EastEnders fans are in for a festive surprise as Pat Evans makes an unexpected return to Albert Square — 13 years after the much-loved character was killed off.
Pam St Clement, who played Pat from 1986 until her emotional exit in 2012, has filmed a special one-off appearance that will air in December. Her comeback sees her step back into The Queen Vic more than a decade after Pat died of cancer on New Year’s Day, in what remains one of the soap’s most memorable and tear-jerking farewells.
Pat’s return will take place during a key moment in Nigel’s ongoing storyline, which has explored the impact of dementia in recent months. Although the BBC is keeping exact plot details tightly under wraps, Pat appears as Nigel’s sense of reality shifts, transporting him back to earlier days in Walford. Her presence becomes a source of comfort as he navigates an emotional and disorienting episode following his festive film screening.
EastEnders has been working closely with Dementia UK since developing Nigel’s plot, aiming to portray the condition with sensitivity and accuracy. The storyline has already been praised by viewers for its honest depiction of the challenges families face.
Speaking about returning to the role that made her a national treasure, St Clement said: “I was both surprised and excited to be asked back to tread the streets of Walford once again and to be involved in Nigel’s touching dementia storyline. It was lovely to be welcomed back by those with whom I had worked for so long. It was just like coming home.”
Executive producer Ben Wadey said the cast and crew were thrilled to see her return: “It’s an honour and a privilege to welcome Pam St Clement back to EastEnders for a special episode in Nigel’s ongoing dementia storyline. Pat Evans is one of the most cherished and iconic characters to have graced the streets of Walford, and I know I speak on behalf of everyone when I say what a delight it was to see Pat and Pam back in The Queen Vic as she helps Nigel in his time of need.”
Pat’s last on-screen appearance came in 2016, when she appeared as a vision to her old friend Peggy Mitchell (played by the late Dame Barbara Windsor) on the night of Peggy’s death.
Her new cameo has already been filmed, with the episode set to air in the run-up to Christmas.
