Dot Cotton could be killed off, admits actress

June Brown has admitted her 'EastEnders' character could be killed off.

The 82-year-old actress - who plays chain-smoker Dot Cotton in the BBC soap - says producers may want to get rid of her to save money and says all they would have to do is turn her alter-ego into a hate figure.

June, who is one of the show's highest earners, said: "Well they could. If they want to drop you, most often they will give you a rather unpleasant storyline.

"The public always equate the character to the actor - and then everyone says: 'Oh I don't like him at all - I'll be glad to when he's gone'. They ease it in. You're in the hands of the Gods."

June is currently on a three-month break from 'EastEnders' while she stars in the West End stage production of 'Calendar Girls' but admits she was a bit wary of doing it because of the current economic climate.

She told Britain's The Sun newspaper: "I thought it was good to have a bit of a change because you can get very bogged down in these sort of things.

"I have got something on my door there that says 'Remind me how lucky I am to work here - I keep forgetting'.

"It's true but I am lucky to have that job - especially in this time of recession. It's hard for a lot of actors to get a job at all. So you shouldn't really bite that hand that feeds you."