SHOCK: EastEnders legend makes a shock return just days after quitting Walford – and he’s not alone
The beloved character returned just days after leaving Walford for good
AN EASTENDERS legend made a shock return to the soap today – just days after quitting Walford.
Nigel Bates – who is played by actor Paul Bradley in the BBC soap – said an emotional farewell to Albert Square last week after being reunited with estranged wife Julie.
Viewers know Nigel is suffering from dementia and left Julie rather than let her see his decline.
He returned to Walford at Christmas and has been cared for by old pal Phil Mitchell in the months since.
Last week Jay Brown discovered Julie had been desperately searching for Nigel and had reported him missing.
He got in contact and summoned her to Walford where she discovered the truth about Nigel’s condition.
Determined to care for him as his wife, Julie convinced Nigel to return to Scotland to their life and promised to look after him.
However just days into their reunion, Nigel went missing again – not able to remember who Julie was nor why he was with her.
In tonight’s double bill of the soap, Julie made a shock return to Walford searching for Nigel once more.
He’d done a runner in the train station as they travelled back up to Edinburgh.
Julie ran to Walford and found Phil to see if Nigel had returned there.
And it wasn’t long until he did with Callum finding him at the tube station.
Nigel later told Phil that he wanted to stay, and in a heartbreaking moment couldn’t remember who Julie was – leading Phil to make a shock offer.
He asked Julie to stay too – and invited her to move in so they could both stay with Nigel and help him.
