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Friday Night Dinner

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Smash-hit adolescent comedy about a bunch of lads behaving sadly...

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Effy was born in 1993 to parents Anthea ( Morwenna Banks) and Jim Stonem ( Harry Enfield).

In "Tony", Effy is seen one morning briefly walking home at the beginning of the episode, apparently from partying the night before. Her brother Tony distracts her father so that she can sneak back into the house, a routine they are both clearly familiar with.

In "Effy", Tony is forced to care about someone other than himself for once when Effy - one of the only people he cares about - disappears during a night of partying with a boy named Spencer (played by Tom Payne). After taking various drugs, Spencer leads Effy to a party, where Josh Stock injects her with stolen clean pharmaceuticals. When Effy overdoses, Josh tells Tony that he will only let him take her to the hospital if Tony has sex with his unconscious sister, which Josh demands in revenge for Tony scheming against his relationship with Michelle. After Tony begs for forgiveness, Josh lets them go, and Tony rushes to the hospital with Effy and Sid Jenkins, where Effy is told that she will be fine. During this episode Effy shows some tendencies similar to an arsonist, setting certain objects alight with her cigarette lighter.

In the series finale, we learn that Effy's parents have moved her to the private school in the aftermath of her drug episode. More layers to her character appear as she derides Tony verbally as a wanker for his treatment of ex-girlfriend Michelle, who had come to her previously in an attempt to understand Tony. She witnesses as Tony is hit by a bus, and screams in horror, crying silently as the finale takes place.

In the second series, we learn that Effy has now begun to speak openly, at least amongst her family and presumably among others as well. She also continues to party, as seen in the first episode of the second series, despite the events of "Effy" last series where both she and Tony were put through a traumatic experience.

In the sixth episode "Tony", it becomes clear that she is looking after Tony since his accident, where she is seen comforting him from his nightmares by reading him Greek myths. She also speaks to Michelle and Sid, but is fairly unfriendly with both of them.

In this series' Effy-centric episode, it is revealed that Effy and Tony's father is on a business trip in France while their mother stays at home each day, depressed and taking Tony's medication. Effy on the other hand has taken on the role of a parental figure somewhat, where she is seen washing and drying her and Tony's clothes (albeit ineptly), and watching after her mother.

At school Effy's art teacher appoints Effy to the task of helping new girl Pandora, and explains that she must do well on her GCSE Art coursework or else she'll be expelled. Although Effy clearly objects to the former, she allows Pandora to follow her around, and even takes her home with her. Back at home Tony receives a parcel from Michelle, which is actually the watch he gave her for her birthday, prompting him to become further frustrated with Sid. Sid explains to Effy his problems, in which she agrees that in exchange for doing her GCSE Art coursework, she will sort out Sid's struggling social enterprises; specifically concerning his love for the estranged Cassie Ainsworth.

Effy, with Pandora in tow, picks up weed at Cassie's where she inquires about her relationship with Sid, but otherwise doesn't probe the subject. Effy is later seen taking the drugs to a club, where she sells them and is also seen by Tony selling Michelle's watch, prompting him to be angered with her. It is revealed later that Effy didn't sell it, but instead had it repaired and sent back to Michelle with the word "forever" engraved in it, softening Michelle enough to speak to Tony again. As for Sid, Effy sends an acquaintance of hers called Jake to Cassie's - knowing the chances that they would sleep together - and takes a series of photos through the window. She scatters the photos around Sid's sleeping form, prompting him to finally confront Cassie, where the two subsequently make up.

At school, Effy doesn't use Sid's artwork he created for her (she lets Pandora use it), but explains to her teacher that her GCSE Art coursework is conceptual, in which she used an array of emotions - referring to her recent experiences helping others mend their relationships. At the end of the episode, Effy's father arrives home to a clean house, and his wife in an elegant state, all presumably done by Effy.

In the finale of the second series, "Final Goodbyes", Effy is seen in the final shot before the credits, smirking at the camera and smiling while lying under Tony's duvet cover, foreshadowing her presence as the lead character in the third series.[citation needed ]

In the first episode of the series, Effy catches the eye of best friends Freddie, Cook and JJ on her first day at Roundview College. When Freddie attempts to engage in conversation with Effy, flirtatiously suggesting possibly more than a friendship, she warns him that his best friends Cook and JJ want the same, which will likely complicate things. However, after his insistence, she then proposes a challenge by giving him a list of all the things they're not supposed to do in school - such as sniffing glue, smoking weed, arson, porn, and sex in school - and says whoever completes the list first will get an opportunity to "get to know" her. By the end of the day Cook is the only one to have completed Effy's challenge, with the exceptions of sex and drugs in school. Effy excuses herself from class, prompting Cook to follow, where they light up a spliff and the two have sex in the school nurse's office.

In the following episode, " Cook", Effy gets to know her new classmates better while celebrating Cook's birthday, and in the third episode " Thomas", her suspicion that her mother is having an affair is confirmed when she catches her post-coitus with her father's boss. In the following episode " Pandora", her father leaves her and her mother, so Effy copes by getting trashed at Pandora's girls-only pajama party, despite Pandora's earlier rules that drinking, drugs, and boys would not be tolerated. When Effy returns the next morning, presumably to apologise or comfort Pandora for her actions, she discovers that Pandora and Cook slept together. Though Effy immediately confronts her, Pandora uses the opportunity to stand up for herself and tells Effy she does not put enough effort into their friendship (she has, thus far, demonstrated herself to be somewhat selfish), for which Effy does not argue.

In " Freddie", Effy rebuffs Freddie's suggestion that they'd "be good together" by claiming that she would merely break his heart. Later, Freddie expresses his feelings to her in greater depth where the two share a passionate kiss, however Effy returns to Cook. In " Naomi", although there is apparent tension between Effy and Freddie, she and Pandora seem to be on better terms with one another. In " JJ", JJ, Freddie and Cook's mutual friend, who has been encouraged by Emily, angrily confronts Effy for her part in destroying the once-strong friendship he, Freddie and Cook shared. Effy, seeing the impact she had had, is apologetic and, although she cannot guarantee that she will stop, she expresses sentiment that she would like to become his friend after he admits that he loves her too, and is somewhat hurt when he refuses. Naomi later points out that Effy is in love with Freddie, although Effy feebly denies it.

In her central episode it is apparent that Effy has "gone off the rails" as stated by her in the previous episode. Though she is prepared to break up with Cook - which she does without informing him - and confront Freddie with her feelings, she is discouraged by Freddie's new relationship with Katie. When the group goes camping in an area of the woods known as Gobblers End, the uninvited Cook shows up and bitterly reveals secrets, including that he and Pandora have apparently been sleeping together behind Effy's back. Under the influence of shrooms, Effy flees from the clearing where they are camping and into the woods where she is attacked by a jealous and insecure Katie, who pins her down and spits on her before attempting to choke her, prompting Effy to pick up a rock and strike Katie in self-defense. Afterward, Effy is comforted when she and Freddie have sex for the first time, however the next morning when Katie is learned to be missing, Effy becomes extremely anxious. Eventually, Katie is found after a phone call Effy makes and is taken to the hospital, where Freddie and others learn what happened and turn against Effy for abandoning Katie in the woods and for causing her to need nine stitches in her head. Effy blacks out, only to awake in a car driven by Cook, who doesn't know where they are or where they are going, only that the two of them are going together. A full moon appears in Effy's central episodes, both in season 3 and 4; this is a connection to Effy's dark state of mind and her depressive disorder.

It is learned in the finale that Cook has been bringing Effy to "one small, shitty town after another" for weeks, and Effy is becoming gradually more dissatisfied with this seemingly aimless wandering. Cook, however, tells her that this is the town where his father lives. While Cook is content to end their journey here, Effy grows worried for Cook when she sees how his father manipulates him, prompting her to call Freddie for help - and telling him that she loves him shortly before hanging up. When Freddie and JJ arrive, they decide that the fate of the boys' relationships with Effy should be decided by the small town's race. JJ, who wins the race, takes charge and demands that they solve their problems once and for all, forcing both boys to admit that they each love Effy and telling her that she must choose between them. Although Effy doesn't say anything, her "look says it all" when her gaze lingers over Freddie, prompting Cook to leave in a fury. When Freddie and Effy are alone, they make up and have sex. The following morning Effy, Freddie, Cook, and JJ begin their journey home.

