Nigel Bates
| Nigel Bates | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EastEnders character | |||||||||||
Paul Bradley as Nigel Bates (2025) | |||||||||||
| Portrayed by | Paul Bradley Sam Miles (2025 flashbacks) | ||||||||||
| Duration | 1992–1998, 2024–present | ||||||||||
| First appearance | Episode 742 17 March 1992 | ||||||||||
| Classification | Present; regular | ||||||||||
| Introduced by | Leonard Lewis (1992) Chris Clenshaw (2024) | ||||||||||
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Nigel Bates is a fictional character from the British BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Paul Bradley. Introduced in 1992 by Leonard Lewis, the character was incorporated gradually and brought back as a regular following a brief stint due to a popular reception. He is depicted as a "lovable loser" and a "nerd". Bradley quit the role and Nigel was written out of the serial in April 1998 and was given a happy ending. The door was left open for a possible future return and the character made an unannounced return on 24 December 2024. Sam Miles portrayed a younger Nigel in Phil Mitchell's (Steve McFadden) teenage flashbacks in 2025.