After 18 years away, Gemma Bissix is making an EastEnders comeback as Clare Bates, reuniting with stepdad Nigel amid his dementia storyline.
Gemma Bissix is set to make a return to EastEnders, 18 years after her character Clare Bates was last seen on the BBC soap. Clare’s comeback to Walford comes as her stepfather, Nigel Bates (Paul Bradley), continues to battle dementia.
The actress is expected to reprise the role for a short stint this spring. Although Clare has been estranged from Nigel, news of his worsening condition prompts her return to Walford.
Nigel’s illness has been a major storyline since his comeback to the Square in 2024. After being away for 26 years, he returned following a diagnosis of early-onset dementia, initially hoping to spare his wife, Julie Bates (Karen Henthorne), from the responsibility of caring for him — though she has since also made her way back to Walford.
A deeply moving episode in December saw Nigel Bates’ condition deteriorate as he began hallucinating former friends Pat Butcher (Pam St Clement) and Barry Evans (Shaun Williamson), while Julie Bates and Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) could only look on helplessly.
Following a near-drowning incident, Nigel is said to be in the most serious condition he has faced so far, and Clare is left shocked when she sees how much his health has declined. The BBC has confirmed that she will be “confronted by Nigel’s fragility and the reality of his prognosis.”
The broadcaster has also hinted that Clare’s return will “not be without drama,” with tensions running high and friction emerging with Julie. However, her presence is described as “essential” in helping Julie and Phil decide what is best for Nigel as he moves into the next stage of his treatment.
The storyline has been created with support from Dementia UK to ensure it is portrayed with care and accuracy.
Speaking about her return, Gemma Bissix said: “It was a real pleasure to be asked back to reprise the role of Clare for Nigel’s storyline. I’d been hoping for the call, as I know fans wanted EastEnders to revisit their relationship. Nigel and Clare were a formidable duo in the ’90s, with a very unique stepfather–stepdaughter bond.”
She added: “It’s been wonderful to reunite with Paul and Karen after all these years, and it’s amazing how it felt like no time had passed when we were filming. I grew up on the set of EastEnders and really learned my craft there, so coming back has felt like a full-circle moment.
“Although it will be an emotional reunion, I hope viewers will be happy to see Clare and Nigel sharing the screen again.”
Executive producer Ben Wadey also commented: “We always intended to bring Clare Bates back to Walford as part of Nigel’s ongoing storyline, and I’m thrilled that Gemma agreed. The stepfather–daughter relationship is complicated and they’ve been estranged for years, but it felt important to revisit it as Nigel Bates’ dementia progresses and the family begin to consider his increasing care needs.”
Clare and Nigel first became family when her mother, Debbie Bates (Nicola Duffett), married Nigel in 1994. After Debbie died in a hit-and-run incident in 1995, Nigel was granted full custody of his stepdaughter.
Both characters left Walford in 1998, although Clare returned ten years later.
The sweet, wide-eyed teenager of the 1990s was gone — when Clare Bates came back to EastEnders, she had reinvented herself as a calculated gold-digger. She first set her sights on Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt) before turning her attention to Bradley Branning (Charlie Clements).
Although her relationship with Bradley began as part of a plan to benefit financially, she eventually developed real feelings for him and hoped they could build a genuine connection. However, when Bradley found her diary detailing her intention to use him, he ended the relationship — prompting Clare to make a swift exit from the Square.
Clare has not been seen on screen since, though she has been mentioned. In recent episodes, when Sam Mitchell (Kim Medcalf) returned, Nigel mistakenly believed she was Clare and handed her money.
Sam initially played along and accepted the cash, but after Julie stepped in, she was forced to return it.
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