Nick Bates (Emmerdale)
Encyclopedia
Nicholas Malcolm "Nick" Bates was a fictional character
in the British
Soap opera
Emmerdale
portrayed by Cy Chadwick
. He first appeared on the 16 November 1985 and became the fiance of Elsa Feldmann, father to their daughter Alice
, and the best friend of Archie Brooks
.
. Nick began regularly going for drinks in the Woolpack with Jackie and Archie.
Two years later, Nick and Caroline were visited by Nick's alcoholic father Malcolm. Malcolm was violent towards Caroline and accidentally set their cottage on fire. Nick stood up to his father, and threw him out.
During the years that followed Nick and Archie caused trouble for the Woolpack landlord Alan Turner
and barman Amos Brearly
. However, when Amos threatened them, they stopped.
In 1989, Jackie went into the woods with gamekeeper
Seth Armstrong
, and was accidentally killed when his rifle went off when he was taking it out of their jeep. Nick, along with Archie, blamed Seth for his death, and decided to start a fire in the woods that belonged to Seth. However, the police arrived and Nick fled, not realising Archie had been caught.
Nick went to visit Archie in jail, after he was imprisoned for three months. Nick apologised for abandoning him and Archie forgave him. Nick was then given a letter by Archie. Nick delivered the letter to Seth, leading to the gamekeeper
going into prison at visiting time to forgive Archie.
In 1990, Elsa Feldmann arrived in Beckindale and Nick immediately fell for her. However, she rejected him at first. However, later on in the year, both Elsa and Nick got drunk in the Woolpack. They stumbled back to Nick's. Nick offered Elsa a spare room for the night, but instead Elsa slept with Nick. When Nick woke the next morning with Elsa lying a sleep beside her, he got dressed and woke her. She got dressed and they went down stairs and Elsa left.
However, Nick received news from Elsa's mother, Elizabeth Pollard, that Elsa was pregnant and that Archie was the father. Nick, knowing the baby was his, went to confront Elsa. Elsa told him it was his, but preceded to tell the people of Beckindale that Archie was the father. However, Elsa's snobbish father Eric Pollard
, treated both Nick and Archie like nobodies, and he confronted Archie, threatening to sew him for rape.
Nick decided to do the right thing, and left a note to Eric explaining how he was the father. However, Nick was then also threatened by Eric to stay away from Elsa, and so Nick and Elsa did the right thing and get married on Valentine's Day
. Nick and Elsa went to the register in February 1991 but as they arrived, Elsa went into premature birth. Zoe Tate
, a vet who was present, delivered the baby which was named Alice Rose Bates. The wedding had to be postponed.
Nick decided to allow Archie to move in with him, Elsa and Alice following the destruction of Archie's home Markham Cottage in a fire.
In mid-1991, Nick witnessed Elsa shout in Alice's face. This resulted in a row between the two which ended with Archie taking things into his own hands.
Later the same year, on Christmas Eve
, Elsa bought Alice an expensive ornament for her birthday. Nick was angry at Elsa for her carelessness, resulting in a second row, and with no-one there to stop the fight (as Archie had gone to his sister's for Christmas) and Alice up in bed, Elsa walked out waking and taking Alice with her, despite Nick's pleading for her and his daughter to stay.
A few weeks later however, Elsa returned to Nick and handed Alice over to Nick, stating that caring for Alice prevented her social life.
In December 1993, Nick and Archie went to the Woolpack for some drinks, leaving Alice to be babysitted by her grandmother Elizabeth Pollard. Nick got into a row with Alan Turner
in the Woolpack after he blamed Archie for being a bad influence on Nick. As Nick walked back towards his home with Archie, they were blinded by jet fuel and fire balls and wreckage fell around them. Nick ran blindly, but was not hit. However, a ball of fire landed right in front of Archie, and he was engulfed in flames. Nick searched everywhere for Archie but could not find him dead or alive. Nick returned to the village to find many buildings destroyed. He was told by Frank
and Kim Tate
that a plane had crashed on the village and had already taken the lives of Leonard Kempinski
and Mark Hughes
. Nick was determined to be sure of Alice's safety. However, he was still unable to see so Frank and Kim forcefully took him to hospital.
Nick spent several weeks in hospital, during that time he learned that his house had collapsed but Alice had been pulled out of the rubble alive but her babysitter and grandmother Elizabeth Pollard had been killed after suffering from a fractured skull, internal bleeding, spleen
damage and a brain haemorrhage. Nick also learned that Alice was in Elsa's care. This angered Nick as he was infuriated that Elsa could just walk out on him and Alice and keep taking her away from him whenever it suited her.
