View Full Version : Dot Threatens to Quit Depressing Eastenders
EASTENDERS legend June Brown is threatening to quit — because she doesn’t like the depressing storylines.
June, 79, who has been in the gloomy soap for 22 YEARS, recently held up filming for two hours while she complained about a new plot.
In a second blow for chiefs, co-star John Bardon — June’s on-screen hubby Jim Branning — has already told new boss Diederick Santer he wants out.
June, who plays downtrodden Dot, admitted to pals she now finds the storylines “depressing”. She is said to be particularly unhappy with a plot in which Dot finds a refugee baby dumped in a church and takes her home.
The actress gave bosses a flea in the ear about the scripts, delaying filming on location in Tring, Herts. And that sparked a row with John, who told her off for keeping the crew waiting.
A show insider said: “There was tension, a feeling she should have seen producers as soon as she got the script.
“June and John are good friends but they are tired of the show and don’t really like where it is going.”
But last night an EastEnders spokeswoman insisted: “John and June are not leaving.”
Well they would say that wouldnt they:rolleyes:
JustJodi
06-02-2007, 10:14
I honestly think IF June and John did LEAVE.. EastEnders would be DEAD for good !!!
Remember not too long back Adam ( Ian) threatened to leave,, :hmm:
It would NOT hurt EE to write some NICE story lines,for a change. I presume it is just easier for the writers to write doom and gloom over nice stuff ???:searchme:
June is the backbone of EE. She must be appalled as an actress with some of the keek that is churned out by the alleged scriptwriters. If they were foolish enough to let her go then this would IMO be the final nail in EEs coffin. The patient is critical but not yet terminal.
I find it very depressing at the moment - I hadn't watched for ages, tuned in for a bit these past couple of weeks and there is no happiness, no comedy moments, just depression. I want light entertainment of an evening, not going to bed, totally depressed and down for just watching EE.
This doesn't surprise me with June - if she did leave, she'd be sorely missed. Her and Jim are the only two that do occasionally bring light relief into the show.
I find it very depressing at the moment - I hadn't watched for ages, tuned in for a bit these past couple of weeks and there is no happiness, no comedy moments, just depression. I want light entertainment of an evening, not going to bed, totally depressed and down for just watching EE.
This doesn't surprise me with June - if she did leave, she'd be sorely missed. Her and Jim are the only two that do occasionally bring light relief into the show.
Maybe they should have a link direct to the Samaratains after every show
Were you affected by any of the depressing things in this show if so ring this number 0800 . . . . . . .
I don't what story they could do to brighten it up... Life doesn't seem (or atleast the news) to be full of happy stuff...
I don't know about what story either, but EE rivals (although I don't watch them only once in a while if I'm really bored) have the comedy element running alongside the storylines. Norris in Corrie for example, even producing a funny side to the Charlie murder story. I'm not saying its required in EE all the time, but to have another character somewhere providing a little bit of light relief would be welcome. Have a large storyline going on, and then the odd quip here and there to keep it entertaining (can't seem to find the right words this morning, but I think you get what I mean lol)
Richie_lecturer
06-02-2007, 11:43
Sounds like they are threatening to quit, but not quitting.
Good on June for speaking out against shoddy scriptwriters. She's done this a lot in recent years. Without her protests, things might be even worse on EE.
An EE without Dot or Jim doesn't bear thinking about.
I don't know about what story either, but EE rivals (although I don't watch them only once in a while if I'm really bored) have the comedy element running alongside the storylines. Norris in Corrie for example, even producing a funny side to the Charlie murder story. I'm not saying its required in EE all the time, but to have another character somewhere providing a little bit of light relief would be welcome. Have a large storyline going on, and then the odd quip here and there to keep it entertaining (can't seem to find the right words this morning, but I think you get what I mean lol)
I know what you mean but EE seem to fail at that.. there attempt is Gary/Minty or Billy on occasions.. Dot provided a lot of light relief but look now she has lost everyone... I would rather a character develop to be funny and not have EE force a comic on us. As you said, Norris seems natural..but he doesn't realise he is funny.. EE gives us blundering idiots instead of people who make a comment and don't realise that it was funny
I think EE are misunderstanding "gripping". I remember at one time, rushing to the tv to find out "what happens next" Now it's just a case of "oh god, another ones dead, run away, split up, depressed, drunk or suicidal"
I wish they would just think more carefully about what they are trying to portray. Everyone has a comedy character in their lives somewhere, therefore, if they are trying to portray real life, bring the comedy characters to the foreground every now and then. Corrie has the right balance at the moment. Maybe EE should take note.
