EastEnders: West End star to play Dot’s grandson
By Sam Rigby
EastEnders
has announced that Dot Cotton’s long lost grandson is to join the show later this year.
West End star Declan Bennett will play Charlie Cotton, eldest son of bad boy Nick, whom Dot never knew existed.
Declan (pictured right) is currently playing the lead role of Guy in the Tony award-winning musical Once at London’s Phoenix Theatre.
Discussing his new role in EastEnders, the actor said: “I’m delighted to be joining the cast of EastEnders, especially at what seems to be an extremely exciting time for the show. June Brown is not only an incredible actress but has also created one of TV’s most iconic characters so to be working alongside her is a dream come true.”
Dominic Treadwell-Collins, the BBC soap’s Executive Producer, added: “Declan is a genuinely raw, instinctive and intelligent actor. It’s tremendously exciting for us to have him join our cast – and the double whammy of him and June Brown working together is going to be electric.
“With Dot feeling increasingly alone in the world, Charlie’s surprise appearance means that she finally has some blood whom she can trust. But should she?” he teased.
Bennett will arrive on set later this month, with his first scenes airing in March.