Children in Need 2014: Dot Cotton strips off to be pin-up girl for EastEnders charity calendar

June Brown has taken part in a fun idea to raise funds for the annual appeal

Dot Cotton, played by June Brown, takes part in the EastEnders charity calendar for BBC Children in Need (BBC)

Dot Cotton has become a calendar pin-up girl in the name of charity, along with other stars of long-running soap EastEnders.

The cast has joined forces to raise money for BBC Children in Need, after regularly taking part in the annual appeal show with entertaining sketches.

The fun new idea was inspired by a recent EastEnders storyline, in which Sonia and Kush encourage Walford residents to strip off for a charity calendar.

Many of the series' most famous faces will feature in the calendar, including Lauren Branning (Jacqueline Jossa) and Whitney Dean (Shona McGarty) who posed behind a lilo outside Walford East underground station, and Peter Beale (Ben Hardy), who took his top off for a cheeky shoot in Beale's Plaice fish and chip shop.

Then there's Sonia Fowler (Natalie Cassidy), seen protecting her modesty with the help of a glittery red heart for Valentine's Day in February. This shoot was seen on an EastEnders episode last week.

"When we developed our calendar storyline featuring so many of Albert Square's residents as viewers have never seen them before, it seemed such a shame not to share the fun with our audience," said Dominic Treadwell-Collins.

"It's been a long time since EastEnders released a calendar – and this is the perfect opportunity for EastEnders fans to get hold of something a little bit special while raising money for such a worthwhile cause."

June Brown has been playing the now iconic role of Dot since 1985. She first featured as the mother of criminal Nick Cotton and is the second longest-serving character currently appearing in the soap, after Ian Beale.

There are more Children in Needs treats in store from EastEnders, as Pam St Clement, who played Albert Square matriarch Pat Butcher for more than 25 years, will make a surprise return from the grave alongside other ghosts of the soap's past in a special sketch on Friday 14 November.

The EastEnders calendar 2015 is available now from bbcchildreninneedshop.co.uk and Welcome Break stores across the UK.

It costs £10 with a minimum of £5 donated to BBC Children in Need.