EASTENDERS' June Brown was said to have left the soap as she "wasn't getting storylines and didn't like the new Dotty," claims John Altman.

The 93-year-old soap star quit her role as chain-smoking hypochondriac Dot Cotton after playing her for 35 years in February.

6 June Brown left Eastenders as she 'wasn't getting storylines' Credit: Rex Features

And now, former co-star John - who once played Dot's bad boy son Nick - has revealed the real reason behind her departure.

Speaking to the Sun's TV Mag, John, 68, admitted: "I spoke to her obviously but I don’t want to quote her but I think generally, bless her heart, she’s 93 number one, so she does get very tired these days and number two I don’t think she was getting the best of storylines.

"She’s very much a die hard professional in the business and she wasn’t getting quite what she was… she wasn’t very impressed by some of the writing she was getting."

Nick also claimed June was far from impressed with new Dotty actress Milly Zero.

6 Former co-star John Altman opened up on her departure to The Sun's TV Mag Credit: Handout

6 June left the BBC soap earlier this year Credit: BBC

6 June and Nick starred alongside old Dotty actress Molly Conlin Credit: Dan Charity - The Sun

Milly replaced former Dotty star Molly Conlin, who appeared on the BBC soap for two years from 2008.

The actor continued: "It was a great shame that Molly Conlin wasn’t brought back as Dotty as well, I don’t think she was very happy about that.

"And nor was I, actually, I didn’t understand why when they had the original actress who’d grown up why they hadn’t brought her back, but that’s up to the BBC."

He added: "I think all those things I’d mentioned - tired, not delighted with the storylines and a different Dotty. She just wasn’t happy anymore so she had to decide to leave, which is a shame."

6 According to John, June isn't a fan of new Dotty Credit: BBC

6 The actress has been a regular since 1985 Credit: Getty Images - Getty

June revealed she was leaving Albert Square earlier this year.

She said: “I don’t want a retainer for EastEnders, I’ve left. I’ve left for good.

“I’ve sent her off to Ireland where she’ll stay. I’ve left EastEnders. I did make up a limerick. It’s a bit dirty.

“I went back to do a good story. Alas and alack, when I got back it had gone up in smoke.

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“I got a small part, a very small part. And that ended up as a big wet fart. Alas and alack, I will never go back.”

The veteran actress has been a regular since just after the BBC1 soap began in 1985, apart from a break between 1993 and 1997.

Read John's full interview in The Sun's TV Mag.

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