Terry Bates

Evil-doer
Full Name	Terrance Bates
Alias	Terry "Scumbag" Mr. Bates "Boss" Terry Bates
Origin	EastEnders
Occupation	Gang lord Leader of a football firm
Powers / Skills	Intimidation Vastly guarded by heavies Deception Intelligence
Hobby	Hassling Jase Dyer and everyone who knew him
Goals	Kill Jase Dyer for trying to steal money from him (succeeded) Stop Billy Mitchell and Jay Brown for getting him imprisoned for killing Jase (failed)
Crimes	Murder Harassment Extortion Perjury Assault Threats Blackmail Coercion GBH Attempted murder
Type of Villain	Arrogant Gang Leader

“	"You betrayed me, used me! He got what he deserved. If you'll walk away from me, then you'll get what you deserve!	„
	~ Terry's last words as he unsuccessfully tries to get his wife Viv to take revenge on Billy Mitchell and Jay Brown for putting him in prison for murdering Jase Dyer.

Terry Bates is a major antagonist in the BBC British soap opera drama EastEnders who appeared from 22 October 2007 to 29 May 2009.

He was a supporting antagonist in 2007, the main antagonist in 2008 and a minor antagonist in 2009. He also appeared as a posthumous antagonist in 2019.

He is a vicious gang lord and the notorious leader of a football hooligan who was responsible for the brutal murder and violent death of established character Jase Dyer, before later being convicted for the crime thanks to Jase's young son Jay Brown and his legal guardian Billy Mitchell. Later on during the year 2019, it is revealed that Terry has died of a heart attack off-screen.

He is portrayed by actor Nicholas Ball.

Biography

Terry Bates is the head of a football firm in Walford who groomed Jase Dyer when he was 15. They soon cross paths again in over decades later when Terry attempts to find Jase in order to get him back in the firm again. He soon finds out that his henchman Dee told the police about Jase's involvement years ago and arranges for him to be subjugated in a car accident in retaliation for this.

Terry tries to get Jase back in the firm. But Jase refuses due to having a son, Jay Brown, that he wishes to bond with as well as being in a relationship with resident Dawn Swann of Albert Square. Terry is outraged at this decision and plans to confront him in The Queen Victoria public house. He and his gang besiege the pub one night in an attempt to look for Jase or Dawn so as to lure him out. Terry's right-hand man Bird Meadows spots Jase and they fight. This leads to pregnant customer Honey Mitchell getting rushed to hospital after her unborn baby gets threatened with a miscarriage from the impact of Terry's rampage. Then her relative Phil Mitchell confronts Terry with false information that the baby has died because of his rampage and Terry gets arrested.

Terry reappears when Jase agrees to work for him so he can earn enough money for him and Jay and Dawn to start anew. Jase later tries to steal money from Terry with the help from his friend and Honey's husband Billy Mitchell. But Terry learns about this and has Jay kidnapped before luring Jase and Billy into a trap. Terry prepares to torture Jay when Jase causes a distraction that allows his son to flee with Billy outside. Then Terry and his gang proceed to beat up Jase before Terry himself ends up stabbing Jase to the brink of death. He is about to continue torturing Jase when the police suddenly arrive and take Terry and his gang into custody. Jase is subsequently rushed to hospital where he dies after the doctors fail to revive him.

Months later Terry is eventually arrested and charged for Jase's murder. He is set to be trialed for the crime and orders his wife Viv Bates to threaten Billy in ensuring that he makes sure that her husband is set free for killing Jase. They threaten to hurt Jay should Billy testify against him. But Billy persists and Terry orders him and Jay to be killed. But despite Billy getting injured he and Jay survive before arriving in court to describe the events of Terry killing Jase. Later on Terry is found guilty of murdering Jase and sentenced to life imprisonment. Terry makes a last attempt to get revenge on Jay and Billy by telling Viv to arrange their deaths. But Viv refuses and breaks up with Terry over his true colors. Terry threatens his wife but she ignores her husband and leaves him to rot in prison. Terry later dies of a heart attack in 2019 and Viv visits Jay, along with the latter's adopted brother and best-friend Ben Mitchell, to discuss her husband's funeral; Jay reluctantly arranges the funeral in order to put his ordeal with Terry behind him for good.

Trivia

• The scene where Terry and his gang kill Jase received over 130 complaints due to the graphic extent and realistic violence of Jase's death.