“I shall miss you and I shall always love you as I know you love me. So, goodbye my dearest girl, your loving grandma, Dot,” she added.
But fans jumped to the conclusion this was a final goodbye from the EastEnders legend.
One wrote: “I get nervous whenever Dot goes on one of her sabbaticals. #EastEnders.”
“Dot will probably die when she’s in Ireland visiting Charlie. Her goodbye sounded so final. #Eastenders,” a second shared.
A third tweeted: “I think Dot’s departure tonight was very final hope this isn’t the end of her. She deserves so much more than that exit #EastEnders.”
EastEnders continues Friday on BBC One at 8pm.