EastEnders fans predict icon’s return as TV star exits her other major role

Gemma Bissix played two very different Clare’s (well, kind of!) in EastEnders and Hollyoaks (Picture: BBC / Lime Pictures)

EastEnders fans have wasted little time in predicting a Walford comeback for Clare Bates star Gemma Bissix as she officially wraps on Hollyoaks.

Gemma, as viewers know, is best known for playing the villainous Clare Devine on Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks, a character she has portrayed across various stints.

The actress, however, first rose to fame playing another Clare on EastEnders. This Clare is none other than Nigel Bates’ (Paul Bradley) stepdaughter, whose presence could very much be used on-screens right now.

Fan-favourite Nigel staged a historic comeback to the BBC One soap after 26 years in December, with subsequent scenes confirming that he’s been diagnosed with dementia.

The storyline, which has received praise, saw him reconnect with old mates Phil (Steve McFadden) and Grant (Ross Kemp) and also form new friendships with Square stalwarts Linda Carter (Kellie Bright) and Yolande Trueman (Angela Wynter).

His wife Julie (Karen Henthorn) even staged a return and reunited with him on-screen. Clare, meanwhile, has been referenced, with it her and Nigel believed to have lost contact, but she has yet to appear.

Clare, last seen in 2008, was Nigel’s stepdaughter in EastEnders (Picture: BBC)

The fan-favourite character, who debuted in 1993, is the daughter of Nigel’s first wife Debbie (Nicola Duffett) and she left the Square with her stepfather in 1998.

She staged a comeback in 2008 though, during this particular era, she was a far cry from the Clare viewers knew and resembled star Gemma’s Hollyoaks counterpart.

Gemma joined the Channel 4 soap in 2006 as Clare Devine, who would go on to become one of the serial’s most iconic ever characters, with her scheming ways making her a firm favourite with audiences.

The character left in 2007 but made brief returns in 2009 and 2013. During the latter year, Clare was controversially killed off (for a second time at least), making a return once seem impossible.

Gemma played the villainous Clare Devine in Hollyoaks (Picture: Channel 4)

Despite this, Hollyoaks welcomed her back earlier this year ahead of the show’s 30th anniversary, much to the delight of fans, with Gemma reprising her legendary role.

However, Metro revealed earlier today that Gemma has wrapped on Hollyoaks.

‘Gemma has absolutely loved being back but a character like Clare can never stick around for too long, given everything she’s done,’ said a source.

‘There’s a lot more to come before the final scenes air but it promises to be an exhilarating ending.

Clare Devine has caused trouble aplenty since her comeback to Hollyoaks – but her time is running out (Picture: Lime Pictures)

‘Fans may be disappointed to hear that she is going so soon but it also is likely to come as little of a surprise given the nature of the character and the storyline. 

‘Her comeback has proven to be a real success and a pivotal part of the build-up to the 30th, and a real representation of what Hollyoaks does best when it comes to iconic characters. 

‘She’ll be a huge miss!’

Within hours of news of us breaking news of Gemma’s departure, Metro readers have already started calling for her to return to EastEnders so that Clare Bates can reunite with Nigel.

‘CLARE BATES LOOMS,’ exclaimed X user @easstenders, while fan Sally added: ‘Let’s hope she can go and pay a quick visit to EastEnders for the end of the dementia story.’

‘Clare is coming home now surely,’ said Josh while fellow fan @nicmitchells echoed this sentiment, writing: ‘like come and hold nigel’s hand pleaseeee’.

Gemma discussed the love for both her soap alter-egos earlier this year.

‘It’s really great. I’ve been a soap fan myself for years,’ she told me in May. ‘When I was in [Hollyoaks] before in 2013, there wasn’t really Instagram, there was only Twitter. Now everything that goes up on social media, there are hundreds of comments.

‘You do worry about that. You think: ‘Oh god, how is it going to be received?’, but actually there has not been one negative comment so far, and that’s been a dream.

‘I’ve still got this theory that Clare Bates is Clare Devine! Clare Bates started in 1993 on EastEnders then moved to Hollyoaks village because she got bored. Then after causing some havoc she went back to EastEnders in 2008 as a similar character to Clare Devine.

‘So they just need to write Clare into Emmerdale and Corrie and then I can be the first soap actor to cross over as the same character in each soap!’

EastEnders airs Mondays to Thursdays at 7:30pm on BBC One or stream from 6am on BBC iPlayer.

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