Pam St Clement found EastEnders return 'strangely difficult'
EastEnders icon Pam St Clement has confessed that it was "strangely difficult" reprising the part of Pat Butcher as she returns to the BBC soap as part of Nigel Bates' (Paul Bradley) dementia storyline.
Pam St Clement found it "strangely difficult" returning to EastEnders as Pat Butcher.
The 83-year-old actress is making a brief comeback to the BBC soap for a special Christmas episode on Tuesday (23.12.25) in which her alter ego will appear alongside stepson Barry Evans (Shaun Williamson) as a dream-life figure in Nigel Bates' (Paul Bradley) imagination as he struggles with dementia - but found it challenging to don her character's famous earrings again.
Asked what it was like to reprise the part of Pat - more than a decade after being killed off - Pam told reporters: "Coming back to jump into those clothes and make-up again was strangely difficult.
"I thought it was going to be much easier, but I think I've probably been through the point in my life, having played her, where I had divested myself of her.
"Her accoutrement, her clothes, her make-up and everything else, and I thought I had, but the strange thing is that the public don't because it's so fresh.
"That's probably because there are a lot of repeats that go on, on television, like EastEnders classics and things like that."
St Clement confessed to being slightly "bewildered" to be asked back to Albert Square by the soap's executive producer Ben Wadey.
She said: "I think I was a bit bewildered, and a bit bowled over."
Pam - who first appeared on the soap back in 1986 - added that the earrings were an essential part of helping her get back into character once again.
She explained: "I have to say, to get into Pat's character, is obviously much harder today than we've been filming, but I would say that the key to the whole ensemble must be the earrings."
Wadey had described it as an "honour" to welcome Pat back to Walford when her return to EastEnders was announced last month.
He said: "It’s an honour and a privilege to welcome Pam St Clement back to EastEnders for a special episode in Nigel's ongoing dementia storyline.
"Pat Evans is one of the most cherished and iconic characters to have graced the streets of Walford, and I know I speak on behalf of everyone when I say what a delight it was to see Pat and Pam back in The Queen Vic as she helps Nigel in his time of need."
