EastEnders viewers were left reaching for the tissues tonight as Nigel Bates shared his final moments on screen, bringing an emotional chapter to a close.
And just as fans come to terms with saying goodbye, actor Paul Bradley has opened up about the surprising memento he took from the set — one that carries far more meaning than you might expect.
Nigel said farewell to EastEnders
As Grant struggled to get Phil to leave the beach and return to Walford to see Nigel before it was too late, Julie was at the care home saying her own goodbye.
Knowing that Nigel was close to the end, Julie let everyone know. Yolande, Sam, Linda, Callum and Lexi all came to say their final farewell to Nigel. But still Phil stayed away.
Phil and Grant hit out at one another, both consumed by their grief and taking it out on each other. But eventually they shared a heart-to-heart, and Phil admitted he couldn’t leave the beach until he found the perfect skimming stone for Nigel.
Grant was oblivious to the sentiment behind the stone. Phil explained that it was a stone Nigel had kept from his childhood that reminded him of his father.
Eventually, Phil found the perfect stone, and it was a race against time to get back to Walford.
Phil and Nigel were reunited
Thankfully, Phil made it back just in time. And it turned out that Nigel was holding on to see his best friend one last time. As Phil gave Nigel the skimming stone, he closed his hand around it, and Phil had fulfilled Nigel’s one last wish.
Phil finally found the words to tell Nigel exactly how he felt about him. He told him that he loved him and that he’d been the best friend he’d ever had.
We were then taken back to the beach, this time with Nigel and Phil. They talked about everything from his childhood to the full story behind the skimming stone.
Before he passed away, Nigel wanted to make sure Phil would be okay, and Phil promised that he would look after himself.
Happy with Phil’s final promise, Nigel walked towards the sea to skim his stone. He then reverted to being a little boy on the beach with his dad.
Back in the care home, the stone fell from Nigel’s hand as he slipped away, leaving Phil and Julie sobbing.
Paul Bradley reveals the keepsake he couldn’t resist
While it is going to take fans a while to get used to Walford without Nigel in it, Paul Bradley made sure he took a memento from the set that would remind him of his time on EastEnders.
While it would make sense if Paul had kept one of Nigel’s jazzy ties or cosy cardigans, what he actually kept is much more poignant…
“When I was first in EastEnders, they used to give you the brass plaque that was on your dressing room door, and I’ve kept that. I was going to put it on my dressing room door this time, but I couldn’t find it. Although, of course, I’ve found it now!” he shared.
“I didn’t take anything big, but one thing I do have, which now sits in pride of place at home, and people won’t understand why until they’ve seen this week’s episodes, is a skimming stone. Steve (McFadden, who plays Phil) gave it to me, and that’s a precious memory.”
Losing Nigel hits Walford hard in tomorrow’s EastEnders
The aftermath of Nigel’s death is set to hit Albert Square hard in tomorrow’s episode. As news spreads, the community comes together.
When Julie and Phil return from the care home, friends and family gather to show just how much Nigel meant to them.
Julie finds comfort in the outpouring of support, but for Phil, the struggle is only just beginning. Retreating home alone, he leaves Linda and Grant concerned about how he’s coping.
With emotions still raw, the question now is whether Phil can keep the promise he made to his best friend.