Is it all over for ever for Nick when his plan to kill Dot backfires? EastEnders actor John Altman tells of Nick dramatic exit... How is Nick’s plan going? “Nick’s plan to make Dot, and everyone else, think she’s got dementia is going too slow for him. He’s desperate to get his hands on the house and all her money and decides to start drugging her to add to her confusion. From there it’s a small leap to his next idea... to go the whole hog and dose her with enough pills to kill her." Where does Dotty come into the plan? “Nick’s not about to do the dirty work himself. Instead, he tells Dotty it would be less suspicious if she was the one who put the drugs in Dot’s drink and she reluctantly agrees to do it. Nick doesn’t even intend to be there.” So what happens? “He goes into the room to see his mum for the last time and she starts reminiscing about past friends. This isn’t the way Nick had it planned and he actually starts to experience a slight pricking of his conscience, especially when Dot mentions his late son Ashley.” Is he about to scrap his plan? “It all gets too much and he says, ‘I need a pint. All this tea and sympathy is doing my head in.’ At the door he pauses knowing it will be the last time he sees his ma alive.” And when he returns to the house? “When he gets back Dot’s still on the sofa. She looks asleep ,but he believes she‘s dead and to be honest he’s a bit choked up. In fact, it turns out Dotty couldn’t go through with it. Instead she’s put the drugs in a bottle of lager and gives it to Nick.” So he’s been double crossed by his own daughter? “When Dot walks into the kitchen, Nick’s stunned. And when he finds out Dotty put the pills in his drink he’s furious. He tries to grab Dotty, but he can barely walk. She runs away and tells Dot what happened and Dot tells Patrick. They head over to Dot’s, but Nick has managed to pull himself together just enough to get out of the house.” So what's next now his secret is out? “He has to get away from Walford... His idea is to take Dotty with him. She’s in the launderette and he grabs her and bundles her into his car. But he’s still out of it and crashes outside the cafe. And that’s when it really kicks off..." Is this the start of the caff explosion we’ve been waiting for? “He drags Dotty into the cafe and locks the door with half the Square inside. Bradley tries to persuade him to let the kids go, but this only makes him worse and he starts smashing the place up. What Nick doesn’t realise is that a fire’s started in the cafe… then some have-a-go hero floors him.” Is it all over for Nick? “Bradley manages to get everyone out, but Nick stays inside. Bradley rushes back to help Nick, but he’s not about to be caught. He heads for the back door just as the whole place explodes from a split gas pipe. There’s a huge fireball and though the rescue services carry Bradley out, there’s no sign of Nick’s body.” Is Nick dead? “I hope not!”