Nick was discharged from hospital and confronted Elsa. He discovered Elsa had decided her custody over Alice to become a permanent arrangement. Nick was infuriated when Elsa claimed that he and Archie had been gay lovers who had put Alice in danger numerous times. However, Alice's custody was handed over to Nick after the court disagreed with Elsa's claims and Nick was relieved when Elsa emigrated to Spain
.
In April 1996, Nick caught a poacher
snooping around on Home Farm land. Nick wrestled the poacher to the ground, breaking the man's arm in the process. The poacher eventually gained the upper hand and held Nick hostage at gunpoint with his own rifle. However, Nick hit the man on the head with a lump of wood. Nick then hastily picked up the rifle but accidentally squeezed the trigger and the gun went off, killing the poacher, just as the police arrived after being called by Jack Sugden
who had been going to visit Seth, and saw the struggle between the two men.
Nick was charged with manslaughter and sentenced to ten years in prison. He asked Kathy to raise Alice. Kathy was initially reluctant to take on the full responsibilities of a child. However when she tried to track down Elsa, she discovered that Alice's mother had moved to Australia without telling anyone. Realising that she was all Alice now had and how un-caring Elsa really was, Kathy became determined to look after Alice herself.
When friends and family of the man Nick had killed began threatening Kathy and Alice (including trying to burn down Kathy's Tea Rooms), Caroline Bates wanted to take her granddaughter to live in Scarborough with her. Kathy however, was determined to abide by Nick's wishes and this involved keeping Alice with her. Kathy became very attached to Alice and loved her as if she was her own daughter.
Nick returned for one episode in 1999 when Kathy went to visit him in prison to tell him that Elsa had returned to the village and wanted to take Alice back with her to Australia. Much to Kathy's disappointment, Nick agreed that Alice should go live with Elsa.
When Kathy emigrated to Australia in 2001 to be nearer to Alice, Nick was still said to be in prison.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
in the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
Emmerdale
Emmerdale
Emmerdale, is a long-running British soap opera set in Emmerdale , a fictional village in the Yorkshire Dales. Created by Kevin Laffan, Emmerdale was first broadcast on 16 October 1972...
portrayed by Cy Chadwick
Cy Chadwick
Cy Chadwick is an English actor, director, producer, and Presenter. His most notable acting role was of Nick Bates in the long-running British soap Emmerdale Farm between 1985 and 1996....
. He first appeared on the 16 November 1985 and became the fiance of Elsa Feldmann, father to their daughter Alice
Alice Bates
Alice Rose Bates was a fictional character on ITV's Emmerdale from 1991-1999, 2001. She was played by two actresses: Kimberley Hewitt from 1991-1993 and by Rachel Tolboys from 1993-2001.-Early Life:...
, and the best friend of Archie Brooks
Archie Brooks (Emmerdale)
Archibald "Archie" Brooks was a fictional character in the British soap opera Emmerdale portrayed by Tony Pitts. Archie was first described as a layabout but eventually turned into a loveable and caring individual. He had a ten-year span on the show between 1983 and 1993...
.
Storylines
Nick first appeared in 1985 as a 16-year-old to visit his mother Caroline Bates. Nick immediately became good friends with two other young residents, Jackie Merrick and Archie BrooksArchie Brooks (Emmerdale)
Archibald "Archie" Brooks was a fictional character in the British soap opera Emmerdale portrayed by Tony Pitts. Archie was first described as a layabout but eventually turned into a loveable and caring individual. He had a ten-year span on the show between 1983 and 1993...
. Nick began regularly going for drinks in the Woolpack with Jackie and Archie.
Two years later, Nick and Caroline were visited by Nick's alcoholic father Malcolm. Malcolm was violent towards Caroline and accidentally set their cottage on fire. Nick stood up to his father, and threw him out.
During the years that followed Nick and Archie caused trouble for the Woolpack landlord Alan Turner
Alan Turner (Emmerdale)
Alan Jonathan Turner is a fictional character in the British soap opera Emmerdale played by Richard Thorp. He first appeared on 18 March 1982, and is the longest running character in the soap. Originally portrayed as an inept, boozing and bullying manager for NY Estates at Home Farm, he has...
and barman Amos Brearly
Amos Brearly
Amos Brearly is a fictional character in the ITV soap opera Emmerdale. He was played by Ronald Magill.He ran the Woolpack, along with Henry Wilks for 19 years.-Character backstory:...
. However, when Amos threatened them, they stopped.
