Julie Bates (Karen Henthorn) makes a grand return to EastEnders next week – and wants to take husband Nigel (Paul Bradley) back to Scotland.
It was announced last month that Karen would be reprising her role following a 27-year absence, following much speculation from fans that Julie would be heading back to Walford.
She briefly appeared in a voice only capacity in January, when she pleaded with Nige’ to return home.
However, as viewers of the BBC One soap know, he’s been living with old pal Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) for fears of burdening Julie with his young-onset dementia diagnosis.
Recent scenes have shown his condition rapidly decline, with him confusing other locals for his family members and believing its the mid 90s.
His behaviour has also become somewhat unpredictable and erratic, which was confirmed to Phil when Nigel spilled a pan full of boiling hot water over his arm.
Phil’s ex-wife Kat Moon (Jessie Wallace) began to wonder whether he was capable of being a carer, and whether the strain of the situation would begin to weigh on his physical and emotional health.
When she broached the subject of calling Julie, he asserted that he was fine.
In upcoming scenes, Nigel tears up when Lexi Pearce (Isabella Brown) sees a photo of him and Julie on their wedding day. Jay Brown (Jamie Borthwick) is in disbelief that they’re estranged, and begins to dig further.
Phil insists that he keep out of the situation, but after chatting to Kat and Callum Highway (Tony Clay), he loads up his computer and begins to search for her online.
‘She’s had flyers up, she’s posted all over social media, and she’s been desperate to find him,’ Karen told us.
‘Julie thought they had such a strong, solid life together up in Scotland that she never would have imagined that Nigel would go back to Albert Square.’
Jay realises how badly she wants to be reunited, and despite Phil’s best advice, decides to call her.
The next day, she arrives in Albert Square and demands to know what’s happened to Nigel. Jay takes a deep breath before filling her in on the last eight months.
Explaining that Julie goes into ‘denial’, Karen added: ‘Julie is still trying to process everything she’s been told when she bumps into Nigel on the Square.’
‘It’s such extreme news and not what she was expecting at all.’
To make matters worse, Nige’ doesn’t even recognise his own wife anymore.
As he becomes overwhelmed, Phil kicks off and an argument ensues.
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Later, as things cool off, Phil presents Julie with a video that Nigel recorded for her, that better explains his stance on the situation and the reason he fled Scotland.
Despite that, she remains adamant that he is better off at home with her on the other side of the border, and Linda Carter (Kellie Bright) has to try and settle the frosty environment.
Jay intervenes once again and makes Julie realise that Phil and Nigel have recaptured their friendship in recent months, and how it would be beneficial for them to remain together.
However, that night, Nigel pleads with them both to stop during another squabble, and then rushes out.
Will they find him, and will Julie succeed in her plight to take him ‘home’?
