NEW HEARBREAKING!!! EastEnders confirms Nigel’s devastating death as Grant makes sensational return

EastEnders’ Nigel Bates reaches his final days next week – and Grant Mitchell faces a race against time to get Phil to say his last goodbyes. As Nigel lies dying, the Mitchell brothers are divided and Phil can’t bear to say farewell to his dearest friend. Will Grant’s support help Phil close this devastating chapter?

“Phil can’t imagine his life without Nigel,” explains our EastEnders insider. “Their bond brought Phil back from the brink. Nigel also relied on Phil’s love and support, but now Phil is refusing to visit his best mate and deal with the reality of his death.”

With Phil at crisis point, Mark takes the initiative and contacts his estranged dad, asking Grant to come to the rescue. Although Sam is sceptical, wondering whether anything can bring the Mitchell siblings together again, she and Mark are aghast when Grant comes speeding into the Square!

Explaining the situation to his dad, Mark tells him that Phil is struggling and refusing to see Nigel. But when Grant visits Nigel for himself and sees how much he’s deteriorated, he’s horrified that Phil didn’t tell him sooner just how unwell Nigel is.

“There’s a real distance between the Mitchell siblings,” reveals our source. “Grant’s been dodging Sam’s calls, and he doesn’t even know she’s had treatment for cancer. As for the brothers, Phil reverts to type and pushes Grant away…”

Phil kicks Sam and Mark out of his house, furious at their interference. But when Phil’s mood darkens, Sam’s convinced only Grant can help. And when Julie makes the hardest decision of her life, to make Nigel comfortable and stop his treatment, this might be the last chance Phil has to say goodbye.

At Nigel’s bedside, Grant is taken aback when Nigel requests something special from his past. Helpless and grieving, Grant lays into Phil as he searches for Nigel’s precious item, but soon Phil has the whole family worried when he goes missing…

“Grant knows exactly where Phil is,” says our insider. “It’s a special beach from their past, and somewhere Nigel talked about often. However, just as Grant approaches, Julie rings with a devastating update.”

Julie declares that Nigel doesn’t have long left, so it’s a race against time as Grant pleads with his brother to go with him and say goodbye to their friend before it’s too late. Emotions run high, and the brothers bare their souls, before Phil finally changes his mind and agrees to make the final visit to see Nigel.

As Julie and the Walford residents say their goodbyes, Nigel clings to life, waiting for his best mate to arrive. Phil races to the care home and makes it there just in time to see Nigel slip peacefully away…

In the aftermath of Nigel’s death, Phil struggles with his grief as the community comes together to welcome him and Julie home and celebrate Nigel’s life. But as Phil’s shown the ultimate kindness from his friends and neighbours, he’s close to falling apart – and Grant’s gravely concerned about his brother’s mental health.

Will Nigel’s death send Phil spiralling into his old and damaging behaviours? Or will his old friend’s passing close the darkest chapter of Phil’s life and give him a new outlook on the future?