Over the summer, Effy goes with her mother to Italy, breaking up with Freddie due to the guilt she feels from the pain she caused Katie and Cook and does not contact anyone. In "Thomas", Effy does not come to the first day of school and the others assume she is still in Italy. It is revealed at the end of the first episode that she is actually back in England, and that she is with Pandora at her house comforting her after Thomas shows up, who tried to get back with her after having cheated on her.

In "Emily", Effy returns to college, sits next to Freddie and reveals that it's him she was thinking about all summer. She then hugs Cook while Freddie watches. Later at a party, Effy is dancing with Freddie and kisses him. Cook sees this and lashes out at fellow party-goer Shankey and headbutts JJ without realizing who he has hurt. Effy and Freddie see him fighting and leave.

In the following episode "Cook", Effy and Freddie kiss again and are overseen by Cook, who has become expelled and eventually arrested when admitting to selling drugs that led to a suicide. Effy comes to see Cook in prison and tells him she loves Freddie. She admits that love is a "headfuck", but that she is enjoying it nevertheless, which Cook seems to understand.

In Freddie's episode, Effy's mother has gone on an extended vacation, leaving Effy all alone. Thus Freddie and Effy stay there, doing drugs, heavy partying and having sex. Eventually, Effy begins acting erratically, cutting out pictures of death and pasting them to her mother's bedroom wall while mentioning "creatures" coming for her. She decides to throw a "goodbye party", thus freaking much of the gang out. Freddie knocks on Effy's door three times and shakes the doorknob before she finally lets him in. When Freddie enters, he sees her hiding under the bed, visibly shaken. She tells him that he is the only one she can trust.

After Freddie clears the party out, Cook remains. However, when seeing him, Effy begins to freak out, yelling at him to leave and at Freddie to make him. Freddie starts to think that Effy is developing psychosis as well as manic episodes; something his mother also dealt with. He asks his grandfather for advice and attempts to help her. When he takes Effy to a calm field, she says that the creatures are coming for her and that she used to be stronger (thus able to fight them off) but being with Freddie had made her susceptible and "weak" to them. She sees a group of people walking toward them and freaks out, believing them to be the monsters she spoke to Freddie about. Freddie scares them off. At her insistence, Freddie drives Effy home where he sees her mother talking to a police officer. Not wanting to give up on Effy yet, Freddie turns around and begins to take Effy somewhere else.

On the way, they run into the Judgment Day parade. The number of people in demonic looking costumes begins to freak Effy out. She blames Freddie and runs away. Freddie tries to follow with the help of Cook, but loses sight of her. Katie, who is dancing on a float, sees a distraught Effy and rescues her, and calls Freddie over to take care of her. Freddie and Katie take her to visit his grandfather.

While Freddie talks to his grandfather, Katie and Effy wait in the hall. Shortly, Katie enters the room, anxious because Effy won't come out of the bathroom. Freddie, distraught once he realizes Effy's been left alone, runs the bathroom she went to. Kicking the door open, he sees Effy lying on the floor unconscious with her wrists slashed. She is taken to hospital to be treated. In the hospital, Effy tells Freddie to go away. Later, Freddie talks to Effy's mother Anthea. She says that Effy needs both of them now. Freddie replies that she is going to have to take care of Effy alone, and runs off. He then goes back to Effy's home, rips all of her "death" pictures off the wall, and burns them in a bonfire outside. Cook shows up and tells Freddie not to give up on Effy.

Since Effy's suicide attempt, she has been admitted to a psychiatric hospital, under the supervision and counselling of her psychiatrist John T. Foster. As she is permitted to leave, albeit with conditions from John, she decides to visit Freddie, in which she confirms she only has love for him, and "that is all". However, at a celebration party where all the other characters are celebrating their A levels, Effy suddenly states that she is finished and is saying goodbye to everyone - including Freddie.

Over the course of the episode Effy's condition deteriorates to the point where she completely forgets who she is, transforming into a whole new person, and who her friends are. Cook notices this and after a brief chasing scene Effy demands to be taken back to Freddie. As Cook does so he notices a duffel bag; hinting towards Freddie's near escape, the two talk and Cook leaves implying he is finished with chasing Effy. Effy is once again institutionalised, although refusing to go back under the supervision of John as it is apparent he has been using hypnotic methods to cause her to forget everything about her past and life. After a brief scuffle with Freddie, John exits hastily, and Effy states that Freddie deserves better than her. Freddie dismisses her comment and she falls asleep holding Freddie's hand and telling him she loves him over and over.

The next morning John invites Freddie to his home where Freddie once again demands that John leave Effy alone. When Freddie tries to leave, the door is locked and John, brandishing a baseball bat, reveals that he wants Effy for himself, explaining "she really does love you, you know." Freddie is heard trying to reason with John, who begins to beat him mercilessly. After a few more yells and blood splatting onto the window the counsellor continues beating the now silent Freddie.

In the finale episode of series 4 we see Effy in hospital and recovering well once more. She is concerned over Freddie's sudden departure and believes that her condition scared him off. After she's seen in hospital with Pandora and Katie, Cook finds her, now out of hospital, in Freddie's shed. She shares her concerns and her feeling of rejection with him. He gives her Freddie's notebook in which Freddie declares his love for her on every page. The episode ends with her being comforted in the knowledge of Freddie's feelings for her and celebrating his birthday with all the gang in his shed.

In the two-part episode, " Fire", set three years after the ending of Series 4, Effy, now 21, is living in London with Naomi, with whom she now has a close relationship, and working a dead-end job as a receptionist in a high-profile hedge fund. In the years since her last appearance, she has become more mature, principled and assertive. Effy eventually becomes a stock trader with some help of her friend, Dominic ( Craig Roberts), who claims to be in love with her. After achieving success through illicit information provided to her by Dominic, she pursues a relationship with Jake ( Kayvan Novak), her wealthy boss, and begins to live the high life. Unfortunately, this is short-lived when the Financial Services Authority receives a tip-off, and evidence, that her success was the result of insider trading, and Jake places the blame squarely with her (although he had actually encouraged her to do it). To make matters worse, her personal life is shattered when Naomi is diagnosed with terminal cancer, and Effy finds herself having to deal with both the possibility of going to prison and the pain of losing Naomi. Eventually, after managing to get Emily back to London to ensure that Naomi's last days will be spent with her beloved girlfriend at her side, she agrees, after some sympathy from Victoria, Jake's ex-girlfriend and the FSA agent investigating Effy, to sign a confession that will name Jake and reduce her own prison sentence. Effy's story ends with Effy being placed into a police car to be taken into custody, her trademark wry smile crossing her face.

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Effy was born in 1993 to parents Anthea ( Morwenna Banks) and Jim Stonem ( Harry Enfield). In "Tony", Effy is seen one morning briefly walking home at the beginning of the episode, apparently from partying the night before.

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- loryn

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She had a teen pregnancy

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represents youth in the working class, presented as chavs.

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representatin of middle and working class example 

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representatin of middle and working class example 

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Shaun - This is England

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“Chav”

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prominent story-lines include his battles with alcoholism and addiction - stereotype of WC life as miserable

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Phil Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Steve McFadden. Phil was introduced to the soap opera on 20 February 1990, and was followed by his brother, Grant ( Ross Kemp), sister Sam ( Danniella Westbrook/ Kim Medcalf) and mother Peggy ( Jo Warne/ Barbara Windsor). Phil is one of the major introductions made by executive producer Michael Ferguson, who wanted to bring in some macho male leads. Phil and his brother Grant became popularly known as the Mitchell brothers in the British media with Phil initially portrayed as the more level-headed of the two thugs. Storylines featuring the Mitchell family dominated the soap opera throughout the 1990s, with Phil becoming a popular and long-running male protagonist into the 2000s, the 2010s and the 2020s. McFadden temporarily left the series in late 2003 then returned in April 2005 for a brief stint, before making a permanent return in October 2005. McFadden took a hiatus from the series at the end of Phil's liver cirrhosis storyline with the character departing on 6 February 2017. He returned on 24 July the same year. McFadden took another break in 2018 from 31 August to 22 November.

