Dotty Cotton
Encyclopedia
Kirsty "Dotty" Cotton is a fictional character from the BBC
soap opera EastEnders
, played by Molly Conlin
. Dotty is the daughter of Nick Cotton
(John Altman) and Sandy (Caroline Pegg
), and the granddaughter of Dot Cotton (June Brown
). She first appeared on 26 December 2008. Dotty's storylines mainly centred on her and her father's devious ways. She assisted Nick in trying to kill her grandmother, Dot, by persuading her that she was suffering from dementia
and later trying to poison her, to inherit the money from her will. She and Dot subsequently became friends after Nick's failed murder attempt. In her final storyline, shown on 23 February 2010, Dotty left Walford
with her mother Sandy, whom she had believed to be dead.
). While serving time in prison, Nick received a letter from Sandy telling him that she had given birth to their daughter. Upon his early release in April 2008, Nick took custody of Dotty, telling her that Sandy had died in a car crash.
on Christmas Day with Nick, to see her estranged grandmother Dot Branning
(June Brown
). Nick introduces Dot to Dotty and they quickly bond. Nick lies to Dot that he had promised to send money to Sandy on the condition that she named their daughter Dorothy after her grandmother, so that Dot will trust him and bond with his daughter; Dot does not know Dotty's real name. After spending the night, Dotty begs Dot to let them stay longer. Dot soon discovers that Nick is unemployed and he and Dotty have been living rough. Nick says he will either put Dotty into care or sell her to Dot. After serious consideration, she buys Dotty to get her away from Nick. Dotty learns that Dot has left all her money to Dotty in her will
, and tells Nick. They plan to kill Dot to inherit the money, and trick her into thinking she is suffering from dementia
. Eventually, Dotty is told by Nick to give Dot an overdose of her medication, but, Dotty has had a change of heart and gives the pills to Nick in his beer. When Nick learns of Dotty's double-crossing, he drags her to the café and holds everyone inside hostage. Dotty escapes along with most of the others, but the café explodes, and in the commotion, Nick escapes. Dot suspects Dotty may be just as evil as Nick, so plants some tablets on the kitchen table whilst Dotty has her back turned. Dot leaves the room and spies on Dotty, who ignores the tablets.
Dot holds a birthday party for Dotty, inviting Tiffany Dean
(Maisie Smith
) and Liam Butcher
(James Forde
), but they do not want to go. The next day, Tiffany tells Dotty she is not invited to her birthday party. Dotty tells Dot that Tiffany is not having a party and asks if they can invite her round. When they ask Tiffany's mother Bianca Jackson
(Patsy Palmer
), Bianca invites them to Tiffany's party. The next day, Tiffany and Dotty lie so they do not have to go to school. Dotty takes Tiffany's bridesmaid's dress and MP3 player and runs away with them, throwing the MP3 player into a bin. Dotty pushes Tiffany into the bin as she tries to retrieve it. Dotty then runs away to avoid getting in trouble, and when Tiffany is found, Bianca visits Dot, who says Dotty is a kind and gentle girl. Dotty tells Dot she knows nothing about the dress but Dot then finds it in Dotty's school bag. Dot returns the dress to Bianca without Dotty's knowledge. Dotty is left alone with Dot's husband Jim Branning
(John Bardon
) who is recovering from a stroke. She pours water on him to make it seem he has wet himself, but Dot catches her. Dotty says she hates them both and wishes that Nick had killed Dot. Dot smacks Dotty across the legs and Dotty manipulates her into letting her stay off school. After Dotty calls the police, Dot is arrested for assault but is released without charge. Dotty apologises.
Dot receives a visit from Dotty's mother Sandy. Dot assumes she is from Social Services, but Sandy says she is looking for her daughter Kirsty. Dot says she knows nobody of that name, but when she sees a photo she realises that it is Dotty. Dot hides Sandy's visit from Dotty, but later talks to Sandy about her daughter and her past. She also asks Dotty about the friends and family she used to have, but Dotty says Dot is the only family she needs. However, the child soon admits that she misses her mother, and Dot reveals that she is alive and Nick had lied to her. Dotty says she wants to see her mother, so Dot calls her. When Sandy arrives, Dotty is delighted and Dot tells Dotty she should go with Sandy. They say an emotional goodbye, and Dot says she can visit at any time.
