Lacey Turner confirms June Brown upset at EastEnders over storylines she ‘hated’

| Soaps Reporter Published November 4, 2026 10:19am Updated November 4, 2026 10:19am June witnessed EastEnders go through many changes (Picture: BBC) EastEnders star Lacey Turner has revealed that soap legend June Brown previously made her views clear when the show went in a direction that she didn’t particularly like. June, who died in 2022, became known for her role as Dot Cotton in the BBC One soap, the chain-smoking local who appeared in over 2000 episodes of the show. After the Walford residents got news that Dot had passed away, an emotional funeral was held which also saw the return of some iconic characters including Disa Brien (Jan Graveson) and Mary ‘The Punk’ Smith (Linda Davidson). Being part of the soap for so long meant June witnessed the show constantly changing. As the world evolved, EastEnders had to as well, but June sometimes wasn’t keen on the adaptations. June appeared in over 2000 episodes of EastEnders (Picture: Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock) ‘She became upset about the direction the show was taking’ (Picture: BBC Archives) June’s co-star Lacey Turner – aka Stacey Slater – has shared a great deal about her life at the BBC One soap in her book Gold Dust: My Life (So Far) with the Women Who Shaped Me. In one of the chapters, she revealed an insight about working with June: ‘June was across everything at work, she read every script. She knew everyone’s story and what all the characters were up to. ‘Not many people did that but June was all-knowing and even when she started losing her sight she would have somebody read the whole thing to her.’ Lacey is in this year’s series of Strictly Come Dancing (Picture: Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock) As she reflected, Lacey revealed that it would often be clear when June didn’t enjoy some of the EastEnders storylines: ‘So, as the years went on, she became upset about the direction the show was taking, she hated some of the storylines. What was hard for June? Was that the world was changing? Which meant EastEnders had to change, too. ‘People were watching television in a different way but she couldn’t or didn’t want to move at the times, and I completely get where she was coming from because I feel a bit like that as well.’ Ask Metro Use AI to go deeper into the stories you care about – powered by Metro and trusted publications. Deals of the Day QVC shoppers can save £159 on Elemis' biggest beauty gift set of the year This Hoover vacuum is a game-changer for pet owners and muddy homes The wellbeing brand behind everyone's favourite candles has launched its biggest sale yet See London's Christmas lights from an open-top double-decker bus this winter My skin always suffers when the heating goes on but this serum changed that Elsewhere, Lacey is currently impressing us all with her dancing skills in this year’s Strictly Come Dancing. Last week, Lacey and professional partner Vito Coppola’s Charleston scored a massive 36 points. Arrow MORE: Coronation Street actor returns for sixth time in grim Gary and Ross story Arrow MORE: Coronation Street’s Georgia May Foote confirms romance with music star Arrow MORE: EastEnders’ Laila Morse’s secret cancer battle revealed by Lacey Turner The Soaps Newsletter – Daily All the latest soaps spoilers and gossip, in your inbox every morning.