Although Martine McCutcheon is known for how bright and peppy she is, the actress shared a moving tribute on Tuesday as she marked the passing of June Brown.
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The actress shared a sepia-toned photo of June and movingly wrote: "Darling June… The true essence of Eastenders. An amazing mother, wife, actress, and a damn good laugh… RIP darling." She ended the post with a praying, heart and dove emoji.
June died on Sunday, with the press office for EastEnders sharing the devastating news on Monday. The star rose to fame on the popular soap as Dot Cotton, appearing in the first-ever episode and making her final appearance in 2020.
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A statement from the soap read: " 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.
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"June created one of the most iconic characters in Dot Cotton, not just in soap but in British television, and having appeared in 2884 episodes, June's remarkable performances created some of EastEnders finest moments. We send all our love and deepest sympathies to June's family and friends.
"A very bright light has gone out at EastEnders today but we shall all be raising a sweet sherry in June's memory. Rest in peace, our dearest June. You will never be forgotten."
Martine wrote a moving tribute
Martine and June acted alongside one another on EastEnders, with Martine playing popular character Tiffany Mitchell from 1995 up until she was killed off in 1999.
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Before playing her best-known role of Dot Cotton, June also appeared in Coronation Street, Doctor Who and The Bill, as well as period dramas The Duchess Of Duke Street and Oliver Twist.
June passed away on Sunday
Despite her current sadness, Martine recently had reason to celebrate as she marked her ten-year wedding anniversary with husband Jack McManus.
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Captioning a stunning selfie of the pair, the Love Actually star wrote: "Remember this @jackmcmanus1?! "I can’t believe that this September we will have been together for nearly 16 years and married for 10! Times flies when you’re having fun right?
"Our Lake Como wedding was truly magical… I can’t wait to celebrate being married for 10 years with you… And this time with our son… Our Rafferty. Let's get planning. Love you. X #10yearsthisseptember #timeflies #letscelebrateus."
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