Search Results - Mitchell, Phil

Phil Mitchell

Phil Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Steve McFadden. He 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 was one of the major characters introduced 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 serving as one of the show's central characters and protagonists since the 1990s. McFadden temporarily left the series in late 2003, then returned in April 2005 for a brief appearance before making a permanent return in October 2005, and has now overtaken Dot Cotton (June Brown) as the second-longest-serving character in ''EastEnders'' – surpassed only by original character Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt). A teenage version of Phil, played by Daniel Delaney, appeared in a flashback episode broadcast on 5 September 2022, which focuses on the Mitchell family in the 1970s, as well in another flashback in February 2025.

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 animosity with his tormented stepson Ian; sparking numerous feuds and rivalries; having relationship problems; seeking to avenge the death of Sharon's adoptive brother and later 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) (see "Who Killed Archie?"); developing an addiction to crack cocaine that sparks the events of The Queen Vic Fire Week; his struggle to bond with his children Ben (Max Bowden) and Louise Mitchell (Tilly Keeper); a tempestuous relationship with Shirley Carter (Linda Henry), which ends when Phil covers up her best friend Heather Trott's (Cheryl Fergison) murder after Ben kills her; discovering that his wife Sharon had a tryst with and supposedly fallen pregnant by his daughter Louise's fiancé, Keanu Taylor (Danny Walters); the culmination of his feud with Keanu sparking the 35th anniversary episodes that sees Phil's adopted son, Dennis Rickman (Bleu Landau), die in a boat crash partly caused by Phil and Keanu's fight; marrying Kat Slater (Jessie Wallace); assisting The Six in concealing their involvement in Keanu's murder; and suffering from loneliness and psychotic depression. Phil has been a father figure to several characters on the show taking several under his wing including Ricky Butcher (Sid Owen), his relative Jamie (Jack Ryder), Jay Brown (Jamie Borthwick), and his stepsons Dennis and Tommy Moon (Sonny Kendall).

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 23 million viewers. Provided by Wikipedia