Conlin was considered too old for the part of Tiffany Dean
she initially auditioned for but she succeeded in impressing the producers, who offered her the role of Dotty instead. Dotty was supposed to be eleven years old, but on Conlin's casting, they changed her to be seven. She was originally meant to be a guest character. She first appeared on 26 December 2008. Santer praised Conlin for her portrayal of Dotty saying, "I love that little girl because she's having to play all these layers. Normally, what kids have to do of that age is say lines and be cute. She, though, has to play layers of deception. She has to play a character who's acting."
told Digital Spy
in May 2009 that Dotty's storyline would go "to a very, very dark place!" He questioned whether the character was born bad or if her father had made her that way, and if she could be more dangerous than Nick. Dotty left on 23 February 2010.
though the Daily Record
described Dotty as "a chip off her grandma's block". Charlie Clements
, who played Bradley Branning
, said that Dotty, being Nick's daughter, was "bound to be a bit iffy." He also called her "evil", as did several critics. Roz Laws from the Sunday Mercury
called her pigtails 'cute'. Simon called Dotty "[the] apple that hasn't fallen far from the tree." On Holy Soap
, Dotty is called a "demon child" and "sweetness and light" on the surface, "but underneath lurks a devil!". The Daily Record called Dotty "angelic
", while Sara Wallis from the Daily Mirror described her as "nasty". Nancy Banks-Smith from The Guardian
described Dotty as "enigmatic" and The Sun said "Dotty is one of the youngest, most wicked female soap villains".
from The Omen
and Regan MacNeil from The Exorcist
. Stuart Heritage from The Guardian
said that Dotty gave him "the willies". He said, "Technically Dotty has already left EastEnders, but it was an open-ended goodbye and she's free to return whenever she likes. This must not happen, simply because she gives me the willies more than anything else I've ever seen." Ruth Deller form Lowculture
criticised the character, calling her "Dick Van Dyke
in little girl form". Jane Simon from the Daily Mirror criticised Dotty's accent and the storyline surrounding poisoning Dot. On Dotty's departure, Maeve Quigley from the Daily Mirror said that she was glad to see Dotty leave. Brown opined that Dot and Nick's storyline with Dotty was one of her highlights of the series, as did Altman.
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
soap opera EastEnders
EastEnders
EastEnders is a British television soap opera, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 19 February 1985 and continuing to today. EastEnders storylines examine the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work in the fictional London Borough of Walford in the East End...
, played by Molly Conlin
Molly Conlin
Molly Frances Conlin is an English child actress from Essex, best known for her role in the BBC soap opera EastEnders as Dotty Cotton.-Personal life:Conlin was born in Essex where she lives with her mother and her brother, Jack...
. Dotty is the daughter of Nick Cotton
Nick Cotton
Nick Cotton is a fictional character from the British soap opera EastEnders played by John Altman on a recurring basis from the soap's debut episode in February 1985, through to his last appearance to date in 2009. Nick is the son of characters Charlie and Dot Cotton, and the father of Ashley and...
(John Altman) and Sandy (Caroline Pegg
Caroline Pegg
Caroline Pegg is an English actress. She has appeared in several television series including Holby City, Hotel Babylon, Queer as Folk and The Bill. In February 2010 she appeared in the BBC soap opera EastEnders playing Sandy, the estranged mother of Dotty Cotton.-External links:...
), and the granddaughter of Dot Cotton (June Brown
June Brown
June Muriel Brown, MBE is a British actress, best known for her role as the busy-body, chain-smoking gossip Dot Cotton in the long-running British soap opera EastEnders and for making other high profile television appearances on shows such as Doctor Who, Coronation Street, Minder, The Bill and...
). She first appeared on 26 December 2008. Dotty's storylines mainly centred on her and her father's devious ways. She assisted Nick in trying to kill her grandmother, Dot, by persuading her that she was suffering from dementia
Dementia
Dementia is a serious loss of cognitive ability in a previously unimpaired person, beyond what might be expected from normal aging...
and later trying to poison her, to inherit the money from her will. She and Dot subsequently became friends after Nick's failed murder attempt. In her final storyline, shown on 23 February 2010, Dotty left Walford
Walford
Walford is a fictional borough of east London in the BBC soap opera EastEnders. The name Walford is both a street in Dalston where one of the series' creators, Tony Holland, lived and a blend of Walthamstow, where Holland was born, and Stratford. The suffix 'ford' is also found throughout East...
with her mother Sandy, whom she had believed to be dead.
Backstory
Dotty, whose real name is Kirsty, was conceived in a one-night stand between Nick and an alcoholic woman named Sandy (Caroline PeggCaroline Pegg
Caroline Pegg is an English actress. She has appeared in several television series including Holby City, Hotel Babylon, Queer as Folk and The Bill. In February 2010 she appeared in the BBC soap opera EastEnders playing Sandy, the estranged mother of Dotty Cotton.-External links:...