Phil's most prominent storylines include his battles with alcoholism and addiction; suffering from cirrhosis of the liver; various criminal dealings; having an affair with Grant's wife Sharon Watts ( Letitia Dean) - a storyline popularly dubbed " Sharongate"; a failed marriage to Kathy Beale ( Gillian Taylforth); a longstanding rivalry with his tormented stepson and Kathy's eldest child, Ian Beale ( Adam Woodyatt); sparking numerous feuds; relationship problems; seeking to avenge the death of Sharon's adopted brother-turned-husband Dennis Rickman ( Nigel Harman) by confronting his gangland killer, Johnny Allen ( Billy Murray), in the Get Johnny Week storyline; becoming a prime suspect in the murder of his uncle Archie ( Larry Lamb); developing an addiction with cocaine that sparks the events of the Queen Vic Fire Week scenario; framing one of his enemies, Max Branning ( Jake Wood), for killing Ian's daughter Lucy ( Hetti Bywater) in order to cover-up the fact that Lucy's younger half-brother, Bobby (Eliot Carrington) is the murderer; coping with the death of his mother Peggy after she had cancer; his ongoing struggle to bond with his children Ben (Charlie Jones/Joshua Pascoe/ Harry Reid/Max Bowden) and Louise (Rachel Cox/Brittany Papple/ Tilly Keeper), discovering that Sharon has been having a clandestine affair and that he is not responsible for her pregnancy. One of the most culturally significant storylines featuring the character aired in 2001 and was dubbed " Who Shot Phil?". The events saw Phil shot in a whodunit mystery, with the assailant eventually revealed to be his former girlfriend and Louise's mother Lisa Fowler ( Lucy Benjamin). The "Who Shot Phil?" storyline captured viewer and media interest and the culprit-reveal episode was watched by 22 million viewers.

Phil Mitchell first arrived in Walford to open an automobile repair shop, known as The Arches; he is joined by his younger brother Grant ( Ross Kemp) Two years later, Phil goes into partnership at The Queen Victoria public house with Grant and his wife Sharon Watts ( Letitia Dean) - up to the point where he moves in with them. Phil grows close to Sharon, who turns to him for comfort during Grant's violent outbursts. Sharon and Phil have sex but she stays with Grant, who is unaware of their betrayal. Sharon and Grant's reconciliation is brief, and amidst more rowing and physical violence, Grant is arrested and imprisoned. In his absence, Phil and Sharon continue their affair but when Grant is released, Sharon reconciles with him, leaving Phil heartbroken. On the rebound, Phil enters into a marriage of convenience with Nadia Borovac (Anna Barkan) - a Romanian refugee - enabling her to stay in Britain, with Nadia departing after the wedding.

Phil begins a relationship with Kathy Beale ( Gillian Taylforth), but Nadia returns, needing Phil to prove he is her husband to prevent deportation. She moves in with him while she is investigated. Nadia seduces and sleeps with a drunken Phil. He regrets it, denying it to Kathy so Grant threatens to kill her to make her leave but Phil later bribes her into agreeing to a divorce. Kathy agrees to marry Phil in 1994, despite discovering that he torched a vehicle in a car lot - owned by his would-be stepfather Frank Butcher ( Mike Reid) - to secure an insurance scam, accidentally killing a homeless boy trapped inside. Intent on winning him back, Sharon kisses Phil but he ends things there. During Phil and Kathy's engagement party, Grant listens to a cassette of Sharon admitting to the affair and plays it at the party. Kathy is incensed, and Grant beats Phil so badly that he has to go to hospital, due to a blood clot in his brain. Phil undergoes surgery, which stirs remorse in Grant. He pressures Phil into blaming Sharon for their affair and Grant forces her to leave Walford. Phil and Grant make peace but things between them are not the same.

Kathy and Phil eventually sort out their differences, up to the point where they get married and Kathy later gives birth to their son - Ben (Matthew Silver). As time goes on, however, Phil becomes depressed and turns to alcohol - which causes him to develop an addiction. This makes him abusive and neglectful towards Kathy and Ben, so Kathy takes Ben and moves out. Realizing what he has lost, Phil gives up alcohol and attends Alcoholics Anonymous. This soon helps Phil, up to the point where it manages to reveal the basis of his problem - the physical abuse he received from his father Eric when he was a boy, and his fear that he may abuse Ben. He and Kathy reconcile when he attends counselling, until he begins an affair with fellow alcoholic Lorna Cartwright ( Janet Dibley) - who starts stalking him. With his marriage in jeopardy, Phil takes Kathy to Paris and admits his affair with Lorna so Kathy throws her wedding ring into the river. Phil begins sleeping rough, gambling, and blaming Kathy for his decline. This prompts her to leave Walford for South Africa, letting it be known that an offer of reconciliation from Phil would make her reconsider. Phil is undecided until Lorna stops him going after Kathy by locking herself in his bathroom and attempts suicide. He later follows Kathy to the airport but is stopped by Kathy's son, Ian Beale ( Adam Woodyatt), who persuades him that Kathy and Ben are better off without him. Phil agonies over the loss of his son.

To distract himself, Phil gets involved in a protection racket with Annie Palmer ( Nadia Sawalha), who he is also having casual sex with, but grows tired of being bossed around by her and quits. He starts seeing Lisa Shaw ( Lucy Benjamin), but the relationship stalls when Kathy returns briefly in 1999 and sleeps with Grant. Before Kathy returns to South Africa, she asks Phil to go with her but he declines as Grant has planned an armed robbery and Phil refuses to let him do the job alone. Infuriated by Phil's loyalty to Grant, Kathy reveals their recent tryst, leading to Phil confronting Grant and Grant's confession that he slept with Kathy as revenge for Phil's affair with Sharon. While trying to escape, Phil pulls out a gun and shoots at the dashboard, causing Grant to crash into the River Thames. Phil is rescued, but Grant isn't found and is presumed dead. However, it is soon revealed that Grant is alive and he escapes to Brazil - though not before sending Phil and their mother Peggy ( Barbara Windsor) the deeds for his half of The Queen Vic. Though Phil is entrusted by his mother to protect Grant's share of The Queen Vic, he ends up selling it to his business partner Dan Sullivan ( Craig Fairbrass) for £5 to spite Peggy due to her favouritism towards Grant. By then, Phil and Dan have become best-friends; with Phil being the only person to defend Dan after the latter is revealed to have cheated on his girlfriend Carol Jackson ( Lindsey Coulson) by having an affair with her daughter Bianca ( Patsy Palmer), the wife of Frank's son Ricky ( Sid Owen) - whom Phil has frequently clashed with overtime.

Phil and Dan's friendship soon ends after Dan tells the police about a motor scam Phil was involved in and Phil cons Dan into signing the pub over to Peggy. Phil is unsupportive when his girlfriend, Lisa, has a miscarriage and he starts domestically abusing her by getting her sacked from her job and insists she stay at home. This makes her dependent on him so he moves on to her best friend, Mel Healy ( Tamzin Outhwaite). Lisa is paranoid that Phil is having an affair and accuses Mel of being his other woman, which she is not, at that point. However, Mel is upset by Lisa's accusation and Phil comforts her, leading to a one-night stand. Mel, however, realizes it was a mistake and reconciles with Steve Owen ( Martin Kemp), making Phil jealous. Lisa decides that a baby will improve their relationship so stops taking contraceptive pills but Phil wants Lisa to leave him, not get pregnant, so he admits to Lisa that he and Mel slept together. Lisa leaves, keeping quiet about her pregnancy, so when Mark Fowler ( Todd Carty) suggests they tell people that the baby is his, Lisa agrees. Phil now has many enemies: Lisa; Steve, who also knows about Mel and Phil's one night stand; Ian, who Phil bullies mercilessly; Mark, who wants to avenge Lisa; and Dan. On Steve and Mel's wedding night, Phil is shot and collapses in a pool of blood. Steve is the prime suspect and is arrested but Phil, knowing Steve is innocent, confronts the real culprit, Lisa, after he is discharged from hospital. Realizing he drove her to it, Phil frames Dan. He is assisted by Ritchie Stringer ( Gareth Hunt), who gives Dan the gun used to shoot Phil. Unaware that he is being set up, Dan holds Phil at gunpoint, demanding money until he is arrested for attempted murder. Steve is a witness at Dan's trial and gives evidence as agreed with Phil, further implicating Dan but he is cleared and seeks revenge by kidnapping Mel, threatening to kill her unless they pay him £200,000. Steve and Phil rescue Mel but Dan escapes with the money and is never seen again.

