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Phillip James "Phil" Mitchell is a long-running fictional character in the popular BBC soap opera EastEnders. He is played by Steve McFadden.

Phil first arrived in Albert Square on 20 February 1990, and was soon joined by his brother, Grant and later his sister Sam and mother Peggy. He has become one of the soap's most popular characters and is the second longest-running male protagonist to appear in the serial. He was first introduced as the lesser of two thugs, but became a darker character upon his brother's exit. More recent storylines, such as the return of his son Ben, have shown a softer side to the character.

He has at various times owned many businesses in the Square, including the Queen Vic, The Arches, Bridge Street Café, the Snooker Hall and Walford Video. He has been married three times and he has featured in numerous high profile storylines, including the much-hyped whodunnit, dubbed "Who Shot Phil?" — when the character was gunned down outside his home — and an affair with his brother's wife, dubbed "Sharongate".

Character creation

Background

In the latter part of 1989 EastEnders acquired a new executive producer named Michael Ferguson, who took over from Mike Gibbon. Ferguson had previously been a producer on ITV's The Bill — a hard-hitting, gritty and successful police drama, which seemed to be challenging EastEnders in providing a realistic vision of modern life in London. Due to his success on The Bill, Peter Creegan, the Head of Series at the BBC, poached Ferguson to become executive producer of EastEnders.

Following a relatively unsuccessful inclination towards comic storylines throughout 1989, Ferguson decided to take the soap in a new direction in 1990. Big changes were implemented both off-screen and on-screen. Ferguson altered the way the episodes were produced, changed the way the storylines were conceptualised and introduced a far greater amount of location work than had previously been seen. EastEnders scriptwriter Colin Brake has said that it was a challenging period, but "the results on-screen were a programme with a new sense of vitality, and a programme more in touch with the real world than it had been for a while".

As a consequence of these changes, a large number of characters were axed in early 1990 as the new production machine cleared way for a new direction and new characters. Two major new characters, the Mitchell brothers, made their first appearance in February 1990. Ferguson wanted to introduce a couple of young men who would bring an air of danger, characters who would be "unpredictable" and "bursting with energy". Phil and Grant Mitchell went on to become major long-term characters, who are rooted firmly at the heart of the series.

Casting

To cast Phil and Grant Mitchell many actors were screen-tested together. This was done to assure that the chosen actors — who would work predominantly alongside each other — had a strong rapport and physical resemblance. Producer Corinne Hollingworth has 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 in the role of 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 was given the role of Grant. Both actors worked well and convincingly together and both shared similar physical characteristics, such as short cropped hair and a "round, open face" — facial characteristics also shared by Danniella Westbrook, who was partly chosen to play their sister Samantha because of this.

Personality

Of the two brothers Phil was initially the calmer, but both had a sense of physical danger about them, and both displayed stereotypical masculinity, thuggish behaviour and a tendency to resolve problems through violence. Phil was originally depicted as the thinker of the Mitchell double-act and also the most streetwise of the pair, often bailing his more spontaneous brother out of trouble, although later plotlines have driven the character down a darker, more destructive route. Phil can be violent, but unlike Grant he has occasionally shown restraint when dealing with the various enemies he has encountered – exerting revenge over time, using mind games or getting others to do his ‘dirty work’.

Family is important to Phil, as it is to all the Mitchells. He is dependable to his brother, paternal to his sister and dutiful to his mother — responsibilities that fell on him as the eldest, following the death of his father. Despite the brothers' closeness, rivalry between them is sometimes evident and particularly shown in Phil, who at times expresses his dissatisfaction regarding his parents' favouritism towards Grant. Indeed this caused a rift between him and his mother for some time. His relationship with his volatile father, Eric (unseen in the serial), has often been referred to by the character, usually in moments of emotion — his initial inability to bond with his child an indirect result of his father's abuse, and his treatment of women a learned response that mirrors his father's treatment of his mother. The character has often expressed fears that he will become like his father and alienate his children in a similar way. Despite being opposed to this, he is at times incapable of breaking 'the cycle', which has resulted in alcoholism, marital abuse and separation from both of his children. Phil strives to be a good father and often reiterates the importance of this.

