Dotty Cotton is discovered unconscious in Monday's episode of EastEnders (8:00 pm. see our TV Guide for full listings).
Dotty Cotton is brooding over something, not knowing that a smitten Vinny Panesar is secretly arranging a surprise belated birthday party for her at the club. It's soon clear why Dotty is in such a dark mood, as Patrick Trueman tells her that they're thinking of her grandma Dot.
It's the anniversary of her dad Nick Cotton's death from a heroin overdose seven years ago. Although Dotty's mum Sandy Gibson's recent bombshell news that Rocky Cotton is in fact her real father is still troubling Dotty.
Patrick is taken aback when she storms out of the cafe after his kind words and he and Sonia Fowler later see her laying flowers outside, No.23, the place where Nick died.
Meanwhile, Vinny is getting excited about his surprise for Dotty and it's action stations at the club when she walks into her surprise party. Vinny is horrified when instead of being delighted by the surprise she's in a fury!
Dotty accuses Vinny of trying to embarrass her and points out it's the anniversary of her dad's death.
Struggling to cope with her emotions, Dotty is soon downing the booze, and when she later sees Mitch Baker picking up the flowers she's left, she goes on a drunken rant.
Rocky sees Dotty losing it and is concerned, offering her his help. But Dotty furiously rejects him and stumbles off.
Later, Rocky and Vinny find Dotty collapsed and unconscious...
Sharon Watts is also struggling as it is the anniversary of her son Denny Rickman's death in the Thames boat tragedy. Zack Hudson is concerned for Sharon when she's snappy with Jada Lennox, telling her to get a hustle on to do her first day in the salon.
Zack brings up the anniversary and tells Sharon he knows it must be hard for her. After Zack's kind words she feels bad for being so irritable with Jada.
When Sharon later pops into the salon she's disappointed to see that Jada's been giving the most menial of jobs and is doing the sweeping. Salon manager Denise Fox tells Sharon it's down to regulations. With Sharon keen for Jada to do some treatments, Denise suggests Sharon can be Jada's guinea pig!
Has she made a big mistake?
Stacey Slater is feeling rattled as she's still concerned that mum Jean Slater may be going off the rails again. She shares her worries with Eve Unwin, who tries to reassure her.
But she's not feeling in the least bit reassured and later she talks to Kat Slater about Jean. Kat thinks Stacey is overreacting, but is she right?
Hoping for a better rest of the day, Stacey heads out for her date with Kheerat Panesar. Will it go as planned?
Also, Kheerat Panesar is up to something as he creates an email account under the name 'Chantelle Atkins'.
EastEnders continues on BBC1 on Tuesday at 7:30 pm.