Phil reconciles with Sharon when she returns in 2001 and they run The Queen Vic together. Phil now wants children but Sharon reveals she is infertile due to botched abortion. She later admits that the baby she aborted six years earlier was Grant's. This puts a strain on their relationship and by Christmas they have separated, resulting in Sharon returning to the United States. Before Sharon leaves, she tells Phil that he, not Mark, is the father of Lisa's daughter, Louise (Rachel Cox). Phil confronts Lisa, demanding contact. Horrified at this, Steve and Mel ask Lisa and Louise to emigrate to California with them. She agrees but changes her mind and telephones Steve, asking him to return Louise. He refuses to, so Phil attempts to get Louise back, resulting in a car chase that ends when Steve crashes his car into a wall. Phil rescues Louise but the car explodes before he can help Steve, who dies in the inferno. Phil persuades Lisa to return to him and then makes it clear that it is Louise him and Peggy want, not Lisa. Phil and Peggy hire a nanny, Joanne Ryan ( Tara Lynne O'Neill), without consulting her, telling her that Lisa is mentally unstable. Phil demands that Lisa change Louise's name to Mitchell legally and organises a christening. Lisa agrees until some of Phil's relatives, assuming she is the nanny, start talking about how unstable Louise's mother is. Furious at this, she and Louise flee to Portugal, assisted by Phil's godson Jamie ( Jack Ryder) - whom Phil originally took in as his wing to spare him from being further abused by his legal guardian: Phil's cousin Billy ( Perry Fenwick), However, Phil soon takes his frustrations out of Jamie until he dies after being struck by a car - leaving Phil devastated. After Jamie's funeral, Phil goes to Portugal and returns a month later with Louise. This causes some of Phil's neighbors to suspect that he has murdered Lisa.

Phil soon falls for Kate Morton ( Jill Halfpenny), unaware that she is an undercover police officer investigating Lisa's disappearance. After Phil confesses that he manipulated Lisa to give him Louise and paid her to leave the square for good, Kate reveals her true identity. In response, Phil ends his romance with Kate and threatens to kill her - even when she admits to loving him with the promise of quitting her job. Kate disappears, but several months later, Phil finds her working as the secretary for the square's reigning gangland kingpin: Jack Dalton ( Hywel Bennett). He soon begins to visit Dalton on several occasions, most notably when Phil finds out that Dalton discovers Kate's identity. When Dalton plans to have her killed, sending his employee George Peters ( Andy Beckwith) to rape and murder Kate in her house, Phil comes to Kate's rescue by knocking out Peters just as he attacks Kate. Though she insists on getting the police involved, Kate allows Phil to deal with Dalton on his own. This Phil does by frogmarching Peters back to Dalton's nightclub, the "Imperial Room", and urging Dalton himself to let Kate go free. Dalton relents on sparing Kate, but tells Phil that he now owes him a favor.

It is at this point where Sharon's long-lost brother, Dennis Rickman ( Nigel Harman), arrives in Walford. Phil and Dennis instantly clash when Dennis punches Phil in the Queen Vic. Later on, Phil learns that Dennis has previously been involved in Dalton's criminal organization - The Firm. This is further notified when Dalton summons Phil to carry out his favor with a task: killing Dennis. At first Phil complies and goes to confront Dennis in the square's nightclub, holding him at gunpoint. Phil prepares to kill Dennis, but changes his mind when Dennis offers to kill Dalton himself - so that they can both be free of him; Phil reluctantly gives Dennis the gun to go after Dalton, and is later surprised to learn that Dennis actually killed Dalton as he promised. Following Dalton's death, his representative Andy Hunter ( Michael Higgs) confronts Phil over the circumstances of his and Dennis' alleged involvement; Phil denies involvement and Andy pardons him when he refuses to implicate Dennis for Dalton's murder.

Soon afterwards, Phil rebuilds his relationship with Kate and the two get married. On their wedding day, however, Phil is unhappy when Lisa reappears - demanding access to Louise. When Phil refuses to do so, Lisa plans to shoot him again until she backs down. Phil later grows annoyed when Kate befriends Dennis, and ends up punching him upon learning that the two nearly had sex together. In the ensuing clash between them, Phil orders Dennis to get beaten up and later slaps Sharon when she confront him over it. Towards the end of September 2003, Dennis and Sharon are reunited with their father Den Watts ( Leslie Grantham) - who returns to the square after 14 years, with his last presence being that he had supposedly been shot dead as Dalton had orchestrated. When Phil and Den cross paths with each other, they quickly become enemies. Their feud culminates badly for Phil, when he reluctantly joins Den in an armed robbery - only to learn that Den had set him up on behalf of both Lisa and his family; Phil is subsequently arrested when the police besiege the scene of the crime. When she discovers this, Lisa tells Kate that she is taking Louise. Unable to stop her legally, Kate agrees; however, Phil discovers this and his marriage with Kate ends after he refuses to forgive her for costing him Louise. Up towards Christmas 2003, Phil escapes from prison and confronts Den; they fight until Den gives him £250,000 to survive "on the run", and Phil punches Dennis in retaliation for getting assaulted at their first encounter. Phil thereupon departs Walford and is not seen for over a year afterwards.

While Grant also make amends with Sharon by making peace with Dennis as well, Phil begins a feud with Johnny over his issue with Peggy and the fact that he and Chrissie are having a partnership over the pub's ownership. When Billy uses his job as Johnny's nightclub to discover CCTV footage of Chrissie confessing Den's murder to her boyfriend and Johnny's henchman Jake Moon ( Joel Beckett) from an earlier night, he informs Phil - who goes to confront Johnny without Grant's consent. At first Phil attempts to negotiate with Johnny to no avail, but they end up fighting when Grant intervenes - punching Jake and helping Phil batter Johnny to steal the tape. As Jake flees to alert Chrissie of the situation, Johnny holds Phil and Grant at gunpoint to reclaim the tape - but relents in letting them escape when his daughter Ruby ( Louisa Lytton) walks in on the incident. Before fleeing with the tape, Phil learns from Johnny that Ian is Chrissie's mystery buyer for the pub; he and Billy confront Ian, while Grant helps Sharon and Dennis look for Chrissie. Eventually, the police catch up to Chrissie just as she prepares to flee the country at the airport and Sharon punches her in revenge for her father's death; Chrissie is then arrested and sentenced to life imprisonment, while Sam is released from prison - only to end up fleeing the country when she finds herself implicated for perverting the course of justice for Den's murder. Despite the circumstances over Sam's ordeal, the Mitchells still celebrate Chrissie's imprisonment when Sharon announces that she forged a contract that Ian had signed - thereby meaning that Ian doesn't officially own the pub, and that the Mitchells are the true owners of The Queen Vic once more. Up towards Christmas 2005, Phil escalates his feud with Johnny and ends up entrapping Dennis on his behalf; Dennis and Johnny embark on a conflict afterwards. When Phil discovers that Johnny threatened Sharon with Dennis' life, he attempts to intimidate Dennis in attacking Johnny in retribution; Dennis refuses, but relents when Phil tells him that Johnny killed Andy and throttled Sharon. Unfortunately, after Dennis batters Johnny at the stroke of the new year, Johnny arranges for him to be stabbed and Dennis dies in Sharon's arms - leaving her devastated, while Phil becomes ridden with guilt for Dennis' death and vows revenge against Johnny. After comforting Sharon when she lashes out at Johnny in the wake of Dennis' funeral, Phil promises to avenge his death. Phil later convinces Grant to help him confront Johnny at his new home in rural Essex, but he escapes and the brothers peruse home. However, Phil's squabbling with Grant allows Johnny to capture them and Johnny orders Jake's brother Danny ( Jake Maskall) to kill the brothers. Before Danny can execute Grant, however, Jake arrives and shoots Danny - accidentally killing him as Jake meant to merely stop his brother by shooting him in the arm or leg. While Jake buries Danny's body alone, Phil and Grant return to Johnny's home and find that Johnny has surrounded at Ruby's request; Johnny is later sentenced to life imprisonment for the murders of Andy and Dennis, though he later dies of a heart attack in October 2006. After resolving matters with Grant and securing Jake's safety from exposed as a killer following the discovery of Danny's death, Phil resumes his life with his family and Sharon.