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 his girlfriend Lisa showed a particularly malicious side to the character. While Phil has shown compassion to the women in his life, he frequently finds that he is unable to provide them with the emotional security needed to sustain the relationship. Several women have left him due to his repressed issues and his inability to put their needs above his family's.

Character development and impact

The Mitchell brothers quickly became two of the soap's most popular characters and storylines involving the brothers soon 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.

Sharongate

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 married Grant initially, EastEnders writer Tony Jordan has revealed in The Mitchells - The Full Story that the love-triangle storyline had been planned since Phil and Grant's introduction, after the writers came to the realisation that Sharon was perfect for them both. This storyline was slow burning and was spread over several years, providing a plethora of dramatic tension along the way. The episode in which Phil betrays his brother with Sharon occurred in September 1992 in one of the soap's notorious three-handers. Sue Dunderdale directed the episodes and the performances of McFadden, Kemp and Dean have been described as memorable and filled with high-tension drama. Things finally came to a head in 1994 with some of EastEnders most popular and renowned episodes, which have been dubbed "Sharongate". The episodes — which were watched by 25.3 million viewers — centred around Grant's discovery of the affair and his startling reaction. The repercussions of Phil's betrayal contributed to many subsequent storylines involving the brothers throughout the 1990s. Writer of Sharongate, Tony Jordan, has stated that of all the storylines he has penned for the soap, Sharongate is the one he is most proud of. He comments "Three of the strongest characters that have ever been in EastEnders are the Mitchell brothers and Sharon...when we actually blew that story it was incredible...being able to reach that many people with your work is what makes EastEnders exciting". 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.

Alcoholism

Among the many issues the character of Phil has been used to cover is alcoholism and the profound consequences the condition has upon the sufferer's domestic 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 to his own son. Writer Jacquetta May, who once played Rachel Kominski in the show, has 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".

The Mitchell car crash

Phil's disposition altered somewhat 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".

Who Shot Phil?

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 "Dallas-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 April 5 2001 to find out that Lisa Shaw — Phil's former 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 15 minutes to accommodate a special 40 minute edition of the soap.

Other storylines

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 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).

Storylines

Background and tangled love at the Vic

Phil is the eldest child of Peggy and Eric Mitchell. He endured an unhappy childhood due to his abusive father, whose violence continued until Phil was big enough to fight back. Phil and his younger brother Grant were close, and had a reputation for their thuggish behaviour. The Mitchell brothers arrived in Walford in February 1990, buying the garage under a railway bridge arch on Turpin Way — colloquially known as The Arches, formally called Mitchell's Autos — with money that Phil had won gambling.

They were soon making their presence felt, getting involved in various dodgy scams, such as hustling Julie Cooper for her salon lease at a cheap price; employing the Fowlers to deliver forged MOT certificates; getting involved with counterfeit money; exploiting boxer, Clyde Tavernier, in a betting scam; and participating in the armed robbery of a bookmaker. More often than not, their money making schemes backfired.

Towards the end of 1991, Phil was persuaded to go into partnership at The Queen Vic with Grant and his soon-to-be wife, Sharon Watts. Phil moved in with them, but he was frequently caught in the middle of their tempestuous relationship. Following a failed romance with a mysterious woman named Anne Howes—who turned out to be a habitual liar—Phil began to grow close to Sharon, who turned to him for comfort in the midst of Grant's violent outbursts in 1992. Sharon began to wonder if she'd married the wrong Mitchell and in September Phil and Sharon slept together. Phil made it clear that he was willing to risk everything to be with Sharon, but in the end she chose to stay with Grant, who remained unaware of their betrayal. Sharon and Grant's reconciliation was brief, and amidst more rowing and physical violence, Grant was arrested and sent to prison. In his absence Phil and Sharon continued their affair, although they were both tormented by feelings of guilt, and neither were prepared to tell Grant the truth. When Grant came out of prison a reformed man, Sharon—realising that she and Phil would never be a legitimate couple—reconciled with him, and Phil watched on heartbroken as they began to patch up their marriage.

