Julie clashes with Phil as she returns to Walford to rescue Nigel
Phil is left devastated as Nigel's wife Julie arrives to take him home
Nigel is reunited with estranged wife Julie in next week EastEnders spoilers after she’s alerted to his whereabouts. Confronted by the severity of Nigel’s condition, Julie tells Phil she’s taking him back to Scotland. But will Phil be prepared to let Nigel go?
Jay makes a decision over Nigel in EastEnders spoilers
Nigel has been living under Phil’s care since revealing he’d been diagnosed with young onset dementia. But in recent weeks the beloved character has been experiencing a decline in his condition, leading to a series of near-fatal incidents.
Phil’s loved ones are growing increasingly concerned about the toll this is all taking on him. But Phil is determined to honour his promise Nigel by looking after him right until the end.
As the week begins, Nigel gets emotional when Lexi spots a photograph of him and Julie on their wedding day. She confides in Jay, who is surprised to learn why Nigel is no longer in touch with his wife.
Viewers will know that Nigel walked out on Julie after deciding he didn’t want to burden her with his dementia. She’s been looking for him ever since. Although not very hard it has to be said – wouldn’t Walford been one of the first places she’d check given Nigel’s history with the place?
Ignoring Phil’s order to leave things well alone, Jay does a search for Julie online. He discovers she’s been frantically searching for Nigel and decides to let him know. But when Phil intervenes again, Jay decides he’ll give Julie a call.
Julie arrives in Walford to see Nigel
Within hours of Jay’s call, Julie arrives in Walford, demanding to know what has happened to Nigel. Jay fills her in on the whole sad situation, as Julie discovers the full extent of Nigel’s suffering.
Moments later, Julie sees Nigel in the Square with Phil. She rushes over to comfort her husband, but Nigel has no clue who she is and grows agitated. Tempers then flare between Julie and Phil as she tries to understand why no one told her what was going on. In turn, this causes Nigel to experience a sudden outburst.
Later on, Phil shows Julie the video that Nigel made her, explaining his decision to leave. She’s understanding and thanks Phil for all he’s done, but then the mood switches again when Julie declares she’s taking Nigel home with her to Scotland.
Phil and Julie go to war over Nigel in EastEnders spoilers
Heartbroken by the prospect of saying goodbye to his mate, Phil objects to Julie’s decision. She stands firm, though, insisting it’s her responsibility to take care of her husband. This forces Phil to confront his fears over what life without caring for Nigel would look like. As he grapples with his emotions, pal Linda is on hand to offer support.
Later that day, Julie turns to Jay for advice over what to do. The pair discuss Phil and Nigel’s close bond, and Julie is shocked to discover some of the things that have gone in recent months.
But despite both having Nigel’s best interests at heart, Phil and Julie soon wind up in another argument. This proves too much for Nigel, as he pleads with them to stop the fighting before running out of the room.
Will Phil be forced to admit defeat and let Nigel go home with Julie? And, if so, what does his future in Walford look like without him?