In 1989, Jackie went into the woods with gamekeeper
Gamekeeper
A gamekeeper is a person who manages an area of countryside to make sure there is enough game for shooting, or fish for angling, and who actively manages areas of woodland, moorland, waterway or farmland for the benefit of game birds, deer, fish and wildlife in general.Typically, a gamekeeper is...
Seth Armstrong
Seth Armstrong
Archibald Seth Armstrong is a fictional character in the ITV soap Emmerdale, played by Stan Richards from 1978 until 2003, when the actor's ill health forced him to leave the show for more than a year...
, and was accidentally killed when his rifle went off when he was taking it out of their jeep. Nick, along with Archie, blamed Seth for his death, and decided to start a fire in the woods that belonged to Seth. However, the police arrived and Nick fled, not realising Archie had been caught.
Nick went to visit Archie in jail, after he was imprisoned for three months. Nick apologised for abandoning him and Archie forgave him. Nick was then given a letter by Archie. Nick delivered the letter to Seth, leading to the gamekeeper
Gamekeeper
A gamekeeper is a person who manages an area of countryside to make sure there is enough game for shooting, or fish for angling, and who actively manages areas of woodland, moorland, waterway or farmland for the benefit of game birds, deer, fish and wildlife in general.Typically, a gamekeeper is...
going into prison at visiting time to forgive Archie.
In 1990, Elsa Feldmann arrived in Beckindale and Nick immediately fell for her. However, she rejected him at first. However, later on in the year, both Elsa and Nick got drunk in the Woolpack. They stumbled back to Nick's. Nick offered Elsa a spare room for the night, but instead Elsa slept with Nick. When Nick woke the next morning with Elsa lying a sleep beside her, he got dressed and woke her. She got dressed and they went down stairs and Elsa left.
However, Nick received news from Elsa's mother, Elizabeth Pollard, that Elsa was pregnant and that Archie was the father. Nick, knowing the baby was his, went to confront Elsa. Elsa told him it was his, but preceded to tell the people of Beckindale that Archie was the father. However, Elsa's snobbish father Eric Pollard
Eric Pollard
Eric Charles Pollard is a fictional character from the British soap opera Emmerdale played by Chris Chittell.Pollard has appeared on the show since 1986, making him the second longest running current character after Alan Turner who has appeared since 1982. He has lied to, cheated and swindled...
, treated both Nick and Archie like nobodies, and he confronted Archie, threatening to sew him for rape.
Nick decided to do the right thing, and left a note to Eric explaining how he was the father. However, Nick was then also threatened by Eric to stay away from Elsa, and so Nick and Elsa did the right thing and get married on Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day
Saint Valentine's Day, commonly shortened to Valentine's Day, is an annual commemoration held on February 14 celebrating love and affection between intimate companions. The day is named after one or more early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine, and was established by Pope Gelasius I in 496...
. Nick and Elsa went to the register in February 1991 but as they arrived, Elsa went into premature birth. Zoe Tate
Zoe Tate
Zoe Tate is a fictional character on the ITV soap opera Emmerdale. She was played by Leah Bracknell. She appeared between December 1989 and September 2005.-1989–2001:...
, a vet who was present, delivered the baby which was named Alice Rose Bates. The wedding had to be postponed.
Nick decided to allow Archie to move in with him, Elsa and Alice following the destruction of Archie's home Markham Cottage in a fire.
In mid-1991, Nick witnessed Elsa shout in Alice's face. This resulted in a row between the two which ended with Archie taking things into his own hands.
Later the same year, on Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve refers to the evening or entire day preceding Christmas Day, a widely celebrated festival commemorating the birth of Jesus of Nazareth that takes place on December 25...
, Elsa bought Alice an expensive ornament for her birthday. Nick was angry at Elsa for her carelessness, resulting in a second row, and with no-one there to stop the fight (as Archie had gone to his sister's for Christmas) and Alice up in bed, Elsa walked out waking and taking Alice with her, despite Nick's pleading for her and his daughter to stay.
A few weeks later however, Elsa returned to Nick and handed Alice over to Nick, stating that caring for Alice prevented her social life.
