SHOCKING NEWS!!! EastEnders star confirms ‘beautiful ending’ for Nigel

It’s time to say goodbye to Nigel Bates (Paul Bradley) in EastEnders, with wife Julie (Karen Henthorn) having been told by doctors that her beloved husband hasn’t got long left.

Perhaps one of Walford’s most loved characters ever, Nigel returned to the Square a year and a half ago after three decades away, confiding in old pal Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) that he’s got dementia.

‘It’s been an absolute privilege to return for a storyline that unfortunately is such a resonant subject for the viewers, but undoubtedly an important storyline to tell and raise awareness of’,’ said Nigel star Paul Bradley on his historic comeback.

‘Returning to the set, and cast, has been amazing and it’s been a rollercoaster. The fact that Steve is still there, and that I could work with him again was fantastic. There is mutual admiration there, and so it was great being asked back, and a privilege to tell this story.’

At the time of Nigel’s return, Phil was in desperate need of support as he was struggling with his mental health. His former mate’s comeback couldn’t have come at a better time, with Nigel proving instrumental in getting him the help he needed.

Overwhelmed, Phil promised to return the favour, being there for Nige as his dementia progressed, supporting both he and Julie in every way he possibly could, proving to be a true friend.

‘They reunited during a crisis point for each of their characters,’ explained Paul. ‘When Phil was at his lowest, Nigel admitted to him that he had dementia, and they made a pledge that they would look after each other, and I think that’s so moving to have someone in your life who will say to you unconditionally that they are going to be there for you.

‘That’s why it’s quite a surprise when Phil gets to a point where he hasn’t been able to see Nigel anymore, but I think it’s the emotional intensity of it all.’

As Paul mentioned, since Nigel entered a care home, Phil hasn’t felt able to go and see him, much to the dismay of his loved ones, who worry how he’ll cope when his treasured mate passes away.

The sad day is approaching, however, with Julie telling Grant Mitchell (Ross Kemp) – who returned to scenes this week – that time is running out during the latest episode of the show, urging him to return to the care home at once.

And now, an emotional outing of the BBC One soap awaits, as Nigel takes his last breath in what Paul promises to be ‘very moving’ scenes.

‘It’s very moving, and for such a heartbreaking subject matter, it’s a very beautiful ending,’ he said. ‘It’s difficult to describe without giving too much away, but the story has found a way to reconcile a lot of the loose ends in the various relationships Nigel has, and end on a hopeful and positive note.’

‘I think it’s a great piece of writing to be able to do that when it’s such a serious subject matter. EastEnders has always had this tradition of dealing with difficult subjects and really investigating them and presenting them in a responsible way, and that’s what I have felt with all of the scripts.

‘With regards to the final scripts, I’ll be as the viewers are, watching and being moved. It’s been great playing the character, but it’s almost been like playing two or three characters, because we’ve gradually gone on this journey with Nigel, and by the end, he is a very different person to the character he was when he initially returned.

‘Of course, this is what family, and friends of people living with dementia find very difficult to come to terms with as they call it ‘the long goodbye’.

‘Unlike other shows, with a continuing drama like EastEnders, we’ve been able to echo the gradual worsening of Nigel’s symptoms to tell his story in real time, which is heartbreaking, but hopefully truthful to those watching at home who resonate with it.’

Paul revealed that he felt an ‘obligation and responsibility’ to tell the story as ‘truthfully’ as he could. ‘I was in Cork and a woman came up to me and said, “thank you, what you’re all doing is really important.”

‘I think it’s a hard watch, but many, many people have friends and relatives who are either going through this, or they know someone who is caring for someone who is going through this, and hopefully it shows that world how hard it can be, but also how joyous it can be at times.

‘The directors and producers also gave us the space to bring our own emotions to it, and our own research. It was important that we showed all aspects of dementia, and I know Dementia UK worked very closely with the team to ensure that.’

The actor was also full of praise for co-stars Karen Henthorn and Steve McFadden, who – much like himself – have received praise from viewers over their breathtaking performances throughout this storyline.

‘Steve and Karen are phenomenal’, he enthused. ‘When Phil told Nigel he couldn’t care for him anymore, I found it really difficult not to cry during filming. There is a lot of emotion in a soap, so you have to be responsible about it.

”The three of us really tried to bring that to every scene, and it’s some of the best work I’ve done, and something I’m incredibly proud of because of the care and dedication we’ve all bought to it.

‘There was a real chemistry between the three of us because we get on so well, and we looked out for each other throughout.

‘I think the viewers recognise that there was something special going on. If you invest in it, you go through it emotionally. We’ve seen Nigel gradually decline, but we’ve also seen Phil stand up, so you emotionally go through the process of people who are actually going through this, and I think soaps have a lot of power in that respect.

‘If the story only brings to attention the dedication of the people who care for a loved one with dementia, then I think it’s done a great job.’

Paul added that working closely with both stars is not only an EastEnders highlight for him but a highlight of his career. ‘Because the dedication, concentration and love that they’ve bought to the work is one of those enduring memories,’ he said. ‘It means we can look each other in the eyes in years to come, and without boasting, remember we did something special and that’s so rare. So, I’ll remember that.’

Reflecting on his original stint as Nige, Paul added that working with June Brown – who played the legendary launderette worker Dot Cotton – was an ‘education’ for him because of how she knew her character inside out.

‘That was a great relationship, because Nigel became the son that Dot had always wanted after Nasty Nick’,’ he said. ‘One of the classics which we remembered in one of the later episodes was Ricky’s stag do, which was great. Then announcing to Clare that her mum had passed away.

‘That was another emotional yet beautiful scenes because there were no words, and it was filmed in long shot whilst I was talking to her on a bench.’

This week’s episodes will bring an end to Nigel’s time on the Square so fans can expect some of the most emotional scenes in recent Walford memory – if not ever – as we bid farewell to the former VHS shop owner.

And Paul’s farewell from EastEnders was marked with a special gift from Steve McFadden, which will make more sense once you’ve seen this week’s episodes.

‘When I was first in EastEnders, they used to give you the brass plaque that was on your dressing room door, and I’ve kept that,’ concluded Paul with a smile. ‘I was going to put it on my dressing room this time, but I couldn’t find it, although of course I’ve found it now!

‘I didn’t take anything, but one thing I do have which now sits in pride of place at home, and people won’t understand why until they’ve seen this week’s episodes, is a skimming stone. Steve gave it to me, and that’s a precious memory.’