Gemma Bissix has spoken about how emotional it was to return to EastEnders after 18 years, something she’d always wanted to do.
EastEnders has announced that the character Bissix will be returning to Walford for a brief period. His return is expected to stir up old conflicts with Julie Bates, and promises plenty of dramatic storylines.
The return of the character Bissix is connected to a storyline about Nigel’s dementia. Clare will learn that her estranged stepfather has been diagnosed with early-onset dementia and will struggle with the realization of his declining mental state. This story is particularly meaningful to the actress playing Bissix, as a friend of hers has a father with the same condition.
She shared with The Sun on Sunday that they visited her father, who was living in a care home, every few weeks when they were in their twenties. She described his illness as devastating.
It was just amazing being back on the Walford set! As Bissix said, it truly felt like coming home. Everyone – the market traders, the extras, all the people who’ve been there forever – were so welcoming and kept telling me I hadn’t changed a bit, which was lovely to hear.
“I was like, thank you! It’s only 20 years and I have aged a bit.”
Although it had been nearly 20 years since they last appeared on screen together, Bissix said reuniting with Paul Bradley felt completely natural.
Bissix shared that coming back to Albert Square felt especially meaningful because of her close relationship with the late Barbara Windsor.
Bissix fondly remembered Barbara, saying, “She was a wonderful friend who helped me find my agent after I left EastEnders at just 15.” Bissix also praised Barbara’s husband, Scott, calling him a remarkable person.
He messaged me, telling me how proud his mother was of my early start. Scott said Barbara always believed I had a bright future and would be successful – it was so sweet of her to say!
Clare is coming back to Walford next week. She’ll first catch up with her friend Chelsea Fox before heading to the Mitchells’ house.
Julie and Clare are currently in a very tense situation, and Phil Mitchell has warned them not to let their conflict disrupt the hospital. While visiting, Clare is distressed to see how unwell Nigel looks, and she’s heartbroken when he doesn’t remember who she is.
Lexi and Clare decided Nigel was well enough to leave the hospital, so they brought him back to The Vic for a surprise party. Everyone in the community came together to welcome him warmly, and after a great evening, Phil, Julie, and Clare drove Nigel to his new house. As they did, the reality of his situation really started to hit him.
As a long-time viewer, I was thrilled to hear Bissix talk about coming back to EastEnders! She said it was fantastic to be asked to play Clare again, especially for Nigel’s story. She’d actually been hoping they’d call her – she really felt the fans wanted to see Clare and Nigel’s relationship explored again, and honestly, so did I!
It was wonderful to reconnect with Paul and Karen after so many years! It felt like no time had passed at all. We all fondly remember Nigel and Clare – they were an amazing duo with a really special bond back in the 90s.
Growing up, I basically learned everything I know about acting on the EastEnders set, so coming back feels incredibly special – like things have come full circle! It’s going to be emotional seeing my former co-star again, but I really hope the audience enjoys seeing Clare and Nigel share the screen once more.
Don’t miss EastEnders! Add it to your watchlist on the TopMob: What to Watch app. Download the app now for daily TV suggestions, articles, and more.
Authors
As a total movie and TV buff, I’ve been following Katelyn Mensah’s work at TopMob for a while now. She’s their Senior Entertainment Writer, and she really covers it all – from the biggest shows and reality TV to those seriously impactful documentaries. Before TopMob, she was writing about reality TV and celebrity news at The Tab, and she’s got a solid journalism background with a BA (Hons) degree, which you can definitely tell!
- Visit us on Twitter
Read More
- How to Get the Bloodfeather Set in Enshrouded
- Gold Rate Forecast
- Where Winds Meet: How To Defeat Shadow Puppeteer (Boss Guide)
- How to Build a Waterfall in Enshrouded
- Survivor’s Colby Donaldson Admits He Almost Backed Out of Season 50
- 32 Kids Movies From The ’90s I Still Like Despite Being Kind Of Terrible
- These Are the 10 Best Stephen King Movies of All Time
- Best Werewolf Movies (October 2025)
- 10 Movies That Were Secretly Sequels
- USD JPY PREDICTION
2026-03-01 14:34