Marriage of convenience and life with Kathy

On the rebound, Phil found himself in a marriage of convenience to Nadia Borovac, a Romanian refugee. Phil, who had given Hattie Tavernier a lift to Portsmouth, met Nadia in a nearby bar and, feeling sorry for her, agreed to marry her so she could stay in the country. They married in July 1993 and Nadia departed. In the Autumn of 1993, Phil began a romance with Kathy Beale, but their relationship stalled due to the reappearance of Nadia, who needed Phil to play her husband in more realistic ways to prevent deportation. She moved in with him while the home office undertook their investigation. Feeling jealous, Nadia made things as difficult as possible for Phil and Kathy, and finally seduced and slept with a drunken Phil at Christmas. Phil regretted it, but Nadia refused to give up and she informed Kathy about their tryst. Phil denied it and Nadia then disappeared after Grant threatened to kill her, though Phil was later forced to bribe her into agreeing to a divorce.

Phil and Kathy's relationship hit a set back in 1994 after Kathy discovered that Phil was responsible for torching Frank Butcher's car lot in an insurance scam, killing a homeless boy. She left him, but he managed to win her back by proposing marriage, which left his old flame, Sharon, jealous. Sharon was intent on winning him back, they kissed, before Phil stopped himself. Sharon tried to prove she was over Phil by throwing him an engagement party at the Vic in October 1994. It went well, until Grant listened to a cassette of Sharon confessing to her affair with Phil. Furious, Grant stormed into the Vic and played the tape to the entire pub. Kathy was incensed to learn that her fiancé had recently kissed Sharon, and Grant beat Phil so badly that he was hospitalised with a ruptured spleen and a blood clot to the brain. Phil underwent surgery, which stirred remorse in Grant. He pressured Phil into blaming Sharon for their affair, and Grant chased her out of Walford. Phil and Grant made peace, although things between them were never the same again. Kathy wasn't so forgiving, but they sorted out their differences in 1995, and married.

Kathy fell pregnant and gave birth to a boy, Ben, in 1996, who she doted on. Phil began to feel neglected and in his depression he turned to alcohol; by the end of the year his drinking had developed into full-blown alcoholism. Phil became increasingly abusive and neglectful of Ben, so Kathy left him. Realising what he'd lost, Phil attempted to give up drinking and rebuild his marriage. He attended Alcoholics Anonymous, which helped reveal the basis of his problem — the physical abuse he'd received from his father and his fear that he will do the same to his own son. Kathy took him back, but their reunion was short-lived. When Phil attended counselling in the summer he began an affair with a fellow alcoholic named Lorna Cartwright, who later started stalking him. With their relationship in jeopardy, Phil took Kathy to Paris, hoping that it would bring them closer, but it had the opposite effect—Phil confessed to his affair with Lorna and Kathy responded by chucking her wedding ring into the Seine, stating that their marriage was the biggest mistake of her life.

Phil began sleeping rough, gambling, and blaming Kathy for his decline. She hardened her heart and by April 1998 she'd decided to leave Walford to live in South Africa. A marriage proposal from Alex Healy and an impromptu offer of elopement from Grant couldn't dissuade her from leaving; however she let it be known that an offer of reconciliation from Phil would make her reconsider. Phil left it to the last minute to win her back, but he was stalled by Lorna, who locked herself in his bathroom and attempted to commit suicide. Thinking Phil no longer wanted her, Kathy left for the airport. Phil followed, but was accosted by her son Ian Beale, who persuaded him that Kathy was better off without him. Kathy departed leaving Phil agonising over the loss of his son.

Phil took his mind off things by getting involved in a protection racket with Annie Palmer, who he was also having casual sex with. Phil thought he could soften Annie, but she was far too business-oriented to allow this. Phil grew tired of being bossed around by her and quit in the midst of a turf war with a rival firm. He then began seeing Lisa Shaw, but the relationship stalled due to Kathy, who returned briefly in September 1999. Instead of making up with Phil, she picked up where she left off with Grant and they slept together. Just before she was due to return to South Africa, Kathy asked Phil to leave with her. However, Grant had planned an armed robbery that same day and Phil would not let his brother do the job alone. Kathy became infuriated with Phil's loyalty to Grant, so she decided to reveal their recent tryst. This led to a dramatic showdown between the Mitchell brothers. Phil confronted his brother after the heist and Grant confessed that he slept with Kathy to get revenge on Phil for sleeping with Sharon. While trying to escape the police in a getaway car, Phil pulled out a handgun and began shooting at the dashboard, which caused Grant to crash into the River Thames. Phil was rescued, but Grant's body was not recovered, though he survived, and fled to Brazil.

