Soap star Gemma Bissix relishes her EastEnders return
Gemma Bissix has revealed that she's cherished her EastEnders return.
EastEnders star Gemma Bissix thinks it's "right" that she returns for Nigel Bates' funeral.
The 42-year-old actress has played Clare Bates, Nigel's daughter, on EastEnders since the 90s, and Gemma was thrilled to have been invited back to say goodbye to the character played by Paul Bradley.
Gemma said: "When I returned earlier this year, we always knew Clare had to come back for Nigel’s funeral. He meant so much to her, and it felt right to be there for the conclusion of his story, as everyone came together to say their final goodbyes."
Jon Lee, of S Club 7 fame, is also returning to EastEnders for the funeral.
Jon, 44, is reprising the role of Josh Saunders on EastEnders, having first appeared on the BBC soap in 1997.
He said: "It was quite surreal stepping back on to Albert Square after so many years as it’s so familiar to so many of us. It was lovely to see my onscreen family again."
Earlier this week, Paul Bradley described his EastEnders return as a "rollercoaster" experience.
The 70-year-old actor reprised the role of Nigel Bates in EastEnders, and Paul is conscious of the importance of Nigel's dementia storyline.
Speaking to the BBC, Paul shared: "It’s been an absolute privilege to return for a storyline that unfortunately is such a resonant subject for the viewers, but undoubtedly an important storyline to tell and raise awareness of.
"Returning to the set, and cast, has been amazing and it’s been a rollercoaster. The fact that Steve [McFadden] is still there, and that I could work with him again was fantastic. There is mutual admiration there, and so it was great being asked back, and a privilege to tell this story."
Paul felt like he played "two or three characters" during his time on EastEnders.
The actor - who first appeared on EastEnders in 1992 - said: "With regards to the final scripts, I’ll be as the viewers are, watching and being moved.
"It’s been great playing the character, but it’s almost been like playing two or three characters, because we’ve gradually gone on this journey with Nigel, and by the end, he is a very different person to the character he was when he initially returned.
"Of course, this is what family, and friends of people living with dementia find very difficult to come to terms with as they call it ‘the long goodbye’."
