After 26 years, actor Paul Bradley has returned to the set of EastEnders for a special Christmas Eve episode. Bradley reprises the role of Nigel Bates, the character he portrayed before leaving the iconic soap in 1998. The episode sees Nigel appearing at a community center while his old friend Yolande Trueman, played by Angela Wynter, volunteers. The character left Albert Square to create a new life in Scotland with his partner and adopted daughter.
Despite the time that has passed, Bradley revealed that he still gets recognized as Nigel. He expressed his joy at returning to the show in an interview stating, “I’m thrilled and honoured to be back as Nigel.” EastEnders’ executive producer, Chris Clenshaw, was also thrilled to welcome the actor back to the show, hinting at a mysterious plotline around Nigel’s return. The details of the mystery will be revealed in the coming weeks.
On Christmas day, Nigel is set to reunite with his childhood best friend, Phil Mitchell, played by Steve McFadden. Bradley expressed his delight at working with McFadden again, admiring his work and setting the bar high. During his initial run on the show, Nigel fell in love with his video shop employee Debbie Tyler and later became friends with Dot Cotton, played by June Brown.
Fans of EastEnders will be excited to see how Nigel’s return will impact the show in the coming weeks and if there are any other surprises in store for the beloved soap. It will be interesting to see how Nigel’s storyline develops, ultimately contributing to the complex web of characters inhabiting Albert Square
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