{"id":26837,"date":"2022-12-08T20:45:55","date_gmt":"2022-12-08T19:45:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/?p=1752135"},"modified":"2022-12-08T21:03:39","modified_gmt":"2022-12-08T20:03:39","slug":"charlie-cotton-confirmed-to-miss-dot-brannings-funeral-in-eastenders","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/rss_feed\/charlie-cotton-confirmed-to-miss-dot-brannings-funeral-in-eastenders\/","title":{"rendered":"Charlie Cotton confirmed to miss Dot Branning\u2019s funeral in EastEnders"},"content":{"rendered":"

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By Lewis Knight\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Thursday, 08 December 2022 at 12:00 am<\/p>

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The grief being felt by the family of Dot Branning is palpable in EastEnders<\/a> this week.<\/p>\n

It has already been confirmed that the funeral of the iconic character next week will see a number of classic characters return<\/a>, including Colin Russell (Lord Michael Cashman), Mary Smith (Linda Davidson), and Lauren Branning (Jacqueline Jossa).<\/p>\n

However, there are some figures who viewers might expect to be appearing at the funeral of Dot Branning, following her death off screen last week.<\/a><\/p>\n

In Thursday night\u2019s episode (8th December 2022), it was confirmed that Dot\u2019s grandson Charlie Cotton, played by Declan Bennett, would not be returning for her funeral.<\/p>\n

So, why won\u2019t Charlie be back in EastEnders?<\/p>

Why can\u2019t Charlie Cotton go to Dot Branning\u2019s funeral in EastEnders?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Sonia Fowler (Natalie Cassidy) and Dotty Cotton (Milly Zero) discuss Charlie Cotton\u2019s absence.<\/span><\/figcaption> BBC, Jack Barnes\/Kieron McCarron<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

Thursday\u2019s episode (8th December 2022) of EastEnders confirmed that Charlie Cotton is unable to attend the funeral of his grandmother due to the fact he has tested positive for COVID.<\/p>\n

\u201cNah, I\u2019ve been thinking about it, it\u2019s so disrespectful, I don\u2019t care if he has COVID, Charlie should be at Grandma\u2019s funeral,\u201d protests his half-sister Dotty Cotton (Milly Zero) to Sonia Fowler (Natalie Cassidy) in the episode.<\/p>\n

However, Sonia notes that \u201cThese things happen, alright?\u201d<\/p>\n

Sonia, meanwhile, is going through her own grief, rather than worrying about Charlie\u2019s absence.<\/p>\n

At present, Charlie resides in Ireland with his wife Lisa, their child and his son Matthew Mitchell-Cotton from his marriage to the late Ronnie Mitchell (Samantha Womack).<\/p>\n

Dot had been living with him prior to her death.<\/p>\n

Who is Charlie Cotton in EastEnders?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Declan Bennett as Charlie Cotton in EastEnders.<\/span><\/figcaption> BBC<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

Charlie Cotton is the grandson<\/strong> of Dot Branning.<\/p>\n

Named after his paternal grandfather Charlie Cotton Sr, Charlie was introduced in 2014 as the son of the villainous Nick Cotton (John Altman) and his ex-wife Yvonne Cotton (Pauline McLynn).<\/p>\n

In his initial appearances, Charlie pretended to be a police officer and helped to fake the death of his evil father Nick as part of a scheme with his father and mother to make money.<\/p>\n

Eventually, Charlie came clean and tried to make right on the situation, remaining close to Dot and going on to marry Ronnie Mitchell after she was revealed to be pregnant with his baby.<\/p>\n

After Nick returned and cut the breaks to the couple\u2019s car on their wedding day, Ronnie was almost killed in a car crash and was left in a coma.<\/p>\n

During this time, Charlie grew close to her sister Roxy Mitchell (Rita Simons) and they slept together.<\/p>\n

When Ronnie awoke, her marriage to Charlie began to fall apart as he cheated with Roxy, while she cheated with her former flame Vincent Hubbard (Richard Blackwood).<\/p>\n

Eventually, Charlie sought to flee with their baby Matthew but changed his mind and left him to Ronnie and Roxy.<\/p>\n

However, he briefly returned to try and maintain a relationship with his son, but then vanished from the Square after a confrontation with Ronnie and Vincent.<\/p>\n

In the aftermath, Roxy believed him to be dead but Ronnie confirmed they just forced him to leave Walford.<\/p>\n

In 2017, after the deaths of Ronnie and Roxy, Charlie returned months later to regain custody of Matthew and clashed with Ronnie\u2019s widower, Jack Branning (Scott Maslen) in regard to taking his son back to Ireland.<\/p>\n

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Declan Bennett as Charlie Cotton holding baby Matthew in EastEnders.<\/span><\/figcaption> BBC<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

The feud was exacerbated by Jack\u2019s scheming and embittered brother Max Branning (Jake Wood).<\/p>\n

In the end, Jack agreed to let Charlie take custody of Matthew and live with him and his new wife, Liz Cotton (Michelle Connolly), in Ireland.<\/p>\n

Max also provides Charlie with a payment to never return and he can use it to fund IVF treatment for him and Liz to have a biological child of their own.<\/p>\n

However, Charlie\u2019s last appearance was in December 2017 when he returned and exposed Max\u2019s scheming to Jack, revealing that he had been paid by Max to take sole custody of Matthew when he initially only wanted contact with him. This prompts Jack to briefly disown Max and also sees Jack spend time with Matthew.<\/p>\n

After these revelations, Charlie returned to Ireland with Matthew and in 2019, Dot revealed that Charlie and Liz had had a child together.<\/p>\n

In January 2020, when Dot appeared in EastEnders for the last time, she revealed she was going to stay with Charlie, Liz and their family in Ireland.<\/p>\n

In December 2022, Charlie contacted Sonia to reveal the circumstances of Dot\u2019s peaceful death in his family home.<\/p>\n

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Read more:<\/strong><\/p>\n