Although troubled by lapses in alcoholism due to numerous family upsets, Phil begins to settle into a relationship with Shirley - particularly when she becomes a mother figure for Ben and Louise, who is staying with Phil while Lisa is away. Trouble stirs, however, when Phil ends up getting distant from both his children in 2010: Ben is sent to a juvenile offenders' unit for attacking his friend Jordan Johnson ( Michael-Joel David Stuart), which sparks a clash between Jordan's father Lucas ( Don Gilet) and Phil himself in the process, and Louise returns to her mother before the pair disappear under Lisa's guise that Phil can have contact at any time. Depressed, Phil embarks on a sexual relationship with drug addict Rainie Cross ( Tanya Franks) and begins to use crack cocaine - developing an addiction. When Peggy finds out about this, she locks him inside her home so he cannot have access to drugs; however, Phil - suffering from withdrawal symptoms - escapes and confronts Peggy, setting the pub on fire as a result. Within minutes, the pub is ablaze and the roof collapses on Phil. He is rescued and Peggy leaves the next day, realising he is better off without her.

Phil reacts badly when he discovers Ben (now Joshua Pascoe) is gay, and makes it clear that he prefers Billy's foster son, Jay Brown ( Jamie Borthwick). Jay likes spending time with Phil and changes his surname to Mitchell, becoming Phil's surrogate son. Ben secretly enacts revenge on Phil for this rejection, terrorising him with letters, implying he has evidence to incriminate Phil for past misdemeanours. Among other deeds, Ben sends Denise Fox ( Diane Parish) evidence that Phil supplied the cut and shut car responsible for her ex-husband, Kevin Wicks' ( Phil Daniels), death in 2008. Denise's attempts to get Phil imprisoned fail; however, Marsden soon investigates the allegations and Ben tells her that Phil forced Stella to jump from the roof back in 2007. Phil is held on remand in prison on suspicion of Stella's murder and Ben delights in the distress he causes his father. Ian, however, is horrified by Ben's behaviour, and tells the police that Ben is lying; however, Ben thinks Shirley's best-friend, Heather Trott ( Cheryl Fergison), is responsible. Fearful and angry, Ben retaliates by murdering Heather just as Phil returns to confront him. Blaming himself for Ben's actions, Phil makes the murder look like a burglary, spurns a grieving Shirley, allows his neighbors and family to become murder suspects, and bullies Ian into keeping quiet after Ben confesses to him.

After Ben's departure, Phil bonds with Dennis. When Billy's great-granddaughter, Lexi Pearce, is taken into care, Lexi's mother Lola ( Danielle Harold) tells Phil that Ben is Lexi's father and Phil is her grandfather. Lola agrees for Phil to have residence of Lexi and he suggests to Sharon that they pretend to be in a relationship to increase the chances of success, even though she is in a relationship with Jack Branning ( Scott Maslen). They tell social workers that they are engaged but Shirley threatens to tell the truth, so Phil tells them the engagement is over. Phil is appointed Lexi's foster carer and ordered to arrange for Lola to visit Lexi three times a week but he immediately takes over, angering Lola by calling Lexi his baby, refusing to take presents that Lola buys for her and having her christened with the name Mitchell instead of Pearce. Phil and Jack become rivals when Phil tells Jack that he will be with Sharon by the end of the year, and Phil even proposes to Sharon, though she accepts Jack's proposal of marriage instead. When Phil offers Sharon an increase of her salary, and a 19% stake in club, Jack is not pleased and punches Phil, who falls into the vehicle pit in the garage. Jack thinks he has killed Phil, but Phil later arrives at the pub and announces Jack's guilt. Jack is arrested but Phil does not press charges after Sharon convinces him for her and Lexi's sake. At the court hearing to determine Lexi's future, Phil exposes Lola's lateness and temper during her scheduled meetings with Lexi, sabotaging her chances of winning Lexi back. He later tells Billy that Lola will never get Lexi back, which Lola overhears. She snatches Lexi from his house. Lola evades Phil, Billy and Sharon, until eventually they find her. Phil tells Social Services it is his fault for being too relaxed with Lola, but then allows Lola to look after Lexi while he goes out. When Lexi is unwell, Phil praises Lola's actions, and decides to tell Social Services that Lola may be ready to have Lexi back.

At the start of 2014, Phil learns that Carl has entrapped Ronnie into having a relationship with him - though she quickly ends it upon discovering his actions against the Mitchells. Phil later kidnaps Carl in the garage and plans to kill him, though Ronnie stops him at the last minute. However, as they reluctantly agree to force him out of Walford, Ronnie ends up killing Carl after he attempts to rape her whilst Phil is out of the garage. After discovering this, Phil helps Ronnie cover up the murder - only for Sharon to investigate the pair upon learning of Carl's death. When she eventually confronts Phil about this, he confines to Sharon about how Ronnie killed Carl to protect their family against his threats. Sharon grows to accept his theory, but then demands to know if he is hiding anymore secrets from her - up to the point when she asks him what could be worse than covering up a murder. This prompts Phil to finally reveal the true circumstances of how Dennis died on New Year's Eve 2005, explaining how he is the reason Dennis attacked Johnny prior to the latter having him killed. In response, Sharon runs away from Phil and becomes so distraught that she refuses to rebuild their relationship - though she eventually reconsiders after Phil apologizes to her about Dennis, and she forgives him soon afterwards.

Phil soon gets into a disagreement with Sharon when she continually puts her work at The Albert before their relationship, only beginning to become more involved with the bar when she is unimpressed at his lack of interest in her work. Closing up one night after an event, two men break in and vandalize the bar, and when Sharon attempts to defend herself alone, she is severely beaten and left for dead. She is later hospitalized with a ruptured spleen, leaving Phil distraught - though he later admits to Shirley that he arranged for the men to scare Sharon at the bar, but believed the bodyguards that he hired for her would have protected her and did not realize that she would be hurt. When Shirley confesses she still loves Phil, he spurns her advances and instead proposes marriage to Sharon after she regains consciousness. Unaware of Phil's role in her attack, Sharon accepts. However, she later overhears his secret and begins plotting against him with the help from their family solicitor Marcus Christie ( Stephen Churchett). However, she later changes her mind and asks Marcus to return all Phil's money to his accounts - unaware that Phil has seen them. After meeting with his accountant, Phil is angry and tells Shirley what he has discovered only for their conversation to turn to passion. However, Phil later changes his mind; he realizes that since Sharon is returning the money, it should not matter to him as he still wants to go through with the wedding. They later marry, but are oblivious to Shirley's bitterness - up to the point where she attempts to persuade him to be with her, rather than Sharon, only hours before the wedding. After the reception, Shirley enters their house and confronts them; Sharon is left devastated when she realizes Phil has been cheating behind her back even after he asked her to marry him. However, she decides that she still loves Phil and wants to be with him. After Phil insults Shirley and makes hurtful remarks about the fling they had together, an enraged Shirley attempts to go for him, but Sharon stops her, and after a brief struggle, Phil is accidentally shot. He is then rushed to hospital, Shirley fleeing with the help of her aunt, Babe Smith ( Annette Badland). When Ronnie discovers her gun was used after Shirley stole it, Ronnie asks Jay and Ben to dispose of it.

