Summary[]
Dot and Ethel look after baby Vicki and reminisce about their own childhoods.
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While Ethel looks after Vicki on a rainy day, she and Dot reminisce about their lives during World War II, including Dot being evacuated to Wales and her "auntie" Gwen and "uncle" Will wanting to adopt her and Ethel finding her house destroyed and parents killed by a German Doodlebug but Ethel was concerned about her belongings so her brother hit her. Dot confesses that Charlie once forced her to have an abortion or he would leave her, which caused Dr Legg to punch Charlie, but Ethel does not hear Dot saying this. Dot goes out to buy Ethel a loaf of bread and when she gets back, she thinks Ethel has died and prays for her soul but Ethel is only asleep; Dot becomes hysterical so Ethel slaps her but then apologises and Dot calms down. Ethel says everyone looks down on here but she is not a serious person and she misses the old East End. Dot and Ethel then sing to Vicki to get her to sleep. |
Credits[]
- Dot Cotton - June Brown
- Ethel Skinner - Gretchen Franklin
- Vicki Fowler - Emma Herry (uncredited)
Locations[]
- Albert Square
- 1B Albert Square - Living room
Notes[]
- Julia's Theme is used at the end of the episode.
- This episode is a 'two-hander' and only features the characters Dot and Ethel (excluding baby Vicki, who has no speaking lines).
- Radio Times synopsis: 'She thinks she's happy and free from care, she's not what she seems to be.'
- Viewing Figures: UK broadcast - 13,850,000 viewers (chart placing unknown).
- For its 2025 upload to BBC iPlayer as "Classic EastEnders", this episode was entitled Dot & Ethel Reminisce.
Dialogue[]
DOT COTTON: From the beginning then.
ETHEL SKINNER: Oh, never again Dot. Never from the beginning.