Quick Read
- Jon Lee is returning to EastEnders after 29 years to reprise his role as Josh Saunders.
- The appearance is tied to the funeral storyline of long-time character Nigel Bates.
- Gemma Bissix is also returning as Clare Bates alongside Lee for the special episodes.
Pop icon and S Club 7 singer Jon Lee has officially returned to the set of the BBC flagship soap EastEnders, marking a major comeback to the role of Josh Saunders after a 29-year absence. The surprise return, which began filming for broadcast on May 1, 2026, sees Lee reunite with his onscreen family for the funeral of Nigel Bates, a character who recently passed away following a long-running dementia storyline.
A nostalgic return to Albert Square
For many viewers, Lee’s appearance serves as a significant piece of television history. He first portrayed Josh, the son of Julie Bates, between 1997 and 1998 before finding massive fame with S Club 7. Stepping back onto Albert Square nearly three decades later, Lee described the experience as surreal. The production has prioritized authenticity for these emotional episodes, bringing back key figures from the 1990s era to honor the legacy of Paul Bradley’s character, Nigel, who served as a fixture on the show for 34 years.
Expanding the funeral tribute
Lee is not the only face from the past returning for the memorial. Gemma Bissix is also reprising her role as Clare Bates, Nigel’s daughter. The BBC confirmed that these guest appearances are designed to provide closure for the character’s long-standing storyline. According to Metro, the reunion of the Bates family unit is intended to anchor the emotional weight of Nigel’s final scenes, which have already drawn significant audience attention following the character’s death earlier this week. The production also confirmed the return of other characters, including the controversial Joel Marshall, as part of a wider narrative sweep.
Stakes for the soap and the star
The return carries weight for both the long-running soap and the performer. For EastEnders, the move is a clear effort to bolster ratings by leveraging the deep nostalgia of its multi-generational fanbase. For Lee, the appearance marks a return to acting roots, coming after a period of personal challenge and professional shifts. As noted by The Independent, Lee has been open about his life path since the disbanding of S Club 7 in 2003, and this guest spot represents a high-profile return to scripted drama.
The strategic re-introduction of legacy characters like Josh Saunders and Clare Bates suggests a deliberate effort by the production to capitalize on historical continuity during a period of transition, effectively using the emotional weight of a major character’s funeral to re-engage long-term viewers who have tracked the show’s evolution since the late 1990s.