EastEnders Brings Back Barry Evans as Nigel Bates’ Dementia Intensifies
LONDON – EastEnders is set to welcome back Barry Evans, played by shaun Williamson, in a special episode addressing Nigel Bates’ ongoing battle with young onset dementia. The return of Evans, who was famously pushed off a cliff by his wife Janine Butcher in 2004, will occur as a vision within The Queen Vic pub.
Williamson,60,expressed his surprise and excitement at the recall,stating,”It was a complete shock getting the call to go back to Albert Square,but so exciting! I have to admit to a few nerves (loads!) when I walked back onto the set of The Queen Victoria,but it was so grate to work with old friends and colleagues on such a brilliant episode.”
Alongside Evans, Pam st Clement will reprise her role as Pat Butcher, appearing as another vision to support Nigel, played by Paul Bradley, as his dementia symptoms progress. Despite a past feud stemming from Pat’s affair with Frank Butcher, the characters will reconcile to offer comfort to Nigel.
Nigel bates himself returned to Walford after 26 years last Christmas, beginning a storyline developed in collaboration with Dementia UK, which defines young onset dementia as the growth of symptoms before the age of 65.
eastenders Executive Producer Ben Wadey commented on the episode, saying, “I’m delighted to welcome Shaun Williamson back to EastEnders for Nigel’s special episode. Barry Evans was renowned for being one of Walford’s unluckiest residents, most notably for his choice of shoes, and so it was a privilege to welcome him back alongside Pat for these special scenes in The Vic.”
Barry Evans first appeared in EastEnders in December 1994, becoming known for his misfortune in love and life. Pat Butcher, a long-standing and iconic character, previously returned as a figment of Peggy Mitchell’s inventiveness on the night of her death in 2012. The special episode featuring Barry and Pat is scheduled to air next month.
