Christmas 2024 was a particularly unhappy time for EastEnders legend, Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden). The soap stalwart moved away from his typical crime plots and was placed at the centre of an incredibly powerful and moving mental health storyline.
As his marriage to Kat (Jessie Wallace) fell apart, he was left incredibly lonely and began to withdraw, becoming isolated from his family and friends as his mental health continued to deteriorate. As Christmas came and went, things only got worse.
Phil’s isolation gave way to psychotic episodes as he plummeted into the depths of depression, leading to a devastating suicide attempt.
The one light Phil found amongst the darkness was his rekindled relationship with Nigel Bates (Paul Bradley), with whom he struck up a firm friendship, supporting him through his battle with dementia.
Following his suicide attempt, Phil spent time in a mental health unit, and as he continued to recover, he put his focus on Nigel, who struggled in much the same way that Phil had.
Determined to commit suicide amid his dementia battle, Phil ultimately saved Nigel from himself and became his carer, with the two old friends determining to be together to the end.
Things haven’t been easy, though. Nigel’s dementia is progressing and Phil and Nigel’s wife, Julie (Karen Henthorn), have continued to clash over how best to support him.
According to British acting royalty, Steve McFadden, this years festive season will be a challenging one for his alter-ego.
Speaking to the Daily Star, Steve said: ‘There will be more sadness for Phil. That’s what is coming up. Christmas might not be so good.’
Steve recently won the Serial Drama Performance award at the NTA’s, with his mental health storyline widely applauded by both critics and audiences.
Though some fans worried that his speech indicated he might be stepping away from his iconic role, Steve has reaffirmed that he still ‘loved being part of it’ and feels ‘very lucky’ to have created such a legacy.
‘Because you’re reflective, it makes you sound like you’re leaving, but I’m not leaving anytime soon,” he said. ‘It was genuine emotion, and there’s nothing like your friends and colleagues being nice to you to soften you up.’
Metro fans reacted positively to Steve’s big win on Facebook.
‘Well deserved Steve brilliant I’m so happy for you,’ Tina Price said, while May Noblet added: ‘Well done fantastic actor about time.’
Dave Plumb posted: ‘His acting is that good I actually thought Phil was a real person’ while Rhoda MacLeod Guest added: ‘Well done. You are a terrific actor and you delivered a wonderful performance.’
