EastEnders airs emotional return for iconic character in early BBC iPlayer release
Warning: Contains spoilers for Monday's episode of EastEnders, which airs tonight on BBC One at 7:30pm or can be streamed now on BBC iPlayer.
Rejoice! Our beloved, bejewelled queen is back in Albert Square – Pat Evans (Pam St Clement) has staged her EastEnders return.
The comeback is slightly earlier than anticipated, as she wasn't due to appear until tomorrow's episode.
It comes as Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) and Julie Bates (Karen Henthorn) debated placing her husband Nigel (Paul Bradley), who is living with dementia, in a care home.
He's been living with Phil for the last year, and the pair have already had disagreements about how to look after him.
Nige's symptoms are worsening, and last week he accidentally knocked Julie's eye and badly bruised her. It also became apparent in today's episode that he is now incontinent.
Phil and Julie were trying to put on a brave face ahead of his festive film screening, but it didn't exactly go to plan. He stood on stage to make his speech to the audience, and the lights of the projector shone on Julie's injuries.
He knew that something had happened, and she explained that he had done it accidentally. But it wasn't enough to save the evening – he stormed out, as everyone watched on.
Hot on his heels, Phil and Julie found him stood alone on Turpin Road and began to discuss the care home option again. Nigel overheard, and they had to reassure him that they weren't referring to him.
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As he wandered off alone, his memories of the past began to crossover into the present day. Noise of a party echoed from the seemingly empty Queen Vic, and once inside, Nigel was transported back to the '90s.
A punter snapped a picture on a Polaroid camera, there was a tonne of tinsel, folk were smoking, and the bust of Her Majesty was a chalky white colour.
Most importantly, Pat was sat in a booth. Cue the doof doofs!
Read more:
- EastEnders airs tragic exit scenes for Mitchell family member in early BBC iPlayer release
- EastEnders airs desperate Sam Mitchell scenes as she takes advantage of Nigel Bates in BBC iPlayer release
- EastEnders Christmas and New Year spoilers: Your day-by-day guide as Slater and Branning secrets implode
- EastEnders 2025 Christmas schedule confirmed by BBC - including festive episode timings
- EastEnders reveals Anthony Trueman's disturbing secret as Zoe Slater falls into his trap in 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.