Phil turns nasty

Phil took against Peggy, a result of Phil's dissatisfaction regarding her favouritism towards Grant. When Grant sent Phil his half of the Vic, he sold it to Dan Sullivan for £5, just to spite Peggy. However, Phil and Dan's allegiance ended after Dan informed the police about a motor scam Phil was involved in. Phil conned Don into relinquishing control of The Vic, and then proceeded to make more enemies in Walford, feuding with Steve Owen and bullying Ian Beale.

Phil's relationship with Lisa continued. She was devoted to him, but he treated her badly. Phil failed to be supportive when she suffered a miscarriage, and Lisa became unstable as a result of losing the baby. Phil cared little for Lisa's mental state and turned his attention to her best friend Melanie Healy, who was vulnerable after rowing with Lisa and her fiancé, Steve Owen—a result of Phil's meddling. Phil and Mel slept together following a heated alcohol-fuelled conversation on Christmas Day 2000. Mel and Phil decided to keep their tryst a secret, but early in 2001 Phil grew jealous of her reconciliation with Steve. He could no longer stand Lisa and became verbally and physically abusive to her. Lisa's response to the rejection was to stop taking the pill, thinking that a baby would make Phil happier. However, Phil told Peggy that a baby with Lisa was the last thing he wanted and Mel overheard. She tried to persuade Lisa to finish with Phil and when Lisa remained defiant she confessed to their affair. Finally, after months of heartache, Lisa left Phil although, unbeknown to him, she was already pregnant with his baby. Mark Fowler persuaded her to pretend that Phil's baby was his.

Phil continued to abuse and belittle Lisa, until she was baying for his blood. She wasn't the only one, as Steve had found out that Mel had slept with Phil; Ian wanted revenge for Phil's continual bullying; Mark wanted to avenge Lisa and to top it off Dan Sullivan had returned and wanted payback. On the night of Steve and Mel's wedding in March 2001, someone hid in the bushes outside Phil's house and shot him in the back. Phil collapsed in a pool of blood and was unconscious within seconds. (see Who Shot Phil? for more details). While Phil fought for his life in hospital Steve became prime suspect for the shooting and was eventually arrested. However, it wasn't Steve, and after being discharged from hospital a month later, Phil went to confront the culprit, who was revealed to be Lisa! It was revealed that Lisa had stolen Steve's gun and went on a rampage in a moment of madness. Realising that he'd driven Lisa to it, Phil decided to let her off the hook. He took the gun she'd been hiding and framed Dan for the deed in revenge for the beating he'd given his nephew, Jamie. Phil approached one of his dodgy contacts, Ritchie Stringer, who in turn contacted Dan and supplied him with the gun. Not realising he was being set-up, Dan stormed into the Arches, held Phil at gunpoint and demanded money. However, the police had already been tipped off. Dan was caught red-handed and charged with attempted murder.

Phil began a second relationship with Sharon Watts, who returned in May as landlady of the Queen Vic. Soon after that, Phil discovered that Steve was being called as a witness at Dan's trial. Phil pressured him to give a false testimony, further implicating Dan, but to everyone's astonishment he was found "not guilty". After being released Dan immediately sought revenge. He kidnapped Mel — the only common link between his adversaries, Phil and Steve. He threatened to kill her unless they provided him with £100,000 each. Phil and Steve were forced to work together to retrieve her. Phil used the situation to regain Steve's share in the Vic and went to Dan's hideout with the ransom. He attempted to get the upper hand by pulling a gun on him and he would've killed Dan if it wasn't for Mel's interference (Mel had taken Dan's side after hearing some unsavoury things about her husband). Dan outmanoeuvred Phil, knocked him out and escaped with the money.

