Gemma Bissix is returning to EastEnders as Clare Bates for Nigel Bates’ poignant dementia storyline and has revealed her deeply personal, emotional link to it.
Gemma Bissix has shared her heartfelt connection to her EastEnders return.
The 42-year-old Hollyoaks actress is set to reprise her role as Clare Bates in a brief storyline tied to Nigel Bates’ dementia journey.
Although Clare has been estranged from her stepfather, she returns to Walford after learning about his worsening condition, only to be confronted by his frailty and the harsh reality of his diagnosis.
With old tensions resurfacing and unresolved issues with Nigel’s wife, Julie Bates, Clare’s return brings emotional upheaval. Yet it quickly becomes clear that her presence is vital as Nigel’s family comes together to plan his future care.
Reflecting on her return, Gemma told OK!: “It was a real pleasure to be asked to reprise the role of Clare for Nigel’s storyline. I had hoped for the call, as I know fans wanted EastEnders to explore their relationship again.”
She added: “Nigel and Clare were such an iconic duo in the ’90s, with a truly unique stepfather-stepdaughter bond. It’s been wonderful to reconnect with Paul and Karen after all these years—it’s wild how time seemed to stand still when we were together!”
The actress continued: “I grew up on the EastEnders set and really honed my craft there, so this feels like a full-circle moment. While it will be an emotional reunion, I hope fans are excited to see Clare and Nigel sharing the screen once again.”
Gemma left EastEnders in 2008 after Clare’s relationship with Bradley Branning (Charlie Clements) ended and hasn’t returned since.
Clare is the daughter of Debbie Bates and became Nigel’s stepdaughter when he married Debbie. After Debbie’s death in 1995, Nigel was granted full custody of Clare.
Reflecting on how she prepared for the emotionally intense storyline, Gemma shared: “One of my best friend’s dads was diagnosed with early-onset dementia 20 years ago, at just 54, which was incredibly tough. During my 20s, my friend and I would visit him at his care home every other week. So, filming the care home scenes really took me back to those visits. The scenes were written beautifully—they truly captured what those times felt like for me.
“I’ve also been involved with the Alzheimer’s Trust because of my personal connection. This storyline definitely stirred up emotions from my own experiences.”
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