EastEnders finally confirms emotional return after 18 years for Nigel’s dementia storyline
A highly-anticipated return to Albert Square.
Gemma Bissix is finally set to reprise her role of Clare Bates in EastEnders for a short stint this spring, almost 18 years since she last set foot in Albert Square.
News will reach the character of her estranged stepdad Nigel Bates's (Paul Bradley) young-onset dementia diagnosis, and she's shocked to confront the reality of his worsening cognitive ability.
Emotions will run high as old wounds are reopened with her step-mum Julie Bates (Karen Henthorn), and the BBC soap has promised that her comeback won't be without a quintessential dose of soapy drama.
Her return also comes at a time when Nige's loved ones must make a conclusive decision about the next stage of his dementia care.
Recent episodes have shown Julie and Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) finally accept that Nigel would need to move into a care home, after he almost drowned in a bath.
EastEnders continues to work with Dementia UK and experts in the field to ensure the plot is portrayed both sensitively and accurately.
On reprising the role, Bissix said: “It was a real pleasure to be asked to reprise the role of Clare for Nigel’s storyline. I was hoping to get the call as I think the fans wanted EastEnders to revisit their relationship.
"Nigel and Clare were a formidable pairing in the 90’s with a very unique stepfather/stepdaughter relationship! It has been so great to reconnect with Paul and Karen after all these years, and it’s crazy how time felt like it had stopped when we did!
"I grew up on the set of EastEnders and essentially learnt my craft there, so it’s been a real full circle moment! Whilst it will be an emotional reunion, I hope the viewers will be pleased to see Clare and Nigel on screen together once again!”
Executive producer Ben Wadey added: "We always knew we wanted to bring Clare Bates back to Walford as we continue Nigel’s storyline, and I’m delighted that Gemma said yes.
"The stepfather and daughter duo share a complicated history and have been estranged for many years, but it was essential for us to revisit this relationship as Nigel’s dementia progresses and the family start to consider his additional care needs.”
Clare Bates's EastEnders backstory
Bissix first appeared as Clare in 1993, striking up a friendship with Janine Butcher (then Alexia Demetriou) and Sonia Jackson (Natalie Cassidy). She later began mixing with a bad crowd, who viciously bullied poor Sonia.
She departed with Nigel and Julie for a new life in Scotland in 1998, several years after he fought for her custody in the wake of his first wife Debbie's (Nicola Duffett) death in a hit and run.
10 years later, she moved in with Dot Branning (June Brown), and ruffled feathers with the residents by trying to sink her claws into Jack and Max Branning (Scott Maslen and Jake Wood), and blackmailing Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt).
Following her failed attempts to woo one generation of the Branning clan, she then targeted vulnerable Bradley Bradley (Charlie Clements), who was in a bad way following his separation from his wife, Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner). She even convinced him to steal some expensive jewellery from an ex-lover.
Working at Tanya Branning's (Jo Joyner) salon, she stole £100 from the till and blamed it on her workmate, Chelsea Fox (then Tiana Benjamin). After stealing another wad of cash from Bradley and trashing Dot's house during a party, she fled in the back of a cab.
Since Nigel's return in 2024, he has frequently requested to see Clare and, on a number of occasions, has mistaken children on Albert Square for her. He even hallucinated a younger version of her in an emotional VE Day instalment.
How will he react to seeing her again after all of this time?
Of course, Bissix has since had multiple stints in Hollyoaks as the villainous Clare Devine.
Read more:
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- EastEnders' Kat Moon and Vicki Fowler make risky move to secure Zoe's freedom in BBC iPlayer release
- EastEnders reveals Mark Fowler Jr's secret and surprise connection to Walford local in BBC iPlayer release
- EastEnders airs dark Ravi Gulati scenes amid revenge story in early BBC iPlayer release
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Authors
Michael Adams is the Soaps Editor at Radio Times, covering all of the hot gossip and spoilers from Weatherfield to Walford, Emmerdale to Hollyoaks and everywhere in-between. He joined the team from Metro, where he spent two years as a Soaps Reporter and previously worked on the sets of both Coronation Street and Emmerdale.
