Yolande Trueman (Angela Wynter) encourages Nigel Bates (Paul Bradley)

to open up about his dementia diagnosis in EastEnders next week.

The soap legend returned after a whopping 26 years at Christmas,

and it immediately became clear that he wasn’t telling the whole truth surrounding his circumstances.

He had clearly fallen on hard times, and told old pal Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) that he was homeless and estranged from wife Julie (Karen Henthorn).

Kathy Cotton (Gillian Taylforth) was keen to help him rebuild his life, and offered him a part time job working at the Bridge Street Cafe.

It was there that Billy Mitchell (Perry Fenwick) confronted him with concerns that Nigel was abusing Phil’s fragile nature. When he heard that Nige was Dot Cotton’s (June Brown) old lodger, those doubts were soon brushed to one side.

Soon after, Julie sent an emotional voicemail message, begging her husband to return home.

Phil then dealt a huge shock when he made an irrational decision to sign over his half of The Boxing Den to Nigel. Everyone was stunned by the proposal, but he wouldn’t take no for an answer.

As a result, Nige attempted to flee the area but found a shoulder to cry on in the laundrette – Yolande. In emotional scenes, he confessed that he’d been diagnosed with dementia.

Earlier in the month, we’d seen him mistakenly refer to Phil as his brother Grant (Ross Kemp), and then hand him the wrong takeaway curry.

Phil and Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean) became concerned about his whereabouts, whilst Yolande convinced him to return back to the Mitchell residence.

He finally sat down, ready to reveal all to Phil, but decided against it at the last minute.

In upcoming scenes, Denise Fox (Diane Parish) is holding a birthday party for son Raymond and Nigel hopes that she will extend an invitation for Phil.

The Albert Square stalwart has been struggling with loneliness over the last year, and he believes this would be just the ticket.

Later, Yolande notices Nigel’s inner struggle and advises him that he should come clean to Phil about his health.

Will he be able to put trust in his old friend?