What was Paul Nicholls up to before his EastEnders return? From co-starring with Renee Zellweger to surviving a fatal accident

Paul Nicholls shocked fans with his surprise return to Albert Square on Thursday's episode of EastEnders.

The actor, 45, reprized his Nineties role as Joe Wicks after nearly 27 years away from the soap.

Unfortunately, Paul's character Joe never actually sets foot in the square, instead appearing briefly to chat on a video call with his father, David Wicks (Michael French).

The soap actor first appeared on the BBC show from 1996 to 1997, appearing in 177 episodes.

Since then Paul has had a mixed life, while also attacking Heldines for his struggles with drug addiction and a fatal accident. Thailand again in 2017.

As he returns to the show that made him a star, MailOnline takes a look at what Paul has been up to since rising to fame on EastEnders.

The 45-year-old actor reprized his Nineties role as Joe Wicks after almost 27 years away from the soap.

After he left the soap, Paul landed a regular role in the police procedural drama City Central the following year.

She later appeared in several television shows including Kimmy Kimmy Kimmy and The Canterbury Tales.

His most notable role since EastEnders was in 2004 when he played Jet in Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason.

Paul walked away from his life and was lucky to escape with his life after plunging into the depths of Thai Falls in the summer of 2017.

Actor Koh Samui was found with serious injuries at the bottom of the falls – three days after he left his accommodation and went for a ride on his scooter.

Explaining the seriousness of the incident, he posted: 'I've been working solid for a year and a half – for an actor – and thought I'm going to take nine months off.'

'I was so happy it happened.'

At first it was believed that Paul had fallen after trying to take a selfie from above the falls, however the truth is much worse.

The soap actor first appeared on the BBC show from 1996 to 1997, appearing in 177 episodes.

After he left the soap, Paul landed a regular role in the police procedural drama City Central the following year

He explained: 'I was on a scooter and nobody knew where I was. My friend said, “You should always tell someone where you're going!”

'It's 6.30am and I'm already at the gym. I lived halfway up the mountain and went to the top to take photos.

'I came round the corner and there were about 15 wild dogs. A pack had committed a murder and the blood attracted them.

'As I got closer to the waterfall one of them fell on my leg. It drew blood and then he ran off with my flip flops.'

He added: 'I pulled into the waterfall and thought that was the only way I could go down, but I didn't realize how much I was bleeding.

'As soon as I touched the rock, I went up. It was a 20 foot drop and my knee hit something on the way down.

'It felt like something flew off my knee – part of my knee cap – and then I hit the water. Where my knee cap should have been, there was a hole and I was holding it.

Her most notable role since EastEnders was when she played Jet in Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason in 2004 (pictured with Renee Zellweger, left, and Sally Phillips).

Paul left his career and was lucky to escape with his life after plunging into the depths of a Thailand waterfall in the summer of 2017.

The actor's woes increased when the waterfall setting began to resemble somewhat of a horror scene as legions of leeches and crabs appeared everywhere.

He admitted: 'These crabs came out and then leeches came out of everywhere – I wasn't hallucinating.'

'I've been fighting leeches all day, screaming for help.'

When he was found, the star was semi-conscious and suffering from hypothermia and a tropical infection from his untreated injuries and broken leg.

Paul previously insisted that his drug addiction began after the accident.

After struggling to overcome his spiraling depression, he began combining ingredients for a cocktail.

Speaking earlier, Sun said: 'The rabbit hole I went down led me to places I never thought I'd end up – in flats with people I didn't know.

'I was taking a lot of dihydrocodeine, which is a very strong opiate pain reliever and on top of that, cocaine… every time I relapsed there was always cocaine.

The year after the accident in Thailand, Paul suffered a stroke that killed him.

'Sometimes I would go three or four days and not sleep at all. I stopped paying attention and hit the 'f*** it' button.

'Last time I was in a flat smoking stuff and doing this and that. They recognized me. I was looking around and thought, 'If I don't stop, I'm going to die.'

The following year after the Thailand crash, Paul suffered a stroke that killed him and sent him to 'rock bottom'.

He recalled collapsing before waking up approximately 16 hours later, unable to feel the right side of his body.

According to Paul, it took him three hours to get on the phone to call an ambulance. He was paralyzed in half of his body and felt his 'life was over', leaving him in tears for the release.

He had to attend physio to regain mobility, but felt the damage was already done as his illness triggered a deep depression and subsequent relapse.

His friends encouraged him to join Narcotics Anonymous, where he now feels he can see 'hope' on the horizon.

Paul said his only partner now smokes, but he's trying to stick to vaping.

He found happiness with former dancer Hemma Katrecha and lives with her and his two-year-old son.

Her most recent regular acting role was in the 2018 TV show Ugly Bridge.

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