Paternal issues and various feuds

Phil and Sharon ran the Vic together for a while, although Phil was regularly in the middle of Sharon and Peggy's squabbling. Phil wanted children, but Sharon revealed that she was infertile and that Lisa's baby, Louise, was really his daughter and not Mark's, which ended their relationship. Phil confronted Lisa about baby Louise, demanding that he become part of his child's life, much to her dismay.

Phil had been particularly infuriated to hear that Sharon's infertility was the result of her aborting Grant's unborn baby six years earlier, shortly after their separation.

Following the reprisal of Steve's feud with Phil in 2002, he got involved in Lisa's plight and offered to give her a new life in California along with Louise, Mark and Mel. However, when Mark revealed that he couldn't leave the country due to his HIV status, Steve absconded with Louise. In desperation Mark informed Phil and a mad car chase ensued. Steve lost control and crashed into a wall. Phil ran to the wreck and rescued Louise but it was too late to save Steve, who burnt to death as the car exploded in an inferno.

Phil knew that the only way to get custody of Louise was to win Lisa back. Lisa was easily swayed and after just five months of marriage with Mark she began an affair with Phil. She moved in with him, and eventually Phil and the rest of the Mitchells slowly pushed Lisa away from her daughter until she was a virtual stranger. She realised that getting back with Phil was a huge mistake, and escaped with the baby to Portugal. Jamie helped her escape, which earned him a severe beating from Phil, which only stopped when Jamie's girlfriend, Sonia, admitted where Lisa had gone. Phil went off in hot pursuit and arrived back a month later with Louise, but not Lisa. Some residents suspected that Lisa was dead and that Phil had murdered her.

Phil fell for manicurist Kate in 2003, but she was really an undercover police officer, who was investigating Lisa's disappearance (and possible death). After gaining a confession from Phil (that he mentally manipulated Lisa into handing over their daughter), Kate in turn admitted who she really was. She admitted that she loved him and would give up her job for him. Phil responded by threatening to slit her throat with a broken bottle. Kate then disappeared, but Phil ran into her several months later while she was working undercover for gangster Jack Dalton. Phil ended up saving her life after Jack ordered her dead. Jack called off the hit, but told Phil he owed him for it. Phil and Kate reconciled and she moved in with him. However, Jack decided to call in his favour soon after and Phil was ordered to assassinate Dennis Rickman — who was also an adversary of his. Phil cornered Dennis at gunpoint, but Dennis persuaded him not to go through with it and offered to kill Jack instead, which he did. Phil and Dennis promised to keep their involvement a secret, although Phil later recanted and grassed on Dennis to Jack's successor, Andy Hunter, prompting further animosity.

Phil and Kate married in September 2003, but at their wedding Lisa made a surprise return. She was no longer the shivering wreck she once was, and she made it clear that she wanted access to Louise. She planned to shoot Phil again, but failed and was outmanoeuvered by Phil. Lisa broke down until Den Watts took her under his wing and vowed to get revenge on Phil for her. Den loathed Phil after discovering that he'd slapped his daughter, Sharon, and the animosity worsened after Phil attempted to frame him by planting drugs in his club. He had also arranged for three heavies to give Den's son Dennis a beating - less than two weeks before Den's return to Walford after being away (presumably dead) for 14 years. Den planned a robbery and coaxed Phil into joining him, but Den set Phil up and he was arrested for armed robbery. Kate was forced to hand Louise over to Lisa, who again left Walford with her. Phil couldn't forgive Kate for giving away his daughter and their marriage ended. Phil escaped from jail and attacked Den on Christmas Day. Den, seeing no other option, gave Phil enough money to survive for a while on the run, so Phil left Walford and wasn't seen for over a year. He left his sister, Sam, in charge of his many businesses, but she was conned by Den and Andy and lost everything.

Phil returns

In April 2005, Phil returned to Albert Square in need of money. In desperation, he attacked his old enemy, Ian Beale. Ian tricked him into believing he was going to help him get away but then called the police. Phil ran from the police, who had swarmed the Square, and in a stand-off outside the pub, he attacked a few policemen but was caught and remanded in custody.