). While serving time in prison, Nick received a letter from Sandy telling him that she had given birth to their daughter. Upon his early release in April 2008, Nick took custody of Dotty, telling her that Sandy had died in a car crash.
2008–2010
Dotty arrives in WalfordWalford
Walford is a fictional borough of east London in the BBC soap opera EastEnders. The name Walford is both a street in Dalston where one of the series' creators, Tony Holland, lived and a blend of Walthamstow, where Holland was born, and Stratford. The suffix 'ford' is also found throughout East...
on Christmas Day with Nick, to see her estranged grandmother Dot Branning
Dot Branning
Dorothy "Dot" Branning is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera, EastEnders, played by June Brown since 1985. In a special episode entitled EastEnders: Dot's Story a young Dot was played by Tallulah Pitt-Brown in flashbacks. Dot first appeared in EastEnders in July 1985 as the mother of...
(June Brown
June Brown
June Muriel Brown, MBE is a British actress, best known for her role as the busy-body, chain-smoking gossip Dot Cotton in the long-running British soap opera EastEnders and for making other high profile television appearances on shows such as Doctor Who, Coronation Street, Minder, The Bill and...
). Nick introduces Dot to Dotty and they quickly bond. Nick lies to Dot that he had promised to send money to Sandy on the condition that she named their daughter Dorothy after her grandmother, so that Dot will trust him and bond with his daughter; Dot does not know Dotty's real name. After spending the night, Dotty begs Dot to let them stay longer. Dot soon discovers that Nick is unemployed and he and Dotty have been living rough. Nick says he will either put Dotty into care or sell her to Dot. After serious consideration, she buys Dotty to get her away from Nick. Dotty learns that Dot has left all her money to Dotty in her will
Will (law)
A will or testament is a legal declaration by which a person, the testator, names one or more persons to manage his/her estate and provides for the transfer of his/her property at death...
, and tells Nick. They plan to kill Dot to inherit the money, and trick her into thinking she is suffering from dementia
Dementia
Dementia is a serious loss of cognitive ability in a previously unimpaired person, beyond what might be expected from normal aging...
. Eventually, Dotty is told by Nick to give Dot an overdose of her medication, but, Dotty has had a change of heart and gives the pills to Nick in his beer. When Nick learns of Dotty's double-crossing, he drags her to the café and holds everyone inside hostage. Dotty escapes along with most of the others, but the café explodes, and in the commotion, Nick escapes. Dot suspects Dotty may be just as evil as Nick, so plants some tablets on the kitchen table whilst Dotty has her back turned. Dot leaves the room and spies on Dotty, who ignores the tablets.
Dot holds a birthday party for Dotty, inviting Tiffany Dean
Tiffany Dean
Tiffany Butcher is a fictional character from the BBC One soap opera EastEnders, played by Maisie Smith. Tiffany is the daughter of established characters Bianca Jackson and Ricky Butcher , though originally she was believed to be Bianca's daughter with a man named Nathan Dean...
(Maisie Smith
Maisie Smith
Maisie Lily Smith is an English actress. She has appeared in the feature film The Other Boleyn Girl and has played the regular role of Tiffany Butcher in the BBC soap opera EastEnders since 2008.- Career :...
) and Liam Butcher
Liam Butcher
Liam Butcher is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by twins Jack and Tom Godolphin in 1998 and 1999, Gavin and Mitchell Vaughan in 2002, and by Nathaniel Gleed from 2002 to 2004...
(James Forde
James Forde
James Forde is a young British character actor.James Forde is currently starring as Liam Butcher the son of Ricky Butcher and Bianca Jackson in long running soap EastEnders and has been there since April 2008 at the age of ten, taking over the role from Nathaniel Gleed. He is the 6th actor to play...
), but they do not want to go. The next day, Tiffany tells Dotty she is not invited to her birthday party. Dotty tells Dot that Tiffany is not having a party and asks if they can invite her round. When they ask Tiffany's mother Bianca Jackson
Bianca Jackson
Bianca Butcher is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Patsy Palmer. The character was introduced by executive producer Leonard Lewis and appeared initially from 1993 to 1999, when Palmer opted to leave. In 2002 executive producer John Yorke brought the character...