When Phil finds out that Ronnie has stolen money from him to bribe their enemy Nick Cotton ( John Altman) to leave before her wedding, they argue. After Nick takes the money but refuses to leave, Ronnie asks Phil to get rid of Nick. Nick overhears this, and cuts the brakes of the wedding car. Later, while Phil confronts Nick in his house, Ronnie goes into labour and on the way to the hospital, the wedding car crashes. Whilst still at the hospital, Phil is arrested for attempted murder and - realising that Nick has framed him - asks Sharon to help him prove his innocence. When Phil learns that Max has taken over The Arches, he promises revenge and blames Sharon for the loss of the business. He is released on bail and vanishes, to Sharon's concern; he returns a week later, with Peggy, to get a passport. He comes close to telling Ian something, but is interrupted by Ben, who is shocked to see he is back. When Sharon confronts him, she tells him that she will leave him if he indulges in anymore dodgy activity. Phil vanishes again, and is next seen meeting with a long-thought dead Kathy in central London. She wants to return to Walford, but Phil tells her to stay away - for Ian and Ben's sakes.

Ben is arrested on suspicion of murdering Ian's daughter Lucy ( Hetti Bywater). Phil suspects he did and practically disowns him, handing in critical evidence to the police. However, Abi Branning ( Lorna Fitzgerald) tells Phil that she thinks her father, Max, killed Lucy, so Phil punches Max and hopes Ben will be released. Phil finds out that Sharon has been helping Jane cover up the real killer Bobby Beale (Eliot Carrington), Lucy's half-brother, Phil tells Jane and Sharon that he will bribe the foreman of the jury to make sure Max is not guilty. The jury find Max guilty and it emerges that Phil paid the foreman for this verdict. Sharon discovers this and kicks him out of their home. He then discovers that Ben is in a sexual relationship with Paul Coker ( Jonny Labey) and is kidnapped by Kathy's husband, Gavin. Weeks later, the police find Phil's blood in the house that belonged to Gavin's sister - Margaret Midhurst ( Jan Harvey). A week later, Phil returns home, battered and bruised. He collapses and is taken to hospital, where they discover he has several broken bones from two days before. He then asks Ben for alcohol, revealing he has been drinking during his kidnapping.

Eventually, Phil feels guilty about the crash and drinks alcohol again. He confesses the truth to Shirley, who encourages him to tell Sharon. He does so, and Sharon punches him and insists she will divorce him. Phil begs her to stay, admitting he is dying from cirrhosis. Sharon does not believe him, but tells him to die quickly. No longer wanted by his family, Phil leaves and sleeps in a car. Wanting Louise's address, he discovers that Peggy is back in London, so visits her. He gets the name of Louise's school before Peggy tells him that her cancer has returned and she is dying. Phil finds Louise (now played by Tilly Keeper) at her school and he gives her money to support her future. He then collapses. Later, Louise goes to Walford to tell the family that Phil is in hospital with a damaged liver. Sharon, Kathy and Shirley go to the hospital to find out that Phil discharged himself. They find Phil drunk at the pub, where he insults his family and hits Kathy. Days later, he coughs up blood and is taken to hospital. The doctor tells his family that he needs an urgent liver transplant and that if Phil continues to drink, he will be dead within 12 months. Phil and Ronnie learn that Phil must remain sober for at least six months before he can undergo the liver transplant. Ronnie vows to help Phil regain his sobriety and allows him to move in with her and Honey once he is discharged from hospital, but the drinking continues. Phil finally gives up after Sharon colludes with Ritchie to take the family businesses from Phil. After a bumping into a 'pregnant' Abi, she lies to Ben that she lost the baby she never had. A furious Ben tries to suffocate Phil but is stopped by Sharon. Phil orders Sharon and Ben out, before storming off. He then drunkenly trashes the Arches before commandeering a digger and demolishes the car lot. Phil is stunned when a badly injured Louise is found in the wreckage, and with her pleas he decides to finally give up the booze. Phil is later reunited with a dying Peggy. Grant also makes a brief reappearance, warning Phil to expect a war over money owed to Grant. The brothers try to dissuade Peggy from committing suicide but are unaware of pills secretly hidden in her makeup bag. Phil is devastated by her death, unable to make a eulogy for her funeral, especially when he reads the loving letter she left him. He finds out that Peggy betrayed his father to the police to protect Phil and visits her grave. Some time after, Phil tries to give Ian advice after Bobby violently assaults Jane, putting her in hospital.

Phil is told by Ian that Ben has died after a homophobic attack following a night out, however this turns out to be Paul, Ben's boyfriend. Ben struggles to grieve for Paul's death and asks Phil for a gun to take revenge, but he refuses and Ben disappears. When Grant returns to Walford again, he accuses Phil of killing Peggy and still orders him to return all of the money Phil owes to him. After going through Sharon's bag, Phil learns that Grant has a son, Mark ( Ned Porteous), with Sharon's best friend Michelle ( Susan Tully) as the mother following a one-night stand between them from 21 years previously. After agreeing to drop the truth, Phil denies speaking to Mark. Unbeknownst to Phil, Denise discovers she is five months pregnant by him as a result of a one-night stand they had. Ben and Jay are kidnapped by Paul's killers and he attempts to go after them, however when he collapses Grant offers to help him get Ben and Jay back. In gratitude for Grant rescuing Ben, Phil tells Grant that Mark is his son. Grant persuades Phil to attend Paul's funeral for Ben's sake, which he does. Phil lends Grant money to support him financially and Grant tells him to fight his liver condition. Later, Ben tells Phil that he will donate part of his liver. Phil advises against it but Ben is adamant, however, Ben's psychiatric test results mean that it is unlikely he will be able to. Phil is hospitalised again with an infection and Sharon discovers that Phil has changed his will to leave everything to Louise so she forces him to have the will amended to include her. When Jay returns, Sharon allows him back into the Mitchell household, and when Phil is discharged and returns home, he eventually allows Jay to live there. When Phil has been sober for six months, he refuses to have the transplant, devastating his family, though Sharon supports his decision. However, after one of Dennis's friends at school is stabbed and dies, Dennis is visibly upset, and therefore Phil decides to go on the transplant list after realising he does not want to put his family through the upset of his death. Phil decides he wants to spend Christmas alone and Sharon reluctantly agrees. Phil is taken to hospital when a liver is found and changes his mind about being alone at Christmas, and he does not change his mind after tests show that the liver is not suitable. Jay has a visit from his police public protection officer, who says Jay will have to move out as Louise is underage. Phil refuses to make Jay leave, despite being told that Louise could be taken into care. On Christmas Day 2016, a matching liver is found and Phil at last has the operation.

Max returns to Walford and Sharon decides not to tell Phil, but when Max discovers that Phil bribed the foreman in his trial, Max visits Phil in hospital, revealing that he knows the truth. Phil hands Max his pillow, insisting that he kills him, but Max shakes his hand and says that he forgives him. Phil is unable to give Ronnie away on her wedding day to Jack, so she and Roxy visit him in hospital. The next day, Sharon tells Phil that Ronnie and Roxy have died in the hotel swimming pool - which devastates Phil. Phil is discharged from hospital and Sharon eventually discovers that Phil is the father of Denise's baby after overhearing a discussion between Shirley and Denise. Sharon decides not to tell Phil the truth, but later changes her mind when she learns that Denise is planning to give her son up for adoption. When Phil expresses his wish to adopt Dennis, Sharon tells him the truth about his son. At the hospital, Phil demands to see his son, but Sharon gets him and Denise to talk calmly. Sharon agrees to help Phil fight for his son. After emotionally holding him, Phil leaves without him. Phil refuses to speak at Ronnie and Roxy's funeral, but changes his mind after Michelle (now played by Jenna Russell) speaks to him. Phil meets Aaron, the son of his friend Tony who was meant to have the liver the Phil received, and gives him money out of guilt for having survived when Tony died, however Aaron's mother, Antoinette, returns it and tells him not to contact them again. Phil decides that he wants to take time away from Walford to recover from his transplant and he and Sharon decide to go to Italy. Sharon returns two months later without Phil and she informs Michelle that they have bought a holiday apartment in Italy and that he regularly attends Alcoholics Anonymous.

