Nigel Bates

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EastEnders character

Nigel Bates

Portrayed by

Paul Bradley

Duration

1992–1998

First appearance

24 March 1992

Last appearance

30 April 1998

Profile

Status

Widowed

Home

Scotland

Occupation

Video shop manager

Family

Wives	Debbie Tyler (1994-1995)
Adoptive daughters	Clare Bates

Nigel Bates was a fictional character in the popular BBC soap opera EastEnders. He was played by Paul Bradley from 1992-1998.

Nigel was known as a lovable and kind hearted man who had a large collection of weird shirts and ties because of his unique dress sense.

Nick threatens Nigel

He was the best friend of Grant and Phil Mitchell and knew them from when they went to school together.

He was also a close friend of Dot Cotton and lived as a lodger in her house for a few years. Dot thought of him as the son she never had because he was the complete opposite of her own son Nick. This caused hatred between Nigel and Nick, and Nick always bullied Nigel because he was jealous of Dot's friendship with him.

Nigel was also instrumental in Dot's return to Walford in 1997 after she had left with Nick's family in 1993.

He fell in love with abused woman Debbie Tyler who was on the run from her abusive husband Liam Tyler. Debbie also had a daughter Clare Tyler from her first marriage. Nigel eventually married Debbie in 1994 and found happiness at last with her and Clare. But tragedy struck when Debbie was killed in a hit and run accident in 1995. Nigel was left devastated for some time.

Debbie's ex-husband tried to gain custody of Clare after Debbie died but was unsuccessful because of his history of violent behaviour towards Debbie and Nigel adopted her.

Nigel then fell for Lorraine Wicks but she wasn't interested in anything more than friendship as she was having an affair with his best friend Grant.

Nigel found new love with Clare's school teacher Julie Haye and left Albert Square along with Clare in 1998 with Julie for a new life in Scotland.