(Patsy Palmer
Patsy Palmer
Patsy Palmer is an English actress. Palmer made an early television appearance on the children's drama show Grange Hill, but is best known for playing Bianca Jackson in the popular British television soap opera EastEnders. Originally in the cast from 1993–1999, Palmer returned to EastEnders in...
), Bianca invites them to Tiffany's party. The next day, Tiffany and Dotty lie so they do not have to go to school. Dotty takes Tiffany's bridesmaid's dress and MP3 player and runs away with them, throwing the MP3 player into a bin. Dotty pushes Tiffany into the bin as she tries to retrieve it. Dotty then runs away to avoid getting in trouble, and when Tiffany is found, Bianca visits Dot, who says Dotty is a kind and gentle girl. Dotty tells Dot she knows nothing about the dress but Dot then finds it in Dotty's school bag. Dot returns the dress to Bianca without Dotty's knowledge. Dotty is left alone with Dot's husband Jim Branning
Jim Branning
James Archibald "Jim" Branning is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by John Bardon, first appearing on 29 April 1996 and becoming a regular character in 1999 and has remained in the series right up to 2011....
(John Bardon
John Bardon
John Bardon, is an English stage and screen actor. He was awarded the Laurence Olivier Award in 1988 as 'Best Actor in a Musical' for Kiss Me, Kate, sharing the award with co-star Emil Wolk.-Acting career:Bardon is best known for playing Jim Branning in the popular British soap opera EastEnders...
) who is recovering from a stroke. She pours water on him to make it seem he has wet himself, but Dot catches her. Dotty says she hates them both and wishes that Nick had killed Dot. Dot smacks Dotty across the legs and Dotty manipulates her into letting her stay off school. After Dotty calls the police, Dot is arrested for assault but is released without charge. Dotty apologises.
Dot receives a visit from Dotty's mother Sandy. Dot assumes she is from Social Services, but Sandy says she is looking for her daughter Kirsty. Dot says she knows nobody of that name, but when she sees a photo she realises that it is Dotty. Dot hides Sandy's visit from Dotty, but later talks to Sandy about her daughter and her past. She also asks Dotty about the friends and family she used to have, but Dotty says Dot is the only family she needs. However, the child soon admits that she misses her mother, and Dot reveals that she is alive and Nick had lied to her. Dotty says she wants to see her mother, so Dot calls her. When Sandy arrives, Dotty is delighted and Dot tells Dotty she should go with Sandy. They say an emotional goodbye, and Dot says she can visit at any time.
Casting
It was announced in December 2008 that Molly Conlin had been cast as Dotty. Speaking of her casting, Conlin said, "I'm really excited about it because I have always wanted to be in EastEnders."Conlin was considered too old for the part of Tiffany Dean
Tiffany Dean
Tiffany Butcher is a fictional character from the BBC One soap opera EastEnders, played by Maisie Smith. Tiffany is the daughter of established characters Bianca Jackson and Ricky Butcher , though originally she was believed to be Bianca's daughter with a man named Nathan Dean...
she initially auditioned for but she succeeded in impressing the producers, who offered her the role of Dotty instead. Dotty was supposed to be eleven years old, but on Conlin's casting, they changed her to be seven. She was originally meant to be a guest character. She first appeared on 26 December 2008. Santer praised Conlin for her portrayal of Dotty saying, "I love that little girl because she's having to play all these layers. Normally, what kids have to do of that age is say lines and be cute. She, though, has to play layers of deception. She has to play a character who's acting."
Storyline development
It was revealed, upon Dotty's arrival, that Nick would sell Dotty to Dot. A source said, "[Dot]'s horrified when Nick tells her Dotty is for sale. He shows no emotion and his evil grin sends shivers down her spine. She always knew Nick would sell his soul for the price of some pick 'n mix but she had no idea he'd sell his own daughter ... Dot can't say no to Nick and she's about to make a huge mistake." Nick later blackmails Dot into buying Dotty. John Altman said that Dotty would have "quite a few more surprises up her sleeve to keep the nation guessing". EastEnders executive producer Diederick SanterDiederick Santer
Diederick Santer is a British television producer and is best known for his work on the popular BBC television soap opera EastEnders, a post which he assumed on 23 October 2006 and left on 1 March 2010...
told Digital Spy
Digital Spy
Digital Spy is a British entertainment and media news website. According to Alexa Internet traffic statistics, as of February 2011, Digital Spy is the 93rd most popular website in the United Kingdom, with an overall Alexa ranking of 2,088....
in May 2009 that Dotty's storyline would go "to a very, very dark place!" He questioned whether the character was born bad or if her father had made her that way, and if she could be more dangerous than Nick. Dotty left on 23 February 2010.