It depends.. sometimes you have comic character which is funny all the time (which is suppose to be Gary) then you have the ones who don't think they are funny but come out with comic stuff (they tried with Honey and failed) When shane richie first came in.. he provide that light relief.. maybe another like him
Chloe O'brien
06-02-2007, 12:33
The thing with EE is that they bring in characters to be evil and turn them into wimps. If a character is to be a baddie like nick cotton keep him a baddie. When corrie introduced Charlie or Richard Hilliman we all knew they were going to be wicked. As for June and John voicing their concerns they are right to show concern, its depressing enough for viewers to watch EE imaging what the actors must feel like working there. They need to find the right balance between light relief and serious issues. Make the young actors earn their experience by giving them gritty storylines to see if they can cope and let Jim & Dot enjoy their time sitting in the Vic.
Dutchgirl
06-02-2007, 13:31
It depends.. sometimes you have comic character which is funny all the time (which is suppose to be Gary) then you have the ones who don't think they are funny but come out with comic stuff (they tried with Honey and failed) When shane richie first came in.. he provide that light relief.. maybe another like him
My thoughts exactly, Shane Richie provided charm and wittyness, calling Peggy the Duchess and all that sort of stuff, even together with Kat there was banter.
Hope some of the scriptwriters bother with reading some spoiler boards to see what viewers want.
:hmm:
Hopefully the threat of losing characters as big as Dot and Jim will force them to add a bit more light relief.
I remember Billys wedding was OTT but it was so funny. It was good to watch. More moments like that, like Em said norris in Corrie is a prime example of how a comedy character should work.
As I have said many times on many places. When Alfie Moon first appeared on Albert Square I thought at last EE has got its act right. He was the epitome of the cheeky cockney. He brought a great mixture of comedy and drama into the square. Of course the scriptwriters couldnt cope with this so they ruined his character. Johnny Allen was a scary guy they also ruined. The Mitchell bruvvas are just walking jokes. Barbara Windsor is a pantomime parody of all that is false about EE. As for Sharon Watts this prima donna flits in and out of the show as she sees fit.
If EE are foolish enough not to heed the views of June Brown then they will discover the viewers will vote with their remote controls. Not everyone gives a stuff about the WICKses or the latest fiiiiiiiiiiittttttttttt actor/actress that EE have conned into joining the team.
Think you idiots THINK
If John wants to quit, why is he bothered that June held up the filming? If it's so boring that he wants to leave, why should it be filmed. He can't be wanting to leave because of her, surely?
Chris_2k11
06-02-2007, 20:15
As long as Pat sticks around, i'm happy! :cool:
Well if all else fails the can resurrect DEN he will know what to do. Then later on Miss Piggy will make yet another return follwed by the chuckle bruvvas
Chris_2k11
06-02-2007, 20:27
"Ello princess........ er again" :cartman: :rotfl:
"Ello princess........ er again" :cartman: :rotfl:
Well it pleased a lot of EE fanatics. Den does a Lazurus again
No matter what *******e they think would win more viewers they would try it. The could get Helen Mirren and Judi Dench on to it only to make fools of them when La Bella Donna Miss Piggy gets bored with panto. Who is she sleeping with
JustJodi
07-02-2007, 00:04
It depends.. sometimes you have comic character which is funny all the time (which is suppose to be Gary) then you have the ones who don't think they are funny but come out with comic stuff (they tried with Honey and failed) When shane richie first came in.. he provide that light relief.. maybe another like him
Thanks Siobhan.. I felt the same way, I had so many giggles when they first brought "Alfie"on board, he was funny, cheeky and very much Jack the lad, loved him ,, until,,EE saw it fit to ruin him, I am only glad when he did leave Kat went with him at least they got a happy ending.....
These YOUNG ooooh so FIT actors/actresses need to stop posing and start acting .. and earn their crust like the older ones are,,, :wall:
callummc
07-02-2007, 00:21
gutted if its true,dot is one of the reasons i still watch,pitty june brown though,shes not had it easy with the pathetic scripts,i dont like the alfie funny storylines or minty so called funny storylines,but i did used to love the sarcastic dry humour EE were so good at,but somehow they seem to have forgot how to do that,
It depends.. sometimes you have comic character which is funny all the time (which is suppose to be Gary) then you have the ones who don't think they are funny but come out with comic stuff (they tried with Honey and failed) When shane richie first came in.. he provide that light relief.. maybe another like him
Thanks Siobhan.. I felt the same way, I had so many giggles when they first brought "Alfie"on board, he was funny, cheeky and very much Jack the lad, loved him ,, until,,EE saw it fit to ruin him, I am only glad when he did leave Kat went with him at least they got a happy ending.....