In December 1993, Nick and Archie went to the Woolpack for some drinks, leaving Alice to be babysitted by her grandmother Elizabeth Pollard. Nick got into a row with Alan Turner
Alan Turner (Emmerdale)
Alan Jonathan Turner is a fictional character in the British soap opera Emmerdale played by Richard Thorp. He first appeared on 18 March 1982, and is the longest running character in the soap. Originally portrayed as an inept, boozing and bullying manager for NY Estates at Home Farm, he has...
in the Woolpack after he blamed Archie for being a bad influence on Nick. As Nick walked back towards his home with Archie, they were blinded by jet fuel and fire balls and wreckage fell around them. Nick ran blindly, but was not hit. However, a ball of fire landed right in front of Archie, and he was engulfed in flames. Nick searched everywhere for Archie but could not find him dead or alive. Nick returned to the village to find many buildings destroyed. He was told by Frank
Frank Tate (Emmerdale)
Francis Ronald "Frank" Tate is a fictional character on the ITV soap opera Emmerdale. He was played by Norman Bowler.Frank arrived in Beckindale in 1989 with his second wife Kim, son Chris and daughter Zoe...
and Kim Tate
Kim Tate
Kimberly Jane 'Kim' Tate is a fictional character on the ITV soap opera Emmerdale. who appeared between 1989 and 1999, She was played by actress Claire King. Kim Tate is seen as one of the most iconic characters in the history of British soap opera, having been dubbed The Soap Superbitch...
that a plane had crashed on the village and had already taken the lives of Leonard Kempinski
Leonard Kempinski
Leonard Kempinski is a fictional character from the British soap opera Emmerdale played by Bernard Archard.Leonard came to the village in 1992 as a friend of Amos Brearly that Annie Sugden met while out visiting Amos in Spain. She invited him back with her and stayed with the Sugden family for...
and Mark Hughes
Mark Hughes
Leslie Mark Hughes, OBE , is a former Welsh international footballer. As an international footballer, he made 72 appearances and scored 16 goals....
. Nick was determined to be sure of Alice's safety. However, he was still unable to see so Frank and Kim forcefully took him to hospital.
Nick spent several weeks in hospital, during that time he learned that his house had collapsed but Alice had been pulled out of the rubble alive but her babysitter and grandmother Elizabeth Pollard had been killed after suffering from a fractured skull, internal bleeding, spleen
Spleen
The spleen is an organ found in virtually all vertebrate animals with important roles in regard to red blood cells and the immune system. In humans, it is located in the left upper quadrant of the abdomen. It removes old red blood cells and holds a reserve of blood in case of hemorrhagic shock...
damage and a brain haemorrhage. Nick also learned that Alice was in Elsa's care. This angered Nick as he was infuriated that Elsa could just walk out on him and Alice and keep taking her away from him whenever it suited her.
Nick was discharged from hospital and confronted Elsa. He discovered Elsa had decided her custody over Alice to become a permanent arrangement. Nick was infuriated when Elsa claimed that he and Archie had been gay lovers who had put Alice in danger numerous times. However, Alice's custody was handed over to Nick after the court disagreed with Elsa's claims and Nick was relieved when Elsa emigrated to Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
.
In April 1996, Nick caught a poacher
Poaching
Poaching is the illegal taking of wild plants or animals contrary to local and international conservation and wildlife management laws. Violations of hunting laws and regulations are normally punishable by law and, collectively, such violations are known as poaching.It may be illegal and in...
snooping around on Home Farm land. Nick wrestled the poacher to the ground, breaking the man's arm in the process. The poacher eventually gained the upper hand and held Nick hostage at gunpoint with his own rifle. However, Nick hit the man on the head with a lump of wood. Nick then hastily picked up the rifle but accidentally squeezed the trigger and the gun went off, killing the poacher, just as the police arrived after being called by Jack Sugden
Jack Sugden
John Jacob "Jack" Sugden is a fictional character in the British television soap opera Emmerdale. The character was originally played by Andrew Burt from 1972 to 1974 with a brief return in 1976, when he left for Italy to write a book. On his return in 1980 he was played by Clive Hornby...
who had been going to visit Seth, and saw the struggle between the two men.
Nick was charged with manslaughter and sentenced to ten years in prison. He asked Kathy to raise Alice. Kathy was initially reluctant to take on the full responsibilities of a child. However when she tried to track down Elsa, she discovered that Alice's mother had moved to Australia without telling anyone. Realising that she was all Alice now had and how un-caring Elsa really was, Kathy became determined to look after Alice herself.
When friends and family of the man Nick had killed began threatening Kathy and Alice (including trying to burn down Kathy's Tea Rooms), Caroline Bates wanted to take her granddaughter to live in Scarborough with her. Kathy however, was determined to abide by Nick's wishes and this involved keeping Alice with her. Kathy became very attached to Alice and loved her as if she was her own daughter.
Nick returned for one episode in 1999 when Kathy went to visit him in prison to tell him that Elsa had returned to the village and wanted to take Alice back with her to Australia. Much to Kathy's disappointment, Nick agreed that Alice should go live with Elsa.
When Kathy emigrated to Australia in 2001 to be nearer to Alice, Nick was still said to be in prison.