A Journey of Growth and Reflection
Gemma Bissix, a former star of the BBC soap opera EastEnders, has shared her personal story of overcoming self-doubt during her time on the show. Now 42, she was just nine years old when she first appeared as Clare Bates in 1993, a role that lasted for five years. Recently, she made a brief return to the show as part of the tragic exit of her character’s stepfather, Nigel, played by Paul Bradley.
Reflecting on her early days on the set of EastEnders, Gemma spoke about her struggles with self-confidence and how the late Barbara Windsor became a mentor figure for her. Barbara, who played the iconic Peggy Mitchell from 1994 until 2016, passed away in December 2020 after battling Alzheimer’s disease.
Gemma shared: “I was really hard on myself, and you can’t get those years back. I wish I could tell my younger self to believe in herself more.” She credited Barbara with teaching her the fundamentals of acting and Steve McFadden, who plays Phil Mitchell, with helping her learn her lines.
In an interview with The Mirror, Gemma mentioned reconnecting with Letitia Dean, who plays Sharon Watts. “She told me so many stories about me when I was a child. It was definitely a training ground because I never went to drama school.”
Her character, Clare Bates, left the soap at the age of 14 in 1993 to train as an electrician, but the door remained open for a return. That happened briefly in 2008 when she transformed into a “maneater,” marking a dramatic shift in her character.
Gemma later joined the cast of Hollyoaks as the villain Claire Devine, a role she has played on and off since 2006. Last week, the show ended Claire’s iconic character after 20 years with a shocking fall from the side of a cliff.
The scene unfolded after Claire returned following her escape from prison, causing chaos in her wake. Having killed her grandfather, Foggy (John Middleton), she faced off against fellow killer Sienna Blake (Anna Passey) on the cliff. Taunting Sienna, Claire threatened to expose her murderous actions to her family, which led to her being pushed off the cliff by Sienna.
Clare fell into icy water below and was not seen again. Sienna’s girlfriend, Cleo McQueen (Nadine Mulkerrin), arrived, but only Sophie (Scarlett Kerr) witnessed the incident.
In tonight’s episode (April 8), available on Channel 4’s streaming service, Clare’s death is confirmed. As news spreads, Sienna claims Clare slipped and fell to her death. She tells this story to Warren Fox (Jamie Lomas), who remains unconvinced.
With Warren potentially on Sienna’s trail, will she be able to keep the truth hidden?
Claire first appeared on Hollyoaks in 2005, portrayed initially by Samantha Rowley. Gemma Bissix took over the role in 2006, and the character was seemingly killed off in 2013 after on-and-off appearances. Despite this, Claire returned last year ahead of the soap’s 30th anniversary and made a comeback in recent episodes.
