Dot Branning’s shock EastEnders departure explained as fans worry it could be permanent

EASTENDERS fans have been left fearing that Dot Branning will die after leaving a dramatic goodbye message for Sonia following her shock departure.

The Walford legend – played by actress June Brown – left the square for Ireland after believing that Martin Fowler had swiped her savings. But has she gone for good?

Has Dot left EastEnders permanently?

EastEnders viewers watched as Martin told Dot he’d stolen her money this week on the show, after discovering that Sonia stole the cash to bail him out of his hit-and-run nightmare.

Martin’s hit-and-run victim – George – had blackmailed Sonia into giving him a wad of cash in exchange for his silence.

Furious Dot ordered him out of her house when Martin owned up to the crime, before swanning off to Ireland to help her grandson Charlie Cotton take care of his new baby.

As Sonia prepared to tell Dot the truth to get rid of her guilty conscience, Dot was nowhere to be seen.

Instead, she’d left a pre-recorded message for the Fowlers, which explained she was going to Ireland and asked Sonia to find out why Martin had stolen the money from her.

But BBC bosses are yet to confirm that June Brown has left the series, and fans will have to wait and see if she makes a dramatic return.

How have EastEnders fans reacted?

Dot’s emotional goodbye message has left fans fearing for the worse.

Dot told Sonia:  “I shall miss you, and I shall always love you because I know you’ll love me. So, goodbye my dearest girl. Your loving grandma, Dot.”

The dramatic goodbye shocked viewers and caused them to jump to morbid conclusions.

One fan said: “Dot will probably die when she’s in Ireland visiting Charlie. Her goodbye sounded so final.”

Another said: “I think dots departure tonight was very final hope this isn’t the end of her – she deserves so much more than that exit.”

Other viewers were convinced that the voice on the recording had been faked, and that Dot was in grave danger.

One fan said: “That wasn’t the real Dot’s recorded voice just then. What’s happened to Dot??”

A second added: “That was not Dots voice on the tape recordings.

What has June Brown said about leaving EastEnders?

The actress has not mentioned anything about her shock departure being permanent.

However, in April last year, the 92-year-old revealed that her vision has deteriorated to the point she has “no central vision at all”.

Speaking to , the star said: “I haven’t driven for years and I can’t really go out socially due to my eyesight.

“I never go to soap awards or suchlike now. I don’t recognise people that I know and they would think I was snubbing them.

“And I have got loads of fan letters that I haven’t been able to read or reply to since it all started.”

The actress added: “Just pray for your health and strength, hearing and eyesight, and an active mind.”

The actress has starred in EastEnders since 1985.

She received a Bafta nomination in 2009 for her performance on the show.

The soap icon signed a new contract in April 2018 to keep her on the BBC One soap for the foreseeable future.