| Debbie Bates | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EastEnders character | |||||||||||
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| Portrayed by | Nicola Duffett | ||||||||||
| Duration | 1993–1995 | ||||||||||
| First appearance | Episode 867 25 May 1993 | ||||||||||
| Last appearance | Episode 1148 22 June 1995 | ||||||||||
| Classification | Former; regular | ||||||||||
| Introduced by | Leonard Lewis | ||||||||||
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Debbie Bates (also Tyler) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders , played by Nicola Duffett from 1993 to 1995. She was introduced as a love interest for Nigel Bates (Paul Bradley), but was killed-off in 1995 at Duffett's request.
Debbie was introduced in 1993 by executive producer Leonard Lewis as a love-interest for Nigel Bates (Paul Bradley). [1] Debbie's actress Duffett has described Debbie as "nice, unassuming and shy", which she claims was in stark contrast to her own personality. [2] Debbie's introduction storyline stemmed around a storyline focusing on spousal abuse, when it was revealed that Debbie was being abused by her estranged husband Liam Tyler (Francis Magee). Nigel and Debbie's eventual marriage was the focus of EastEnders' celebratory episode on 12 July 1994, which marked the show's 1000th episode. EastEnders' writer Colin Brake has selected it as 1994's episode of the year. [1] Off-screen the show's Series Producer Barbara Emile decided to mark the 1000th episode with a celebration and the wedding of Nigel and Debbie was chosen as the event. It was scripted to be a happy occasion in the soap, with Debbie and Nigel's ceremony going ahead despite threats of intrusion from Liam. [1]
Duffett grew weary of playing Debbie saying she became too boring and drippy, and asked the producers of EastEnders to kill her character off in 1995, which they did; Debbie was killed in a hit-and-run motor accident. [3] [4] Duffett has commented, "I left EastEnders of my own accord, without a shadow of a doubt. I begged to be killed. I ran to the script editor's office. Every time I see him at a party he says, 'I'll never forget you.' Because I ran in crying, 'Kill me NOW! I can't stand it.' Because the part was so boring. I played this simpering wimp, Debbie. All I did was walk into the Vic and say, 'Where's Nigel?'" [5] Duffett has stated that she has no regrets about leaving the role, [4] and that she wanted her character killed so she had no opportunity to ever return as she worried about being typecast. [6]
Debbie first appears in Walford in May 1993 as a friend of Tracey the barmaid (Jane Slaughter), attending Tracey's hen party. She becomes a love interest for Nigel Bates (Paul Bradley), when she meets him at his birthday party. Debbie and her daughter, Clare (Gemma Bissix), move nearby to escape Debbie's ex-husband Liam Tyler (Francis Magee), who has been abusing her. Liam eventually tracks Debbie down and makes several attempts to break up Nigel and Debbie but is unsuccessful, and Debbie and Clare both move to Walford to live with Nigel.
In July 1994, Debbie marries Nigel and they are content in marriage. She starts working at the local bookmakers but her boss, Stan Dougan (Jack Chissick), constantly tries to flirt with her, which she dislikes. She keeps this a secret from Nigel but when Stan makes a move on her she quickly rejects him and quits her job. Nigel is suspicious of Debbie suddenly quitting but eventually finds out Stan has been harassing her, so he punches Stan.
Tragedy strikes soon after when Debbie is killed in a hit-and-run accident in June 1995. Police tell Nigel that she walked out into a road and someone hit her at speed, killing her instantly. Debbie's death devastates Nigel and Clare for some time. Nigel goes on to adopt Clare after Liam returns and is unsuccessful in his attempt to gain custody of her. On the 13th anniversary of Debbie's death in 2008, Clare and Dot Branning (June Brown) visit her grave.
Sonia Fowler is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Natalie Cassidy. Her first appearance was on 2 December 1993 and she departed on 2 February 2007. She returned briefly in 2010 along with other members of the Jackson family, and re-appeared in the soap from 8 to 18 February 2010 and again in January 2011. Sonia returned as a permanent character on 14 January 2014, as part of a storyline that saw her mother Carol Jackson develop breast cancer. Cassidy took maternity leave in 2016 and Sonia left on 20 September 2016 for her dream job in Kettering. Cassidy made two guest stints during her maternity leave, on 25 December 2016 via webcam and for a three episode arc from 14 to 18 April 2017. She returned full-time on 27 June 2017. On 29 December 2020, it was announced that Cassidy would take an extended break from the show, with Sonia set to leave the Square to return in spring 2021. She departed on 8 January and returned on 16 April.
Nicola Duffett is an English actress. She is known for her roles as Debbie Bates on EastEnders and Cat MacKenzie on Family Affairs.
Bradley Branning is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Charlie Clements. He made his first appearance on screen on 24 January 2006 and last appeared on 22 February 2010 after he was killed-off in the show's live 25th anniversary. Clements won multiple awards for his portrayal.
Nigel Bates is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Paul Bradley from 1992 to 1998. 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.
