Jake Bates was standing on the turf in his hometown of Houston when asked to reflect on an unlikely journey from learning how to sell bricks to making game-winning kicks for the Detroit Lions.

Detroit Lions kicker Jake Bates and players across the NFL are expressing their religious views during interviews (AP video: Mike Householder)

Bates used his platform as an NFL player to spread his love of Jesus in a prime-time interview on NBC after lifting the Lions to a win over the Texans with a 52-yard field goal as time expired. A month later,

Nigel Bates has returned to the BBC soap EastEnders for the first time in 26 years in a special Christmas Eve episode. The character, played by Paul Bradley, appeared at a community centre where Yolande Trueman,

Nigel Bates has made his way back to Walford after 26 years away, with the character making a shock appearance on the Christmas Eve episode.