EASTENDERS legend John Altman was accused of “going nuts” at a BGT star after she impersonated his soap mum Dot Cotton.
Altman, 73, who played Nasty Nick, is said to have clashed with stunned Francine Lewis, 49, after an event.
Altman said he and June Brown ‘knew our characters so well that we just kept on improvising’[/caption]
She has affectionately mimicked actress June Brown’s character Dot for years, including in her 2013 BGT routine.
But it is claimed Altman became furious when she did it as they walked off stage at London’s Hippodrome while her son Jake filmed her.
She said: “I started to do Dot, and he literally went nuts. He went to me, ‘Delete that now’, and he pushed his hand towards me.
“I didn’t even have a phone in my hand. My son was filming, and you’d just see his arm flying towards me. My son was in shock.”
Francine went on: “I was taken aback by it. Because I’m not taking the mick, that’s my talent.
“June Brown’s a legend. I stayed like a lady, I never said a word, and I just walked away. I’m not gonna judge him. It doesn’t matter, it’s done. But you know, if I see him around, I’ll never say hello.”
Earlier, Altman said he and June — who died in 2022 aged 95 — “knew our characters so well that we just kept on improvising.
“The crew must have been looking around wondering where all the missing pages of script had gone!”
The actor, in EastEnders from the first episode in 1985, also revealed he is no longer in contact with his former castmates.
The Sun on Sunday contacted his rep for comment.