Five months later, when Louise suffers burns from being pushed into lit candles by bullies Alexandra D'Costa (Sydney Craven) and Madison Drake (Seraphina Beh) at her prom party, Ben contacts his father. Phil turns up at the hospital, where he is surprised and unimpressed to find Lisa there already. Sharon and Louise ask Phil to give Lisa a chance. Lisa apologizes to Phil for the past mistakes regarding Louise and says that they both need to be there for her. Phil appears to oblige at first, but then proceeds to physically throws Lisa out of the hospital - ordering her to stay away from their daughter. Lisa stays with Louise at the hospital and Lisa stands up to Phil, telling him she is not going and Phil allows Lisa to visit Louise. Phil warns Lisa not to mess up. The doctor gives Lisa consent to take Louise outside and Lisa tells Louise she has been discharged. Lisa plans to take Louise, going to Liverpool Street station. Phil and Sharon find Louise's room empty and the doctor reassures them of Lisa and Louise's whereabouts, although they find Louise's belongings gone. Phil is angry as the doctor explains how Louise is at a crucial stage in her recovery and the police tell Phil and Sharon what they are doing. Phil and Sharon are told Lisa switched cabs and find Lisa's flat, which is empty. Louise wakes up and Lisa lies to her that she and Phil agreed for her to be away from the square while Phil and Sharon question Lisa's capabilities. The police, Phil and Sharon discuss Lisa being traced through her cash withdrawals in Castle Point and that she has a mental health team. Louise is in agony without her medication and Lisa prevents Louise from using the phone by cutting the cord. Louise realises Lisa is not taking her medication. Louise's phone dies as she tries to phone the police and Lisa prevents Louise from leaving, but when Lisa allows her to go, Louise chooses to stay with and comfort Lisa when she is distressed. Bex gives Phil and Sharon information on a hotel where Lisa and Louise are and compared to Sharon, Phil shows a lack of regard to Lisa's mental health. Phil finds Louise but she tells him to leave. Phil gains entry to their room and Lisa hits Phil over the head with a phone. Phil shouts at a struggling Lisa as Louise deteriorates and Lisa and Louise go to hospital together. Louise asks Phil if she could have inherited Lisa's condition and Phil admits his part in causing Lisa's illness. Louise confides in Phil about her guilt of leaving Lisa when she was ill and she rubbishes Phil's belief he is a bad father.

Phil tells Sharon he wants to adopt Dennis. He then receives an offer on the car lot land and confides in Kathy about the guilt he still has over the car lot fire. He tells Sharon that he would provide for Raymond and Aaron and pay off debts if he accepted. Ben signs the paperwork for the garage when Phil decides to hand it over to him and Sharon is left stunned when he decides to give Jay the car lot land as it is worth more than the garage. Kathy insists to Phil that he justifies his reasons to Ben about giving Jay the car lot land. Ben finds a solicitor's letter of Phil's that mentions Raymond and after confronting Phil, Phil tells Ben that Raymond is his half-brother. Ben is angry with Phil for making him feel second best to his and Sharon's other children. Jay attempts to confront Phil about why he is receiving the car lot and Phil admits he killed his biological father who was the homeless man who died in the car lot fire when Phil torched it 23 years previously in an insurance scam. Phil then reveals this to be a lie in a mysterious phone call. Billy confronts Phil over his actions and ends up punching him. Later, Phil is knocked unconscious when the exposed gas line explodes during the Walford in Bloom event - but he is unharmed.

In late 1989 EastEnders acquired a new executive producer, Michael Ferguson, who took over from Mike Gibbon. Ferguson had previously been a producer on ITV's which seemed to be challenging EastEnders in providing a realistic vision of modern life in London. Due to his success on The Bill, Peter Cregeen, the Head of Series at the BBC, poached Ferguson to become executive producer of EastEnders.

For the roles of Phil and Grant Mitchell many actors were screen-tested together. This was done to assure the chosen actors - who would work together - had a strong rapport and physical resemblance. Producer Corinne Hollingworth commented: "There were some good actors we had to turn down because we couldn't find the 'right' brother." Steve McFadden, an actor who had worked extensively in television, was cast as Phil. His shape, skills in stage fighting and a variety of sports including boxing, football and karate made him an ideal choice to play one of Walford's latest "tough-men." Ross Kemp got the role of Grant. Both actors worked well together and shared similar physical characteristics, such as short cropped hair and a "round, open face" - facial characteristics also shared by Danniella Westbrook, who was chosen to play their sister Samantha because of this.

Initially, Phil was calmer than Grant but both brothers had a sense of physical danger, displaying stereotypical masculinity, thuggish behaviour and a tendency to resolve problems through violence. Phil was originally depicted as the thinker and the more streetwise of the pair, often bailing his more spontaneous brother out of trouble, although later plotlines drove the character down a darker, more destructive route. Phil can be very violent, but unlike Grant, he occasionally showed restraint when dealing with various enemies encountered - exacting revenge over time, using mind games or getting others to do his dirty work, amongst other things.

Phil has occasionally shown sadistic traits. His bullying of Ian Beale is often done as a means of deriving pleasure. Equally the ceaseless degradation of Lisa showed a particularly malicious side to the character. While Phil has shown compassion to the women in his life, he frequently finds he is unable to give them the emotional security needed to sustain the relationship. Several women have left him due to this and his inability to put their needs before the needs of his family.

The Mitchell brothers quickly became two of the soap's most popular characters and storylines involving them began to dominate the programme. Their arrival heralded a new era for the soap, which aptly coincided with the beginning of a new decade - EastEnders during the 1980s having been very much dominated by the hugely popular Watts family.

One of the most notable and popular early storylines involving Phil was a love triangle between him, his brother and his brother's wife Sharon (played by Letitia Dean). Despite the fact that Sharon was married to Grant, EastEnders writer Tony Jordan revealed in The Mitchells - The Full Story that the love-triangle storyline had been planned since Phil and Grant's introduction, after the writers decided Sharon was perfect for them both. This storyline was slow burning and spread over several years, providing a plethora of dramatic tension along the way. The episode in which Phil betrayed his brother with Sharon occurred in September 1992 in one of the soap's notorious three-handers. Things finally came to a head in 1994 with some of EastEnders most popular and renowned episodes, which were dubbed " Sharongate" - centred around Grant's discovery of the affair and his reaction. The repercussions of Phil's betrayal contributed to many subsequent storylines involving the Mitchell brothers during the 1990s. Sharongate has also proven a popular storyline with viewers and it was voted the sixth top soap opera moment of the decade in a poll of 17,000 people for What's On TV magazine.

Among the many issues Phil has been used to cover is alcoholism and the consequences the condition has upon the sufferer's life. The relationship between alcohol abuse and domestic violence was explored between Phil and his wife Kathy (played by Gillian Taylforth) culminating in the slow deterioration of their marriage, which gripped viewers throughout 1997. Of particular note is an episode where Phil attends Alcoholics Anonymous (February 1997), an "alien and uncomfortable arena" where he was forced to talk about his condition, expose his vulnerability and reveal the basis of his problem - the physical abuse he'd received from his father and his fear that he will do the same. Writer Jacquetta May, who once played Rachel Kominski in the show, evaluated the episode in an article about social realism, education and the moral messages within EastEnders storylines, commenting: "The episode blames his destructiveness on the 'male' response to self-hate: violence. It says that unless problems are worked through (the female method), they will be repeated generation after generation". This particular episode has also been used in a study by the Stirling Media Research Institute, where men were asked questions about the violence contained within a spectrum of broadcast television material. The study reported that much group discussion centred on the Alcoholics Anonymous group scene, which was, for the most part, seen as an accurate depiction of an AA group therapy session. In addition, Phil's portrayal of a suffering alcoholic was also seen as realistic and a "typical portrayal of bottled-up masculinity".

