EastEnders is set to introduce a new character as part of the Nigel Bates storyline.

Nigel recently told Yolande Trueman that he was diagnosed with early onset dementia a year ago, and walked out on his wife Julie without telling her about his diagnosis. He shared that he didn’t want her to see him deteriorate, and she hasn’t seen him since.

Nigel also hasn’t told Phil Mitchell about his diagnosis, as he didn’t want to burden his friend due to Phil struggling with his own mental health.

In new scenes that are set to air next week on the BBC soap, Nigel admits he’s yet to inform Phil after Yolande asks whether he has done so.

While working in the soup kitchen, Nigel speaks to a woman called Norma after she walks in, and while they seem to get on, he runs away when Norma asks him out.

Yolande speaks to Nigel, telling him he may have many good years ahead of him and shouldn’t shut himself off from others prematurely, including Norma.

Will Nigel rethink Norma’s offer?

In other EastEnders news, Inside Soap is giving fans the chance to vote on the soap’s best-ever plotline out of 10 in the running.

In contention are the likes of 1986’s Den and Angie divorce papers, 1994’s Sharongate reveal, as well as 2001’s ‘Who Shot Phil?’ and the iconic Kat and Zoe “You ain’t my muvva” scene.