In October 2005, Phil returned to the Square permanently. The case of armed robbery had fallen through, after brother Grant (who also returned on the same night) paid the security guard — who had been present at the warehouse on the night of the robbery — to change his testimony. Peggy had also employed the help of a lawyer who - in Johnny Allen's opinion - was one of the most crooked lawyers in London, Ritchie Scott. Phil and Grant then set about trying to prove the innocence of their sister, Sam, who'd been accused of murdering Den Watts. Sam had been framed by Den's real killer Chrissie. The brothers still felt much resentment towards each other, but working together towards a common goal enabled the pair to build bridges and move on from the past. Chrissie was eventually apprehended and the murder charge against Sam was dropped.

Phil helped Sam escape to Brazil, as she still faced an accessory charge in connection to Den's death and a prison sentence of up to four years.

Phil had one other clear enemy remaining in Walford, Johnny Allen, who had made serious threats to harm his family. He attempted to get at him via his 17-year-old daughter Ruby in December 2005, by paying 27-year-old Juley Smith to begin a relationship with her, sleep with her and then break her heart.

On New Year's Eve 2005, Dennis Rickman got involved in Phil and Johnny's feud. He was ready to leave Walford with his wife after she convinced him that they should make a new start in America. Dennis didn't know that Sharon had been threatened by Johnny for interfering in his business and that he would be killed if he didn't leave by midnight on New Year's Eve. Sharon told Phil all about it and he used the situation to exert revenge on Johnny. Before they left Phil told Dennis what Johnny had done to Sharon and that Johnny had murdered Dennis's old friend, Andy Hunter. Dennis was furious and went to see Johnny at Scarlet nightclub. Dennis gave Johnny a severe beating and then left. As soon as Dennis had left the club, Phil went in to remove CCTV footage of the attack. He found Johnny lying on the floor and believed him to be dead, but Johnny was really alive, and had contacted a hitman to murder Dennis. Dennis was stabbed through the heart and died in Sharon's arms just seconds into 2006. Phil felt responsible for Dennis's death, which worsened when he discovered Sharon was pregnant with his baby. Sharon had a breakdown and would only communicate with Phil. He left Walford for America with Sharon in January 2006 and vowed to make Johnny pay for the murder.

He returned in March and was shocked to discover his ex-wife Kathy had died and his son Ben was back in Walford living with his half brother, Ian. Phil was furious that he had not been told. He attempted to bond with Ben, but Ian did everything he could to keep them apart. Phil became depressed but was distracted by the return of Grant. Within days, Phil had tricked Grant into driving him to Essex to find Johnny and confront him. Phil wanted Johnny to confess to Dennis's murder and threatened to kill him, but was stopped by Grant. Johnny escaped and a car chase ensued. However, the brothers' squabbling allowed Johnny to get the upper hand and they were captured. Johnny ordered his henchman, Danny Moon to take them to a forest and kill them. He was just about to kill Grant when Danny's brother Jake turned up and shot Danny, killing him instantly. Jake told them that Danny had murdered Dennis Rickman. Meanwhile Ruby called the police, insisting her father confess and Johnny surrendered himself.

Building a relationship with Ben

Following this, Phil attempted to build a father/son relationship with Ben, but Ben was initially unwilling and ran away from home. Despite more opposition from Ian, Ben and Phil slowly began to bond and Ben came to live with him at the Vic. Phil decided to buy the video shop on Turpin Road as an investment for Ben, enlisting the help of lawyer Stella Crawford. Despite a shaky start, Phil soon warmed to Stella and they entered into a relationship. In December 2006 she moved in with the Mitchells after she was evicted from her flat, although this caused problems with Ben as he was unwilling to accept her. Ben played various tricks to get rid of Stella and she and Phil split and reunited several times because of him.

In 2007 Phil helped Sonia Fowler escape from the police with her daughter Rebecca, after she was mistakenly accused of killing her former mother-in-law Pauline. Phil had remained fond of Sonia because they had helped each other get over the death of Jamie — Phil's nephew and Sonia's fiance - in a motor accident caused by Martin Fowler four years earlier. This had led to an ongoing feud between him and Phil. When Martin discovered Phil's involvement in Sonia and Rebecca's disappearance he vandalised his Range Rover and later kidnapped Ben. He took him to the railway tracks above Bridge Street, demanding that Phil make Sonia return to Walford. Phil climbed up to the bridge and managed to rescue Ben.

