Jacqueline Jossa was “quite scared” to return to ‘EastEnders’ for Dot Cotton's funeral.

The 30-year-old actress quit the BBC One soap back in 2018 to focus on motherhood, but she will be reprising her role as Lauren Branning as she says her final goodbye to Dot.

June Brown, played the Walford launderette worker in two stints over 31 years, died in April 2022 aged 95, and now her iconic character is getting a farewell on-screen.

‘EastEnders’ will air a memorial special on Monday night (12.12.22) in memory of June and her alter ego.

Jossa has done so little acting in recent years she was worried that when she stepped back on set she would not remember what she was supposed to do in front of the cameras.

She told the Daily Star’s Hot TV column: “I was quite scared. I was like, ‘I can’t remember how to act, I don’t know what I’m doing.'

“I was really nervous. I just felt a bit rusty. I didn’t know whether people were going to see me as Lauren again.

“But then I walked in and saw people like Scott Maslen and Natalie Cassidy and people behind the cameras and straight away I was at home. It was the same people all friendly faces. It was genuinely like being back at home.”

A number of Walford’s classic characters will be making a comeback to Albert Square to pay their respects.

Stars such as Lord Michael Cashman (Colin Russell), Gary Hailes (Barry Clark), Linda Davidson (Mary ‘the punk’ Smith) and more are returning for Dot's farewell.

Lauren, who shot to fame playing Dot’s step-granddaughter in 2010, was emotional over June’s death and said it was like watching her real grandma die.

She added: “June is part of the furniture. She is like family, she is your nan. When you watch this episode, it’s like you are watching your grandma die. The whole Britain will feel that when they watch it.”