Bianca Jackson is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders played by Patsy Palmer. The character was introduced by executive producer Leonard Lewis and appeared initially from 1993 to 1999, when Palmer opted to leave. In 2002 executive producer John Yorke brought the character back for a special spin-off show. She returned to EastEnders as a full-time character in April 2008, reintroduced by executive producer Diederick Santer. Palmer took maternity leave in late 2010 and Bianca left the series in January 2011. The character returned in December 2011 after Palmer signed a "working mums" contract, which granted her leave from the soap between April and November 2012. The actress quit EastEnders for good in 2014 and Bianca departed on 12 September 2014. Palmer reprised the role on 2 September 2019 for a guest stint and a second guest stint was scheduled for 2020, but later cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On 13 January 2024, it was announced that Bianca will return to EastEnders in the spring for a short stint to collide with the departure of her adopted daughter Whitney Dean. The character returned for 23 episodes; initially two episodes between 4 March and 5 March 2024, and again from 29 April 2024 until 12 June 2024. It was later announced in August of the same year Bianca would be returning again to tie in with the return of her father David Wicks. Bianca's return aired on 23 September.
Richard Cole is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Ian Reddington between 23 July 1992 and 21 July 1994.
Clare Bates is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Gemma Bissix. Bissix originally played the character as a schoolgirl from 1993 to 1998. She left the serial with her screen stepfather Nigel Bates, when his actor Paul Bradley opted to leave. Following a ten-year hiatus, Bissix returned to the role on 1 February 2008. The character was transformed from "cute and sweet" into a gold digging "maneater", chasing wealthy men for their money. The British media focused on the character's penchant for revealing clothing, and while she was praised by some critics, it was suggested that she was underused upon her return. Bissix again left EastEnders at the end of her contract in the summer of 2008. Her departing episode aired on 7 August 2008.
Gemma Bissix is an English actress. She has been acting since the age of 9. Her most prominent roles have been in soap operas, as Clare Bates in EastEnders and Clare Devine in Hollyoaks ; she was awarded with two British Soap Awards for the latter role. Away from soap opera, Bissix has appeared in various television programmes and she competed in the 2009 series of Dancing on Ice. She has appeared in various pantomimes. Bissix returned to Hollyoaks in 2013.
Julie Haye is a fictional character in the BBC soap opera EastEnders played by Karen Henthorn between 15 September 1997 and 30 April 1998. Julie was a love interest for the popular character Nigel Bates. After "a whirlwind affair", the couple leave the soap together for a new life in Scotland.
Barbara Emile is a British television producer. Emile contributed to the BBC soap opera EastEnders for several years. She first started working on the serial as script editor underneath producer Leonard Lewis, and she began producing the programme in 1992. Following the departure of Lewis in 1994, Emile was promoted to Executive Producer. Storylines that aired under her tenure included Sharongate, Nigel and Debbie Bates' wedding, and Ricky Butcher's love triangle with best friends Bianca Jackson and Natalie Price. Barbara cast actress Barbara Windsor as Peggy Mitchell. Innovating the writing talent, Emile introduced a pioneering structure to develop writing talent, led by Tony Jordan, Tony McHale, Ashley Pharaoh and Matthew Graham. In 1994 Emile took the programme from twice a week to three times per week. Under Emile's stewardship she led the series onto achieve ratings of 23 million viewers. Characters introduced included Tiffany Raymond, Roy and Barry Evans. She remained with EastEnders till early 1995 and was succeeded by Corinne Hollingworth.
Whitney Dean is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Shona McGarty. The character is the ward of long-running character Bianca Jackson and was introduced on 1 April 2008 when Palmer returned to the series after a nine-year absence. Whitney is described by executive producer Diederick Santer as both an equal to, and younger version of Bianca, and is the oldest of Bianca's four children. Whitney was absent from the soap across four weeks in 2012 when McGarty was suspended for repeated lateness. McGarty took a short break in 2017 and Whitney departed on 29 May and returned on 31 July of that year. On 1 June 2018, McGarty filmed her 1,000th episode as Whitney. On 29 July 2023, it was announced that McGarty had resigned from her role after fifteen years, and Whitney departed from the soap on 23 May 2024.
Francis Magee is an Irish actor. He portrayed Liam Tyler in British soap opera EastEnders from 1993 to 1995. He has also appeared in numerous television shows and feature films, including The Calling (2000), Layer Cake (2004), Sahara (2005), No Angels (2004-2006), City of Vice (2008), 1066 The Battle for Middle Earth (2009), "Men Against Fire", an episode of Black Mirror (2016), Into the Badlands and Absentia, White Lines (2020), and Kin (2022–2023).
Eddie Moon is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by David Essex. Eddie is the father of Michael Moon, Tyler Moon and Anthony Moon. Along with his children, Eddie was introduced to bring a "new generation" of the Moon family to the programme. Essex began filming in April 2011 and first appeared on screen on 3 June 2011. His initial contract ended in August, and Essex hoped he would be able to return to the role. The character has been described as cheeky, likeable and charismatic, and has a dark past. Through the series' narrative, it is revealed that there is a rift between Michael and Eddie, because Michael blames his father for the death of his mother, who killed herself when Michael was left alone with her. Eddie is also a love interest for Carol Jackson and Vanessa Gold.
DCI Jill Marsden is a fictional character in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Sophie Stanton. She made her first appearance on 5 March 2001 investigating the shooting of Phil Mitchell, which was part of the whodunit storyline "Who Shot Phil?". Marsden returned in 2002, 2003 and 2009. She returned on 5 January 2012 for her third whodunit storyline, "Who's Stalking Phil?", departing four months later on 10 May 2012. Marsden returned for two episodes on 17 August 2012 to conclude the latter storyline. On 16 July 2015, she returned for part of the "Who Killed Lucy Beale?" whodunit storyline.
Dexter Hartman is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Khali Best. His debut was on 7 January 2013. Dexter is the grandson of Cora Cross and son of her illegitimate daughter, Ava Hartman. Dexter's storylines include his friendships with Jay Brown and Lola Pearce