giving up her baby and eventually deduced that she was an illegal immigrant, but Anya urged Dot to trust her. Dot asked Anya to stay because she needs their help and had no one else. Jim was far from happy at this development, declaring that Dot is a soft touch and that Anya couldn't be trusted. Jim then revealed that Anya was a prostitute but Dot refused to judge Anya for this and instead pleaded with Jim to show mercy and let her disappointment at his lack of compassion be shown, which caused Jim to storm out of the house. Dot later reassured Anya that Jim is a good man and that he would take care of her, but at the same time Jim was making a call reporting Anya as an illegal immigrant. Jim later admitted to Dot and Anya that he called the authorities and accused Anya of being a scrounger. When the immigration official, Paul Jenkins arrived Dot managed to sneak Anya out of the house and managed to get rid of the police by claiming to being the victims of a prank call. She later persuaded Jim to help get Anya to the church for a sanctuary, but the immigration officers followed Dot and Jim to the church. Dot tried to protect Anya by shouting religious statements at Jenkins and blocking his way, but he branded Dot a "religious nut" and was made to retreat by his colleague, Warren Rice. Rice told Dot that the church isn't exempt from British law. In the church's vesrty, Jim apologised to Anya over his treatment of her and said he was only trying to protect Dot because he loves her so much. Anya then told Jim that he and Dot are kind people and asked them to look after Tomas. Anya handed herself over to the officials but they did not suspect that she had a child or that she had left it behind. Dot and Jim were left alone in the church with Tomas and they comforted the crying child together.
On the 23 April Jim started to complain about the hard work involved in looking after Tomas and suggested they hand him over to the police. Dot however, did not entertain the idea and continued to dote over Tomas. Later Jim reitterated his concerns, stating a fear that he and Dot may end up in prison for having the baby. Dot however just sent him to do the shopping and revealed her plans to tell Max, Tanya and Bradley over dinner. Before Dot could reveal the truth to their family as she planned to, Jim told them that the boy's name is George and that he is the son of Dot's incarcerated son Nick, due to him having an affair with a nurse while in prison and now they are looking after him. Despite not appearing too happy about Jim's lie, Dot was too scared to tell the actual truth to the three. The next day Dot, with some difficulty and uneasiness, repeated Jim's story to the Albert Square residents. Abi mentioned to Dot and Jim that George looks just like baby Tomas, but Jim managed to usher her away before she could say anymore or get any more suspicious.
On 1 May Jim asked Honey Mitchell to babysit Tomas so he could take Dot out. While looking after him Honey noticed Tomas had a temperature, so she took him to be checked over by Dr. Wright. When Dot found out what Honey had done she panicked, threw Honey out of the house and started the worry that her secret is out. When Honey saw a rash on Tomas's leg, she Dot to take him to the hospital. While at the hospital Dot behaved erratically and she eventually got rid of Honey and ran away with Tomas. When Honey arrived at the Brannings' house to confront Dot, Dot was forced to admit that "George" is not related to her. Dot pleaded with Honey not to call social services and she agreed, but insisted that she'll help out Dot. The next day Honey started a new job in the laundrette as Dot's assistant, which pleased her.
After locking herself out of the house with a burning cigarette and George inside, Dot decided that she was giving up smoking once and for all. However, Dot found giving up a lifetime habit difficult and started facing more pressure from Honey and Jim to reveal the baby's true identidy. Dot refused to budge and instead decided to arrange a christening for Tomas but when the vicar came to the house to talk about arrangement's and requested "George's" birth certificite, Dot began to panic. Originally she planned to tell the vicar that she had simply changed her mind about the christening but the strain of keeping the secret became too much and she revealed all about Tomas to him. The vicar told her that she had done the right thing by taking Tomas in and that he would not tell anyone himself but made it clear to Dot that she could not keep the baby hidden away forever. Dot eventually relented and arranged for the social worker to come and collect Tomas on 7 June. However, before the social worker arrived Dot's pain of giving up Tomas got the better of here and she fled to the Walford tube station with Tomas in his pram. She went to visit her old friend and retired Walford GP Dr. Harold Legg at his now home. Dot poured her heart out to Dr. Legg about her situation and reminisced about the time her first husband Charlie made her have an abortion before they were married when she was in her twenties. Dr. Legg eventually persuaded Dot that she had to give up Tomas and she returned to Walford and bid an emotional farewell to Tomas before social worker Natasha Powell took him away.
Family
- Father: Bob Colwell (deceased)
- Mother: Martha Colwell (deceased)
- Half brothers: Gerry, Tim
- Half sister: Rose
- Husband: Jim Branning
- Son: Nick Cotton
- Grandson: Ashley Cotton (deceased)
In popular culture
The character of Dot Branning has been spoofed in the cartoon sketch show 2DTV.
She was also impersonated by Alistair McGowan in Big Impression.
As a style icon she has been said to have inspired catwalk collections, hairstyles and more. The monthly Dot Cotton Club, a gay club night in Cambridge, is named in her honour. She is among only a few characters from EastEnders to become a British cultural emblem. Dot Cotton's long-suffering luckless life has also led to her being labelled as a gay icon.[1]
Dot is probably the most notable smoker on British television as she rarely appears on-screen without a cigarette. The character is so synonymous with smoking that the term "Dot Cotton syndome" is used within the health industry to: "describe the elderly population who continue to smoke heavily without registering the health problems they are or will soon suffer from, seeing it as their only pleasure left in life".[2]
She was also voted the 46th best TV character in a television poll entitled The 100 Greatest Television Characters.[3]
Departure
It has been confirmed that Dot is to quit eastenders next year, this maybe because producers are worried about her health at her age. She expected to die from a smoking related disease.
References
- ^ "The new pink pin-ups", Evening Standard. URL last accessed 2006-10-23.
- ^ "Medical education via the mass media", Student BMJ. URL last accessed 2006-10-23.
- ^ "The 100 Greatest Television Characters", thecustard.tv. URL last accessed 2006-11-02
External links
