John Bardon who played 'Jim Branning' of Eastenders passes away aged 75

 John Bardon, who played Dot’s husband, Jim Branning, from 1996 to 2011 has died aged 75.

According to BBC, everyone at EastEnders is devastated that much loved actor, John has sadly passed away. 

 

'Jim Branning'  fell in love with 'Dot' and married her in 2002.

Jim suffered a stroke in 2007, a storyline created to account for his own off-screen illness. When he was well enough to return to EastEnders, he continued to feature in the show until 2011 when he left Walford to be cared for in a nursing home.

 

 

“I am so sorry that John has passed away but hope that he is now at peace after seven difficult years,”  June Brown MBE told BBC. “I shall miss him very much as I loved him dearly.  My thoughts are with his devoted wife, Enda.”

“I’m absolutely gutted,” added Perry Fenwick, who plays Billy. “John was a lovely, lovely man to work with. I’ll miss him”. 

 Natalie Cassidy, who plays Sonia said “I never had a real granddad so John was like an actual granddad to me. He was a lovely man and I learnt a lot from him.”