Anecdotes

As of 2022 she is the longest serving actress on the history of EastEnders (1985), having played the character Dot Branning for a total of 31 years (initially from 1985 until 1993 and then from 1997 until 2020).

Brown, her mother Louisa and her sister Rosemary all lost children; Louisa survived both her daughter Marise and son John, Rosemary survived her son Michael and June survived her daughter Chloe.

Was in attendance when her former EastEnders (1985) co-star Barbara Windsor received her damehood from Queen Elizabeth II on 22 March 2016.

She was awarded the MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) in the 2008 Queen's Birthday Honours List for her services to drama and to charity.

Was in attendance at the funeral of her former EastEnders (1985) co-star Wendy Richard (9 March 2009).

Is one of 8 EastEnders (1985) actors to have won the Lifetime Achievement Award at the British Soap Awards; the others are Wendy Richard, Barbara Windsor, Pam St. Clement, Adam Woodyatt, Steve McFadden, Rudolph Walker and Letitia Dean.

Was in attendance at the wedding of her EastEnders (1985) co-star Samantha Womack to Mark Womack (17 May 2009).

Ranked #11 in the 100 Greatest EastEnders (1985) Characters of All Time for her performance as Dot Branning (2010).

Daughter of Henry William Melton (1888-1960) and Louisa Ann (née Butler) Brown (1899-1961).

One of her most financially rewarding roles, aside from her regular role in EastEnders (1985), turned out to be her minor guest role in The Time Warrior: Part One (1973), a popular serial starring Jon Pertwee which became available on VHS in 1989 and has since been released on DVD. Brown consequently earned good royalties from it.

Sister to Marise (1925-1934), Rosemary (1930-2000), John (1932) and Lois (b. 1936).

Was presented her Lifetime Achievement Award at The British Soap Awards 2005 (2005) by her former EastEnders (1985) co-star Anna Wing. Wing's character Lou Beale was Brown's character Dot Cotton's best friend on the show.

She was awarded the OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) in the 2022 Queen's New Years Honours List for her services to Drama and to Charity in Chipstead, Surrey, England.

Received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2005 British Soap Awards.

Ranked #7 in The 100 Greatest EastEnders (1985) Characters of All Time for her performance as Dot Branning (2015).

Grandmother of Matthew (b. 1986), John (b. 1989) and Bethany Penfold (b. 1991) via daughter Chloe.

Her maternal grandmother was of Ashkenazi and Sephardi Jewish descent (with family from Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, and Algeria). June's maternal three times great-grandfather was Dutch Jewish bare-knuckle boxer Isaac Haim Bitton/Bittoon, from Amsterdam.

Aunt to Ann (b. 1953), Michael (1954) and Michelle (b. 1955) via her sister Rosemary and her husband William Thompson, and Heather (b. 1960), Angela (b. 1964) and Hugh (b. 1964) via her sister Lois and her husband Geoffrey Waldron.

June and her second husband Robert Arnold had six children while she was in her thirties. Louise Arnold in March 1959; Chloe Arnold in June 1960 (she was born 12 weeks premature and died 16 days later), Sophie E. Arnold in June 1961, William M. Arnold in September 1962, Chloe J. Arnold in June 1964 and Naomi Arnold in September 1966.

At 17 she joined the Wrens working as a cinema operator showing films to the service men.

Trained at the Old Vic Theatre School then the RSC.