EastEnders' Gemma Bissix opens up on emotional return as Clare and bond with Barbara Windsor
Clare Bates returns to Walford next week.
Gemma Bissix has opened up about her emotional return to EastEnders after 18 years, a role she had always hoped to reprise.
EastEnders recently confirmed that Bissix would return to Walford for a short stint in which emotions will run high as old wounds are reopened with Julie Bates (Karen Henthorn) along with some classic soapy drama.
Bissix's return is part of Nigel's ongoing dementia storyline, in which news will reach Clare that her estranged stepdad has young-onset dementia diagnosis, and is shocked to confront the reality of his worsening cognitive ability.
For Bissix, the storyline is close to her heart due to her friend's father having early onset dementia.
She told The Sun on Sunday: "He was in a care home when we were in our 20s and we used to drive down from Surrey with her every couple of weeks to see him. It's such a heartbreaking disease."
Speaking of her return to Walford, Bissix said it felt like "coming home", adding: "All the guys from the market, all the supporting artists, long-standing regulars — they all said I hadn’t changed a bit.
"I was like, thank you! It’s only 20 years and I have aged a bit."
Bissix hasn't been on screen alongside Paul Bradley for almost 20 years but admitted it felt as though "no time had passed at all".
Bissix explained that her return to Albert Square was particularly poignant due to her bond with the late Dame Barbara Windsor.
"Barbara was such an amazing friend to me," Bissix told the publication. "She got me my agent when I left EastEnders at 15. She was just an amazing woman, and her husband Scott – what an amazing man.
"He sent me messages saying how proud she was of me because I’d started out so young. Scott told me that Barbara always said that I was going to be a star. How lovely is that?"
Clare will make her return to Walford next week and reunites with old friend Chelsea Fox (Zaraah Abrahams) before making her way to the Mitchell residence.
Tension is at an all time high between Julie and Clare, and Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) insists they can't bring their drama to the hospital. While at the hospital, Clare is shaken to see Nigel look so fragile and is upset when he doesn't recognise her.
Later, Lexi and Clare decide to discharge Nigel from hospital and bring him back to The Vic for a special party in his honour. The community rally together to give him a warm welcome and, after a lovely evening, Phil, Julie and Clare take Nigel to his new home, with the enormity of the situation beginning to sink in.
On reprising her 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!"
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Authors
Katelyn Mensah is the Senior Entertainment Writer for Radio Times, covering all major entertainment programmes, reality TV shows and the latest hard-hitting documentaries. She previously worked at The Tab, with a focus on reality TV and showbiz news and has obtained a BA (Hons) in Journalism.