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Phil's disposition altered during the early 2000s when a darker more menacing side to his personality began to surface. This change was perhaps a consequence of Grant's departure, who up until this point had always been depicted as the more selfish, thuggish and nastier of the two. The storyline signifying the departure of Ross Kemp played heavily on the Mitchell brothers' fragile and damaged relationship. After discovering that Grant had vengefully slept with Kathy, Phil went ballistic with a handgun causing the hijacked Vauxhall Astra they were driving to career at high speed into the River Thames, in an episode that was watched by 19.5 million viewers. Shot in London's Docklands, the scenes required stunt doubles, divers and crash test dummies and it has been hailed as "one of the soap's most dramatic storylines ever."

Phil's behaviour earned him a number of sworn enemies in Albert Square and by 2001 the character had become one of the soap's nastiest villains. In an interview with The Guardian McFadden commented on his alter ego's descent into villainy "Phil's been had over by a lot of people, so now he feels like he can do it back. It's his history". However the character finally received his comeuppance in one of EastEnders most highly anticipated storylines, dubbed " Who Shot Phil?". Phil was gunned down outside his home in March 2001 in a "-style" whodunnit mystery. Various key characters were in the frame for the deed and viewers were left guessing for weeks as to which of them was the real culprit. Several outcomes were allegedly filmed and it was reported that only a few TV executives knew the identity of the would-be assassin - even the actors were kept in the dark. A spokesman commented "The cast are only getting their own scripts. They are not being told anyone else's storylines. Not even Phil knows who shot him. It's top secret." Script writers were reportedly given private security after a writer's laptop was stolen in what was believed to be an attempt to gain the identity of the assailant. The storyline captivated the public's imagination leading to thousands of bets being placed at the bookies across the UK - bookmaker William Hill said there was about 50,000 bets on who was responsible.

An estimated 22 million viewers watched EastEnders on 5 April 2001 to find out that Lisa Shaw - Phil's ex-girlfriend - was the culprit. The episode caused the third-largest power surge on record, and the Liverpool and Barcelona UEFA Cup semi-final was postponed for 10 minutes to accommodate a special 40-minute edition of the soap.

In February 2003, it was confirmed that Steve McFadden would be taking a year hiatus. McFadden said: "I'm going to stick my mechanic's overalls in a locker while I take a look at a few other projects. EastEnders will always be No1 in my heart and I look forward to returning to Albert Square." Executive producer Louise Berridge went on to say that she was "looking forward to Steve returning in 2004". In July 2004, it was announced that McFadden had delayed his return. In February 2005, it was confirmed that McFadden would return. His return scenes aired in April 2005 for a brief stint before returning full-time in October.

In June 2010, it was reported that Phil would develop an addiction to crack cocaine after his troubled personal life leads to depression. The report followed the news that Lucy Benjamin was to return for a single episode, reprising her role as Lisa, the mother of Phil's daughter Louise (Brittany Papple). In the storyline, Phil gains custody of Louise after she is dropped off in Walford by an unseen person, however, Peggy eventually returns Louise to Lisa after Phil punches his mother in the face. A spokesperson for the show said "Lisa Fowler was a major part of Phil's life - she knows him as well as anyone, so she won't be happy about him looking after his daughter. With their history, you know that this storyline is going to be an explosive episode in the Mitchells' history." Phil also loses his son Ben ( Charlie Jones), who makes a temporary departure from the show in order for the part to be recast. Subsequently, Phil becomes addicted to crack cocaine. Producers worked closely with drug and alcohol charities, including Addaction and DrugScope. Viewers never see Phil take drugs to make sure the episodes are suitable for all audiences. Martin Barnes, chief executive of DrugScope, commented: "If EastEnders sensitively reflect the impact that drug use has on Phil, it could help." The storyline also sees Phil become more violent. McFadden explained:

"All he can see is Peggy's betrayed him. She knows how much he fought for custody, for contact and how important it was for him to see his children. He's really angry about it and feels the world is against him. [...] What he's really doing is self-harm which is a common response to anger. People do crazy, mad things like this when they're desperate. It's very ugly and disturbing. [...] He's hit his kids and his mum, so yes, [worse violence is] something he's capable of."

McFadden decided to lose weight for the storyline by going on a crash diet, saying that food would not be one of Phil's priorities.

The character continues to be featured heavily in high-profile storylines which have included various feuds, police enquiries, armed robbery, kidnapping, numerous affairs and relationship problems and an ongoing plot concentrating on the character's struggles to bond with his children. 2005 saw the highly anticipated screen return of both of the Mitchell brothers - six years since they last appeared together. 13 million viewers tuned in to see their return giving the BBC a 52.9% audience share, a massive coup for the show which had come under heavy criticism in the British media after it drew its lowest audience in more than five years (6.6 million viewers tuning in to one episode in September 2005).

The character of Phil is arguably one of the soap's most popular, particularly with female viewers, making him one of the soap's unlikeliest sex symbols. He has featured in some of the show's most memorable and highly viewed storylines and he is the second longest running male character to appear in the soap, surpassed only by Ian Beale. Phil along with Grant was voted as the second most popular King Of Soaps in a Channel 4 poll in 2002.

During a period of heavy media criticism aimed at EastEnders throughout 2004 and 2005, the character-who was on a hiatus from the show-was reintroduced twice in what was branded by the press as a bid to "boost flagging Enders." His first return in April 2005 was generally well-received, with media comments such as "the excellent, bug-eyed Steve McFadden proves nobody does psychotic thug better than him" and "McFadden's blistering performance on Tuesday defies that old cliché of a soap being bigger than its stars". Of the Mitchell brothers' highly publicised return in October 2005, a reporter from the Daily Mirror commented "Soapville must confess that we did get goosebumps and feel properly excited when we first saw the Mitchell Brothers back on the Square...After all, you associate them with the golden days of Enders".

In addition the character has been praised for being good value, realistic, consistent within his character and convincing.

In 2009, Phil Mitchell came second in a poll by British men's magazine for 'Top Soap Bloke'. In 2011 McFadden was nominated for 'Best Actor' at the British Soap Awards 2011 for playing Phil. as well as be nominated at the Inside Soap Awards for 'Best Actor' in 2011. On Digital Spy's 2012 end of year reader poll, McFadden was nominated for "Best Male Soap Actor" and came fourth with 10.7% of the vote.

In 2016, McFadden was honoured at The British Soap Awards when he was awarded "Outstanding Achievement' for his portrayal of Phil.[1]

Although popular with many, the character has also garnered much criticism over the years. In November 2005 the character was blamed for turning children into playground bullies by Dr. Sally Henry, who claimed that impressionable children look to male soap characters as role models and subsequently copy their violent behaviour. Indeed, the character's violent behaviour evoked concern from viewers in October 2002. A scene in which Phil beat his godson Jamie was criticised for being too realistic by TV watchdogs. The Broadcasting Standards Commission upheld 31 complaints from viewers, saying that the scenes were too strong for a programme shown before the 9 pm watershed.

A certain level of criticism was aimed at the character due to the stark personality change he underwent circa 2000. One reporter commented "Formerly the milder-mannered sibling, Phil has gone from Abel to Cain without an intervening period of plausibility. And it doesn't suit him". His violent tendencies have also been spoofed by the television series . There were mixed reviews for the highly publicised storyline (dubbed Get Johnny Week) involving the Mitchell brothers reunion in 2006. It was criticised as "patchy" and "awkwardly written...unveiling a common weakness in the EastEnders camp, that character continuity can often fall by the wayside when you are dealing with larger characters". Additionally, the show was criticised for turning the brothers into a comical farce by incorporating uncharacteristic humour into their dialect, which was described as "cringeworthy".

In August 2010, scenes showing Phil and Rainie taking the drug crack cocaine prompted over 200 complaints from viewers who felt the scenes were inappropriate. The BBC responded by saying " EastEnders in no way - and at no point - glamorises or condones the use of drugs, and furthermore we took great care to avoid any demonstration on how to prepare or take drugs. We feel that Phil's decline will highlight the destructive nature of drugs, and rather than encourage drug use, will act as a deterrent."

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Phil Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders , played by Steve McFadden. Phil was introduced to the soap opera on 20 February 1990, and was followed by his brother, Grant ( Ross Kemp), sister Sam ( Danniella Westbrook/ Kim Medcalf) and mother Peggy ( Jo Warne/ Barbara Windsor).