GEMMA Bissix has opened up about her emotional return to EastEnders after 18 years.

The actress – who plays Clare Bates in the BBC soap – is making a comeback for a short stint as part of on-screen dad Nigel Bates’ dementia storyline.

Speaking about her return, Gemma said: “It’s been an absolute pleasure to be back, and a privilege to be involved in Nigel’s poignant dementia storyline.

“I think it’s a storyline that sadly resonates with so many people and it’s been a real full circle moment for me, as EastEnders is where I learnt my craft as I was on the show from the age of 9.”

She added: “It was a long time coming, and I was just so chuffed because I haven’t seen Paul Bradley in over 20 years and so to be able to reconnect with him and work with him again felt like time had stood still.

“It was like no time had passed at all, and Paul is exactly the same lovely person he was before.

“Paul was sort of like a stepfather to me in real life at work, as we spent six years on screen together from 1993 to 1999, and Karen and I were close as well.

“They make me feel like I’m a child again, in the best possible way.”

And reuniting with other co-stars was also joyful for Gemma.

She said: “It was one of the loveliest things. Seeing Paul for the first time was great and he gave me the biggest hug.

“It was so lovely to see Steve McFadden. I was also really close to Barbara Windor when I worked there before, and she got me my agent when I left, and I’m still with that agency to this day, so there’s such a legacy for me there.

“The funniest thing is the people who really haven’t changed to me are Jane Slaughter who plays Tracy, Ulric who plays Winston, and some of the actors in the market as they’ve been there for the best part of 20 years.”

But Clare’s return doesn’t come without drama as she blames Julie for keeping her away.

She explained: “Clare has always wanted to come back and see him, and when she does find out he’s got dementia, I don’t think she realises how advanced it is.

“Clare feels like Julie has done it to get back at her; she feels like Julie has only called her at this late stage as a punishment.

“In Clare’s mind, it does feel quite cruel because I think Clare really wanted the chance to apologise to her dad.

“The last time we saw her in the show, she was a bit of a maneater, and a bit more of a con artist, and those actions probably came from her inner trauma, and having no one to discipline her because her mum died when she was young, and when Nigel met Julie, I think Clare felt really pushed out.

“All Clare wants is the love of her dad, and she can see that she might not have that again, and she’s missed her opportunity, so it’s really heartbreaking for her.”

And Gemma revealed that the storyline is very close to her heart with a personal connection.

“One of my best friends dad’s had early onset dementia twenty years ago, and he was diagnosed at the age of 54 which was really tough,” she said.

“Throughout my twenties, me and my best friend used to go to his care home every other week, so when we did all of the scenes in the care home, it really took me back to those visits, and the scenes were written so well as they really captured, for me, what those times were like.

“I have also done a lot of work with the Alzheimer’s Trust because of my connection with it.

“The story did bring back emotions from my own experience.”