EastEnders is celebrating four decades on BBC One this week, with multiple characters set to take centre stage in the soap's anniversary drama, from Denise Fox to Sonia Fowler as actress Natalie Cassidy waves goodbye to the show for good after 32 years.
Long-term fans of the long-running show will remember Dame Barbara Windsor who turned Mitchell matriarch Peggy into an icon, while June Brown delivered stellar performances episode after episode as devout Dot Cotton.
Best known for her roles in the Carry On films and as Peggy Mitchell in EastEnders, Babs became a national treasure, earning accolades for her contributions to television, film, and theatre.
Her career took another defining turn in 1994 when she joined EastEnders as Peggy Mitchell, the fiery landlady of the Queen Vic pub and the widowed mother of Phil, Grant, and Samantha Mitchell.
With a career spanning over 70 years, June Brown was best known for her unforgettable portrayal of Dot Cotton in EastEnders.