Stella began using underhand tactics to make Ben more obedient and she and Ben became rivals for Phil's affections. Unbeknown to Phil, she began to psychologically and physically abuse Ben, doing such things as burning his hand, watching him get attacked by bullies, and breaking his hearing aid. Ben attempted to alert Ian to Stella's nastiness in March 2007. He falsely claimed that bruises on his back were Stella's handywork, but after witnessing the resulting commotion, Ben admitted to Phil that the bruises were actually caused by bullies. Phil was angered by Ben's dishonesty, and Stella used this to her advantage, convincing Ben that Phil was ashamed to call him his son and forcing him to rely on her more and more as his only ally. Stella manipulated Ben into persuading Phil to propose to her. Phil was hesitant, but when Stella claimed she had been offered a job in Manchester, Phil begrudgingly proposed in order to keep her close, although he made it clear that his motive for doing so was to provide Ben with a stable family unit. This did not please Stella.

In July 2007 Phil was horrified to learn that Stella had been abusing Ben at Phil and Stella's wedding. He chased her and was shocked by the marks that he saw on Ben. He managed to get to Stella after she made a run for it by convincing Stella that he still loved her. They ended up on a rooftop and eventually Stella plummeted to her death. It's been left ambiguous on whether she jumped, or Phil pushed her. Phil was confronted by the police in The Queen Vic and then claimed he pushed Stella, it is later revealed on CCTV footage that Stella jumped. Further to that, the case was closed and Phil was released without any charges. The aftermath saw Phil sink to a sad low and turn back to the drink, packing a bottle of scotch before visiting Grant in Portugal with Peggy and Ben.

When it was baby Janet's first birthday, Phil came into the room, and due to being drunk, fell head first into the birthday cake. Phil later demanded to see his son, but Peggy didn't want Ben knowing Phil was drunk, so with Ronnie and Roxy's help, they tried to keep Phil from Ben. However, when Phil did see Ben, Ben was so scared he refused to come near Phil. Previously, Roxy had hit him over the head with a glass bottle, but no harm was done. Phil told Ben that drinking helped him forget, which prompted Ben to steal alcohol from the pub and get drunk. Phil then tried to stay away from alcohol because of this.

Reception

Popularity

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" and "revive the soap's ailing ratings". 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, one reporter 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.

Criticism

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 9pm 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 2DTV.

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".

A proportion of viewers possibly feel the criticism is justifiable as the character came second in a Channel 4 poll of The Five TV Characters We Most Love To Hate in 2001 — beaten only by Mr. Blobby.

Family

• Father: Eric Mitchell (deceased)
• Mother: Peggy Mitchell
• Brother: Grant Mitchell
• Sister: Sam Mitchell
• Son: Ben Mitchell
• Daughter: Louise Mitchell
• Grandfathers: Phil Mitchell (deceased), Jack Martin (deceased)
• Grandmothers: Sandra Mitchell (deceased), Lilly Martin (deceased)
• Great grandfather: Edward Mitchell (deceased)
• Great grandmother: Betty Mitchell (deceased)
• Uncles: Clive Mitchell, Archie Mitchell
• Aunt: Sal Martin
• Great uncle: Kenneth Mitchell (deceased)
• Nephew: Mark Fowler Jr.
• Niece: Courtney Mitchell
• Cousins: Roxy Mitchell, Ronnie Mitchell
• First cousins once removed: Steven Mitchell (deceased), Ted Mitchell
• Second cousins: Billy Mitchell, Charlie Mitchell (deceased)
• Second cousins once removed: Jamie Mitchell (deceased), Janet Mitchell, William Mitchell

References

1. ^ Brake, Colin (1995). EastEnders: The First 10 Years: A Celebration. BBC Books. ISBN 0-563-37057-2.
2. ^ Kingsley, Hilary (1990). The EastEnders Handbook. BBC books. ISBN 0685529576.
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External links

• Phil Mitchell at BBC Online

Template:EEMitchells Template:EEHills

• EastEnders characters
• Fictional bartenders
• Fictional mechanics
• Fictional prisoners