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Nigel’s recent escapades come to a head (Picture: BBC/Jack Barns/Kieron McCarron) Ever since Nigel Bates (Paul Bradley) returned to EastEnders last Christmas, revealing that he’d received a young-onset dementia diagnosis, he’s faced challenge after challenge as he’s struggled to manage his rapidly worsening symptoms. He reunited with old friend Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden), who, after battling his own mental health crisis, learned that Nigel was considering suicide and decided to be come Nigel’s carer. Things got more complicated when Nigel’s wife, Julie (Karen Henthorn) came to Walford and immediately clashed with Phil regarding the care of her husband, though they eventually made peace when it became clear just how much they both cared for him. With Phil leaving to visit his daughter, Louise (Tilly Keeper), he entrusted Julie with keeping Nigel safe. Despite her best efforts, however, they encountered a pretty big snag. Nigel planned to sell his car (Picture: BBC/Jack Barns/Kieron McCarron) With Julie and Nigel having their hearts set on a trip to India, they struggled to amass the funds to pay for the trip, leading Nigel to decide to sell his beloved car. It proved to be a difficult parting for Nigel, though, who struggled to say goodbye to his prized possession, Deciding to take the car for one final drive after locating the key that Julie had hidden, he took the car out, though was plagued with confusion as he tried to navigate the streets. When he got distracted by a phone call from Julie, disaster struck. Nigel ran down Jasmine Fisher (Indeyarna Donaldson-Holness), who managed to shove Gina Knight (Francesca Henry) out of the way, taking the full force of the car. Nigel handed himself in following the crash (Picture: BBC/Jack Barns/Kieron McCarron) Though Julie attempted to convince Nigel that she had been driving, he discovered his shoes, soaked with Jasmine’s blood and, realising that he was driving the car, handed himself in to the police. Though Nigel made peace with both Jasmine and Gina, Julie was dealt a further blow when he admitted he’d become too ill to go to India. When Phil returned and learned of what’d happened in his absence, he initially tore strips off Julie, before Jack Branning (Scott Maslen) stepped in and told him that she’d tried all she could to conceal what’d happened. Calming down, Phil pledged his trusty lawyer, Ritchie Scott’s (Sian Webber) services, vowing to see Nigel walk free from court. Phil has pledged to save Nigel from prison (Picture: BBC/Jack Barns/Kieron McCarron) After a health assessment that will help form a pre-sentence report, Nigel faces the harsh reality that he may be sentenced to prison. Things get worse when the day of his court hearing arrives and Julie realises that she’s taken his ‘lucky tie’ to the dry cleaners. Emotionally raw, Nigel heads to Arthur’s bench, where Julie finds him and the two sit together, both opening up and having a heart to heart, for perhaps the last time in a long while. Will Nigel be sentenced to a stretch inside?
