EastEnders spoilers follow, as does discussion of suicide.
It’s that time of the year when the soaps are starting to film their Christmas episodes, and it looks like EastEnders stalwart Phil Mitchell is set to have another tough festive season, following the upsetting events of last year.
Christmas 2024 saw Phil struggling with loneliness and a suicidal feelings, which got even worse a few months later, while Nigel Bates turned up on the Square after 26 years away.
Nigel has dementia, and Phil has made it his mission to look after Nigel as best he can, giving him a new lease of life. It’s not been easy for him, however, with Nigel’s deterioration and clashes with wife Julie.
And it looks like things are going to be difficult yet again this December.
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Speaking to the Daily Star, McFadden said: “There will be more sadness for Phil. That’s what is coming up. Christmas might not be so good.”
Although the show has thrown a lot at him over the last year and a bit, the actor stated that he still loves being part of it and feels “very lucky” to be a long-running character on the soap.
He was recently awarded with an NTA for his performance, and admitted that he can see why the speech he gave on stage led to exit rumours, but denied that it was the case.
“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.”
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Phil’s on-screen son Ben will be back on screens for a brief visit soon, right in the middle of his husband Callum Highway’s affair with Johnny Carter.
The two swore nothing would happen between them after Phil kicked off recently, but if/when he finds out that things have been happening, they are probably going to wish they stuck to their promise…
EastEnders airs on Mondays-Thursdays at 7.30pm on BBC One. The show also streams on BBC iPlayer, where most episodes drop early at 6am ahead of their TV broadcast.
