Dot Cotton is a Walford legend.
As played by the fabulous June Brown, Dot has certain fusspot mannerisms and speech patterns that are all too easy for others to imitate and mock.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQktG6COqnM
We’re accustomed to seeing real life comedians take the piss out of Dot…
…but it’s another thing entirely when a character on the same show joins in on the Dot impressions fun, which is exactly what happened on last night’s episode.
Shirley Carter and Kathy Beale were in the Queen Vic talking about the impending closure of Albert Square’s iconic launderette, at which Dot has worked for decades.
Shirley puts on her best Dot voice to talk about “delegating work to the soap dispenser”, all while Kathy and Mick Carter crack up laughing.
The clip finishes with Kathy saying, “You can’t have a laundrette without Dot,” to which Shirley says, “No! It’d be like the Tower of London without the ravens.”
Shirley as Dot.
We always dreamed this moment would come. #EastEnders pic.twitter.com/KzJC9JWScN— BBC EastEnders (@bbceastenders) September 27, 2016
Soap fans loved it, and have called for a repeat performance.
Oh my gosh, more of Shirley doing her Dot impersonation please!! #EastEnders
— Mark Dodyk (@Mark_Dodyk) September 27, 2016
OH MY GOD SHIRLEY'S IMPRESSION OF DOT IS INCREDIBLE😂😂😂 #EastEnders
— Josh👨🏼🏫 (@just_JoshyG) September 27, 2016
Shirley is actually a cracking Dot impersonator #EastEnders
— Darren Hardie (@DarrenHardie) September 27, 2016
Shirley's impression of Dot = Linda La Hughes' posh voice #eastenders
— Agnes (@ThatAgnes) September 27, 2016
Shirley impersonating Dot was spot on and funny!!! #Eastenders
— Afifah (@TopazYuleball) September 27, 2016
It’s a brief fun spot in an otherwise sad storyline: Dot’s heartbreak over potentially losing her job due to her boss Mr Papadopolous Jr’s plans to turn the laundrette into a dry cleaners.
“[It’s down to] market forces, new consortium, moving with the times – all that old balderdash,” Dot explained to Shirley.
Even worse, poor old Dot will have to re-interview for the job she has been doing forever.
I'll start a petition me if Dot gets fired from the laundrette #eastenders
— 🌍 (@EGrace95xXx) September 27, 2016
Oh my gosh! Eastenders have decided to bring in dry cleaning to make the laundrette more relevant!
— Matt (@Heathyheath_) September 27, 2016
Though other fans are not so surprised about the impending changes to the laundrette.
We had to use a laundrette the other day, £7 a fucking wash. No wonder they're all going under. £3 for detergent too. Robbery. #Eastenders
— notgavin (@notgavin) September 27, 2016
https://twitter.com/mayiahk/status/780871093599006724
