UPDATE: |EastEnders fans predict ‘forgotten’ character to appear amid Nigel Bates’ health battle News

The latest episode of the soap was focused entirely on Phil Mitchell’s friend

EastEnders fans are predicting that a ‘forgotten’ character is set to appear on the show amid Nigel Bates’ ongoing health battle.

The best friend of Phil Mitchell returned to the BBC soap last year having not been seen on Albert Square since leaving in 1998.

Played by Paul Bradley, Nigel has won the hearts of viewers in recent months through his heartbreaking dementia journey.

Nigel revealed to Phil that he was sadly diagnosed by doctors with early-onset dementia after his friends began concerned with how he was behaving.

It’s been an eventful week for Nigel, with Phil discovering that he is planning on taking his own life if his condition worsens.

Nigel went missing on Tuesday (April 22) as Phil found a goodbye letter he penned. The former video shop worker was attacked by a group teens at Walford tube, hitting his head after being pushed to the pavement.

In scenes that aired on Wednesday night (April 23), in an episode entirely dedicated to the storyline, Phil continued looking for Nigel.

Joined by Linda Carter, Phil broke down in The Arches after being triggered by the memory of his own attempt at taking his own life.

Eventually learning that Nigel is in hospital after the attack, Phil lost his cool with him over his heartbreaking plans.

The pair went on to make amends, with Nigel agreeing to go back to Phil’s home, where he broke down in tears as he insisted he wants to end his life.

In a moment of hope for the pair, Phil decided at the end of the episode to become Nigel’s full-time carer moving forward in an emotional gesture from the show’s hardman.

Those watching at home took to the EastEnders Reddit page to have their say on the episode, noting that Nigel’s wife Julie may be set to make an appearance in the coming weeks.

@whatever-and-breathe said: “I found it strange that no one has mentioned his wife for quite a while, tried to convince Nigel to tell his wife the truth or at least thought of trying to contact her. The poor woman must be out of her mind.” @thefaxmachine27 added: “Part of me is hoping this will lead to an appearance of his wife and/or Clare at some point in this storyline.”

@problematiqueeeee wrote: “Yeah and they had that phone call with her asking him to come home and nothing more came of it. I thought she’d have returned long before now.” @revolutionaryLook424 posted: “You’d think she would have turned up on Albert Square by now if she’s been looking for him since he disappeared at Christmas, knowing full well that Nigel previously lived there.”

@helicreature commented: “I’m dragging this out of my memory but didn’t he say that his marriage broke down? It appears not to be true but no one knows that. I thought the same as you – she would be frantic with worry. I’m waiting for the storyline where she turns up to find him.” @ultimate_os stated: “Yes, it’s strange that nobody is looking for him as a missing person. He hasn’t exactly been hiding.”