EastEnders Icon Nicholas Bailey Returns as Dr. Anthony Trueman After 11-Year Break
BBC One favourite EastEnders is welcoming back a familiar face, as Nicholas Bailey reprises his role as Dr. Anthony Trueman after more than a decade away from Albert Square.
Bailey originally appeared in the soap between 2000 and 2003, developing a memorable relationship with Kat Slater (Jessie Wallace), before returning briefly in 2014 for a storyline involving his on-screen father Patrick Trueman (Rudolph Walker), who suffered a stroke.
Surprise Return Turns Into Something More
Bailey’s 2025 return, initially planned as a short stint, will evolve into a longer storyline. Executive Producer Ben Wadey teased the upcoming arc:
“It’s great to welcome Nicholas back to the EastEnders family to reunite Patrick with his son. But Anthony’s plan for a brief return to surprise his father ends up with him staying longer than he expected when he uncovers what has been going on in the Trueman household.”
Bailey: “An Unexpected Treat”
The actor said he was thrilled to return to the character after 11 years:
“It is an unexpected treat to return to EastEnders and I’m full of gratitude to get the opportunity to revisit the character of Anthony.
It’s wonderful to work with Rudolph Walker again—he’s such a big part of my journey as an actor, and I loved filming my first scenes with him after so long.”
Bailey added he was curious to explore how time has changed Anthony and his dynamic with Patrick, calling it a “rich, emotional storyline.”
A Character Fans Have Missed
In a 2018 interview, Bailey expressed interest in returning to EastEnders, telling The Sun:
“The character is there, and I never say never to anything. If they had a storyline and they had something for me to do, then you never say never… They know where the phone is.”
Now, after years of speculation and fan requests, Dr. Trueman is finally making his way back to Walford.
More details on Anthony Trueman’s extended storyline are expected to air in late summer 2025, with early scenes already filmed.