![\"Gemma](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/SEI_286585377_d63029-7d9a.jpg\")
\n\t\tIt\u2019s a homecoming for Gemma Bissix (Picture: BBC\/Kieron McCarron)<\/p>\n
\t\t
\n\t\tIt\u2019s a homecoming for Gemma Bissix (Picture: BBC\/Kieron McCarron)<\/p>\n
Years before Gemma Bissix<\/a> became Chester<\/a>\u2019s ultimate villain, the delightfully devilish, red stilletto-clad Clare Devine<\/a> in Hollyoaks<\/a>, she was introduced to the nation at the tender age of 10, when she joined EastEnders<\/a> as troubled pre-teen Clare Bates.<\/p>\n (We know, it\u2019s a little confusing.)<\/p>\n Clare is the step (later, adopted) daughter of Walford legend, Nigel Bates<\/a> (Paul Bradley<\/a>), who won custody of Clare over her abusive dad, after the tragic death of her mum.<\/p>\n His current wife, Julie<\/a>\u00a0(Karen Henthorn<\/a>) was Clare\u2019s teacher, and romance blossomed between them as they worked together to tackle the youngsters troublesome school behaviour.<\/p>\n When Nigel fell for Julie and Clare fell for her son, Josh (a pre-S Club Jon Lee), the foursome moved to Scotland for a new life.<\/p>\n Clare later returned, transformed into a gold-digging bitch, potentially inspired by Gemma\u2019s recent turn as Hollyoaks premiere uber-bitch, for a short stint in 2008 but, until now, had been notably absent as Nigel\u2019s dementia plot has become one of \u2018Enders most prominent storylines.<\/p>\n \t\t Viewers have been utterly clamouring for the return of Clare<\/a>, and now, they\u2019ve got their wish<\/a> and fresh off a blood-soaked stint back in Hollyoaks as the other Clare, the original is returning to Walford.<\/p>\n Better late than never, right?<\/p>\n \u2018It was a long time coming!\u2019 Gemma said, when asked about how it felt to receive the call from \u2018Enders bosses regarding a return.<\/p>\n \u2018It\u2019s been an absolute pleasure to be back, and a privilege to be involved in Nigel\u2019s poignant dementia storyline. I think it\u2019s a storyline that sadly resonates with so many people and it\u2019s been a real full circle moment for me, as EastEnders is where I learnt my craft as I was on the show from the age of 9.<\/p>\n \u2018I was just so chuffed because I haven\u2019t seen Paul Bradley in over 20 years and so to be able to reconnect with him and work with him again felt like time had stood still. It was like no time had passed at all, and Paul is exactly the same lovely person he was before. <\/p>\n \u2018Paul was sort of like a stepfather to me in real life at work, as we spent six years on screen together from 1993 to 1999, and Karen and I were close as well. They make me feel like I\u2019m a child again, in the best possible way.\u2019\u00a0<\/p>\n \t\t \t\t\t\tDon’t miss a Soaps scoop! Add us as a Preferred Source\t\t\t<\/p>\n As a loyal Metro Soaps reader, we want to make sure you never miss our articles when searching for stories. We have all the latest soaps news, spoilers, videos, and interviews, with a vibrant community of highly engaged readers.<\/p>\n Click here<\/a> and tick\u00a0Metro.co.uk\u00a0to ensure you see stories from us first in Google Search.<\/p>\n \t\t When asked if anything felt different upon her latest return, Gemma was quick to answer that it didn\u2019t: \u2018It felt exactly the same, and there are a lot of the same faces. It\u2019s got so much history. I grew up on that show, so it\u2019s like going back to a holiday spot you used to go to when you were a child.<\/p>\n \u2018Seeing Paul for the first time was great and he gave me the biggest hug. It was so lovely to see Steve McFadden. I was also really close to Barbara Windor when I worked there before, and she got me my agent when I left, and I\u2019m still with that agency to this day, so there\u2019s such a legacy for me there. <\/p>\n \u2018The funniest thing is the people who really haven\u2019t changed to me are Jane Slaughter who plays Tracy, Ulric who plays Winston, and some of the actors in the market as they\u2019ve been there for the best part of 20 years.\u2019<\/p>\n \t\t Discussing the estrangement between Clare and Nigel in the years since they were last on screen together, Gemma said: \u2018Clare has always wanted to come back and see him, and when she does find out he\u2019s got dementia, I don\u2019t think she realises how advanced it is. <\/p>\n \u2018Clare feels like Julie has done it to get back at her; she feels like Julie has only called her at this late stage as a punishment. In Clare\u2019s mind, it does feel quite cruel because I think Clare really wanted the chance to apologise to her dad.<\/p>\n \u2018The last time we saw her in the show, she was a bit of a man eater, and a bit more of a con artist, and those actions probably came from her inner trauma, and having no one to discipline her because her mum died when she was young, and when Nigel met Julie, I think Clare felt really pushed out. <\/p>\n \t\t \u2018All Clare wants is the love of her dad, and she can see that she might not have that again, and she\u2019s missed her opportunity, so it\u2019s really heart breaking for her.\u2019<\/p>\n Will Clare manage to find what she\u2019s looking for? Gemma said: \u2018It\u2019s healing that Clare sees the love that Nigel had for Lexi, and when he mistakes Lexi for Clare, it gives her comfort as it reminds her how much Nigel did love Clare when they were young.\u2019<\/p>\n Arrow Arrow Arrow![\"Clare](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/551419-2bf3.jpg\")
\n\t\tGemma describes being reunited with Paul Bradley after 20 years (Picture: BBC\/Jack Barnes\/Kieron McCarron)<\/p>\n![\"Clare](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/551435-83db.jpg\")
\n\t\tClare talked about feeling \u2018like a child\u2019 again (Picture: BBC\/Jack Barnes\/Kieron McCarron)<\/p>\n![\"Soaps](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/1772463612_565_SEI_278522320-46a3.jpg\")
\n\t\tNow you can ensure you never miss a story from the Soaps team<\/p>\n![\"Clare](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/551437-7bb3.jpg\")
\n\t\tGemma has been thrilled to be reunited with her former co-stars (Picture: BBC\/Jack Barnes\/Kieron McCarron)<\/p>\n![\"Clare](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/551429-4d38.jpg\")
\n\t\tGemma was thrilled to be back in Walford (Picture: BBC\/Jack Barnes\/Kieron McCarron)<\/p>\n
\nMORE: Tears all round in EastEnders as Nigel\u2019s life changes forever<\/a><\/p>\n
\nMORE: Returning Clare absolutely broken by \u2018cruel\u2019 move from Julie in EastEnders<\/a><\/p>\n
\nMORE: Is Nigel leaving EastEnders and does he die?<\/a><\/p>\n