These YOUNG ooooh so FIT actors/actresses need to stop posing and start acting .. and earn their crust like the older ones are,,, :wall: Exactly. But the producers will keep employing them because they appeal to EEs core audience.
gutted if its true,dot is one of the reasons i still watch,pitty june brown though,shes not had it easy with the pathetic scripts,i dont like the alfie funny storylines or minty so called funny storylines,but i did used to love the sarcastic dry humour EE were so good at,but somehow they seem to have forgot how to do that,Its not hip or PC to do that now/ EE is all about political issues now.
parkerman
07-02-2007, 09:20
The thing with EE is that they bring in characters to be evil and turn them into wimps. If a character is to be a baddie like nick cotton keep him a baddie. When corrie introduced Charlie or Richard Hilliman we all knew they were going to be wicked.
You're absolutely right there. This is one of the main problems with EE; the many character changes. When both Minty and Billy first came in they were villains, but look at them now. Barry was another who changed from villain to buffoon. Even Fick Fill now seems to have a tender side which he never had before. Bring back Nick and Janine, at leat they stayed real villains.
As for the comic side, it seems the EE scriptwriters just can't write comedy in the way the Corrie scriptwriters can. Norris has already been mentioned, but there is also Blanche and just a general way of bringing in comic moments with people like Sean, Steve, the Battersby-Browns, etc., that just doesn't happen in EE. The only comedy we get there is the heavily laboured - "you can see the joke coming a mile off" - attempts at comedy from Garry and Minty, which are mostly set-up pieces not natural as in Coronation Street.
I used to be a great fan of Eastenders and could take or leave Coronation Street. Now it is most definitely the other way round for me.
The thing with EE is that they bring in characters to be evil and turn them into wimps. If a character is to be a baddie like nick cotton keep him a baddie. When corrie introduced Charlie or Richard Hilliman we all knew they were going to be wicked.
You're absolutely right there. This is one of the main problems with EE; the many character changes. When both Minty and Billy first came in they were villains, but look at them now. Barry was another who changed from villain to buffoon. Even Fick Fill now seems to have a tender side which he never had before. Bring back Nick and Janine, at leat they stayed real villains.
As for the comic side, it seems the EE scriptwriters just can't write comedy in the way the Corrie scriptwriters can. Norris has already been mentioned, but there is also Blanche and just a general way of bringing in comic moments with people like Sean, Steve, the Battersby-Browns, etc., that just doesn't happen in EE. The only comedy we get there is the heavily laboured - "you can see the joke coming a mile off" - attempts at comedy from Garry and Minty, which are mostly set-up pieces not natural as in Coronation Street.
I used to be a great fan of Eastennders and could take or leave Corontaion Street. Now it is most definitely the other way round for me.That is the BIG problem. The characters all seem to have personality changes which seem to depend on on who happens to be writing the stories at the time. Do they think the viewers are stupid and wont notice the sweeping change from thug to nice guy or from nice girl to slapper
According to Soaplife, it's rumoured she will be written out over the storyline where she brings a baby home, because Jim calls immigration as the mother is an illegal immigrant. Dot runs to the church with the baby and his mother Anya. Thery're not safe there, so Anya is taken away, back to the Ukraine. They've hinted Dot would go to the Ukraine to reunite the pair in time.
Lizzie Brookes
03-04-2007, 13:28
I don't think EastEnders is boring and I have never once of my free will mmissed an episode but I agree that this Dot storyline sounds unlikely. I'll be sorry if June and the actor playing Jim leave though. they are really good.
Richie_lecturer
03-04-2007, 15:26
According to Soaplife, it's rumoured she will be written out over the storyline where she brings a baby home, because Jim calls immigration as the mother is an illegal immigrant. Dot runs to the church with the baby and his mother Anya. Thery're not safe there, so Anya is taken away, back to the Ukraine. They've hinted Dot would go to the Ukraine to reunite the pair in time.
Written out again???? It seems like only yesterday she was away for a while to look after Nick. :confused:
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