Dot's granddaughter Dotty returns to EastEnders
Nick's Cotton's little girl is back and ready to stir up trouble
EastEnders' Dot Branning (June Brown) returns from her summer holidays this autumn and she's not alone - granddaughter Kirsty 'Dotty' Cotton accompanies the legendary character back to Albert Square almost a decade since viewers first met the youngest spawn of nasty Nick Cotton.
Dotty arrived with her infamous feckless father at Christmas 2008 as a seven-year-old girl, the result of a one-night stand between Nick and a woman called Sandy who he claimed was dead. It was quite a bombshell for Mrs B who had no idea she even existed.
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It later emerged Dotty's real name was Kirsty and she was in on a secret plot with her poisonous parent to kill Dot for her cash. The scam was busted when her mother turned up very much alive and Dotty developed a conscience, then double crossed Nick exposing his plan and moved away with Sandy in 2010.
Since then she's been mentioned a few times and Dot makes regular visits to Wales spend time with her grandchild - later this year a grown-up Dotty (or is Kirsty?) returns to Walford to attend university in London and makes a big impression on the locals, some of whom may remember her as a scheming, spiteful, pigtail-sporting con artist - a sinister cross between the Artful Dodger and Wednesday Addams. Has she really changed? Does she blame her gran for the death of her dastardly dad back in 2015? And will Tiffany Butcher (Maisie Smith) still have beef about the time Dotty put her in a bin?!
Dotty will be played by Milly Zero, best know for playing Hannah in CBBC sitcom All at Sea, replacing original actress Molly Conlin. "I am so excited to be playing Dotty alongside June Brown who I have been watching on my telly since I was a young girl," she says. "Dotty and Dot have such an interesting relationship to explore with a complicated history, so I can't wait to see what the future holds for them."
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Executive producer Jon Sen comments: "We're all super-excited to have Dotty back on the Square - sharp-witted and with an eye for human weakness, she's not afraid to say what she thinks. We are also thrilled Milly is taking on the role, her versatility and ability to capture the character's blend of sass, intelligence and vulnerability ensure Dotty returns with a bang!"
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