Characterisation
The EastEnders website describes Dotty as "a devil in disguise" and "the perennial bad seed, if only her grandma could see it. She might look like butter wouldn't melt, but she's her father's daughter through and through." She was also described as conniving, backstabbing and cold-hearted. Altman described Dotty as "a chip off the old block", as did Nancy Banks-Smith from The GuardianThe Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
though the Daily Record
Daily Record (Scotland)
The Daily Record is a Scottish tabloid newspaper based in Glasgow. It had been the best-selling daily paper in Scotland for many years with a paid circulation in August 2011 of 307,794 . It is now outsold by its arch-rival the Scottish Sun which in September 2010 had a circulation of 339,586 in...
described Dotty as "a chip off her grandma's block". Charlie Clements
Charlie Clements
Charlie Clements is an English actor, best known for the role of Bradley Branning in the BBC soap opera EastEnders from January 2006 to February 2010. He has won several soap and magazine awards for his performance.-Biography:...
, who played Bradley Branning
Bradley Branning
Bradley Branning is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Charlie Clements. He made his first appearance on screen on 24 January 2006 and last appeared on 22 February 2010. Clements has won multiple awards for his portrayal....
, said that Dotty, being Nick's daughter, was "bound to be a bit iffy." He also called her "evil", as did several critics. Roz Laws from the Sunday Mercury
Sunday Mercury
Sunday Mercury is a Sunday tabloid published in Birmingham, UK, and owned by Trinity Mirror.The first editor was John Turner Fearon , who left the Dublin-based Freeman's Journal to take up the position...
called her pigtails 'cute'. Simon called Dotty "[the] apple that hasn't fallen far from the tree." On Holy Soap
Holy Soap
Holy Soap is a UK television and entertainment website founded in June 2009 by the British television company Channel 5. The website is the official UK home of the Australian soap operas Home and Away and Neighbours, which are broadcast on the channel...
, Dotty is called a "demon child" and "sweetness and light" on the surface, "but underneath lurks a devil!". The Daily Record called Dotty "angelic
Angelic
The term Angelic may refer to:* Angel, a supernatural being* Angelic, a UK dance band featuring Darren Tate, Judge Jules and Jules's wife, Amanda O'Riordan.* Angelic acid, an organic compound* Angelic de Grimoard, brother of Pope Urban V...
", while Sara Wallis from the Daily Mirror described her as "nasty". Nancy Banks-Smith from The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
described Dotty as "enigmatic" and The Sun said "Dotty is one of the youngest, most wicked female soap villains".
Reception
Kris Green from Digital Spy compared Dotty's image to that of Damien ThornDamien Thorn
Damien Thorn is the main fictional character and the main antagonist in The Omen series. He is the Antichrist and the son of the Devil. The character has been portrayed by Harvey Stephens, Jonathan Scott-Taylor, Sam Neill, and Seamus Davey-Fitzpatrick...
from The Omen
The Omen
An original score for the film, including the movie's theme song Ave Satani, was composed by Jerry Goldsmith, for which he received the only Oscar of his long career. The score features a strong choral segment, with a foreboding Latin chant...
and Regan MacNeil from The Exorcist
The Exorcist (film)
The Exorcist is a 1973 American horror film directed by William Friedkin, adapted from the 1971 novel of the same name by William Peter Blatty and based on the exorcism case of Robbie Mannheim, dealing with the demonic possession of a young girl and her mother’s desperate attempts to win back her...
. Stuart Heritage from The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
said that Dotty gave him "the willies". He said, "Technically Dotty has already left EastEnders, but it was an open-ended goodbye and she's free to return whenever she likes. This must not happen, simply because she gives me the willies more than anything else I've ever seen." Ruth Deller form Lowculture
Lowculture
lowculture.co.uk is a UK television website founded in January 2003 by Paul Lang, who currently works as the art director of Doctor Who Adventures.-Purpose:...
criticised the character, calling her "Dick Van Dyke
Dick Van Dyke
Richard Wayne "Dick" Van Dyke is an American actor, comedian, writer, and producer with a career spanning six decades. He is the older brother of Jerry Van Dyke, and father of Barry Van Dyke...
in little girl form". Jane Simon from the Daily Mirror criticised Dotty's accent and the storyline surrounding poisoning Dot. On Dotty's departure, Maeve Quigley from the Daily Mirror said that she was glad to see Dotty leave. Brown opined that Dot and Nick's storyline with Dotty was one of her highlights of the series, as did Altman.