Tragedy looms as EastEnders’ Nigel takes a turn for the worse

The end is near (Picture: BBC)

There are heartbreaking scenes ahead in EastEnders next week as Nigel Bates’ (Paul Bradley) health takes a turn for the worse. 

Nigel, who has dementia, was recently moved to a care home after nearly drowning in a bath at home before he contracted pneumonia, which he has since been struggling to shift. 

The move has hit Nigel’s best friend Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) extremely hard, and he has stopped visiting him in the care home, unable to come to terms with the prospect of losing Nigel. 

However, it looks like the end is drawing near, as next week his sister Sam Mitchell (Kim Medcalf) learns the news that Nigel’s condition is worsening. 

Upon hearing this, her nephew Mark Fowler Jr (Stephen Aaron-Sipple) suggests they need to inform his dad Grant Mitchell (Ross Kemp), who is also very close to Nigel and vowed to be there for him during his brief return to Walford last year. 

Nigel was placed in a care home earlier this year (Picture: BBC)

Sam initially shuts down the idea, explaining that Grant has not been returning her calls. But as she reflects on how far the Mitchell siblings have drifted apart since their mum Peggy (Barbara Windsor) died in 2016, Mark suggests Nigel’s situation could bring them together again. 

He then leaves Grant a voicemail asking him to come back to the Square, paving the way for actor Ross Kemp to reprise his role. 

Earlier this year, it was confirmed that the iconic character would be returning for another extended stint, with reports also suggesting that it would tie in with the tragic end of Nigel’s dementia storyline. 

Ross and Steve McFadden, who plays his on-screen brother Phil, were also snapped filming emotional scenes on a beach with Paul Bradley as Nigel. 

Ross Kemp is returning to his role as Grant (Picture: BBC)

With Grant’s return now imminent, it looks as if viewers should be braced to say a devastating goodbye to Nigel in the coming weeks. 

Ross previously said in a statement: ‘I’m truly delighted to be stepping back into Grant Mitchell’s shoes and returning to EastEnders later this year.

‘As well as exploring Grant’s attempts to reconnect with his son Mark, it’s especially an honour to be part of Nigel’s powerful ongoing dementia storyline, which holds deep personal meaning for me due to a close family connection in real life.’

EastEnders airs these scenes from Monday 20th April at 7.30pm on BBC One or stream first from 6am on iPlayer. 

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