Phil Mitchell
Encyclopedia
Philip James "Phil" Mitchell is a long-running fictional character
from the BBC
soap opera
EastEnders
, played by Steve McFadden
.
Phil first arrived in Albert Square
on 20 February 1990, and was soon joined by his brother, Grant
, 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 after Grant left. More recent storylines, such as the return of his son Ben, have shown a softer side to the character. In 2010, McFadden was given six weeks off EastEnders, so he could appear in pantomime.
He has, at various times, owned many businesses in the Square. He has been married three times and 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
".
Phil and Grant arrive in Walford
, buying the garage on Turpin Way, known as The Arches. Phil goes into partnership at The Queen Victoria
public house
with Grant and his fiancée Sharon Watts
(Letitia Dean
), and moves in with them. Following a failed romance with Anne Howes (Cassie Stuart), Phil grows close to Sharon, who turns to him for comfort during Grant's violent outbursts. Sharon and Phil sleep together but she chooses to stay with Grant, who remains unaware of the 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, and when Grant is released a reformed man, Sharon reconciles with him, leaving Phil heartbroken. On the rebound, Phil enters into a marriage of convenience
with Nadia Borovac (Anna Barkan), a Romania
n refugee
, enabling her to stay legally in the UK, with Nadia departing after the wedding. Phil begins a romance with Kathy Beale (Gillian Taylforth
), but Nadia returns, needing Phil to play her husband in more realistic ways to prevent deportation. She moves in with him while she is investigated. Nadia seduces and sleeps with a drunken Phil, and he regrets it, denying it to Kathy after Nadia informs her. Nadia disappears after Grant threatens to kill her, though Phil later bribes her into agreeing to a divorce.
When Kathy discovers that Phil is responsible for torching Frank Butcher
's (Mike Reid
) car lot in an insurance scam, killing a homeless boy, she leaves him. He wins her back by proposing marriage, leaving Sharon jealous. Intent on winning him back, Sharon kisses Phil, but he stops himself from kissing her back. During Phil and Kathy's engagement party, Grant listens to a cassette of Sharon confessing to the affair and plays it at the party. Kathy is incensed, and Grant beats Phil so badly that he is hospitalised with a ruptured spleen and a blood clot to the brain. Phil undergoes surgery, which stirs remorse in Grant. He pressures Phil into blaming Sharon for their affair and Grant chases her out of Walford. Phil and Grant make peace, but things between them are not the same. Kathy and Phil eventually sort out their differences and get married. Kathy falls pregnant and gives birth to Ben (Matthew Silver). Phil feels neglected and depressed so turns to alcohol, developing an addiction. He becomes abusive and neglectful of Ben, so Kathy leaves him. Realising what he has lost, Phil gives up drinking to rebuild his marriage. He attends Alcoholics Anonymous
, which helps reveal the basis of his problem—the physical abuse he received from his father and his fear he will do the same to Ben. Kathy takes him back but when he attends counselling, he begins an affair with a fellow alcoholic named Lorna Cartwright
(Janet Dibley
), who later starts stalking him. With their relationship in jeopardy, Phil takes Kathy to Paris, hoping that it can bring them closer, but it has the opposite effect when Phil confesses to the affair and Kathy throws her wedding ring into the river. Phil begins sleeping rough, gambling, and blaming Kathy for his decline. Kathy decides to leave Walford to live in South Africa
, letting it be known that an offer of reconciliation from Phil would make her reconsider. Phil waits until the last minute but is stalled by Lorna, who locks herself in his bathroom and attempts suicide. Kathy leaves for the airport and Phil follows but is accosted by Kathy's son Ian Beale
(Adam Woodyatt
), who persuades him that Kathy is better off without him. Phil agonises over the loss of his son.
To take his mind of things, Phil gets involved in a protection racket
with Annie Palmer
(Nadia Sawalha
), who he is also having casual sex with, but he 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, continuing an affair with Grant. However, before she is due to return to South Africa, she asks Phil to leave with her. Phil cannot go as Grant has planned an armed robbery and Phil will not let his brother do the job alone. Infuriated with Phil's loyalty to Grant, Kathy reveals their recent tryst, leading to Phil confronting Grant after the heist and Grant confessing 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 pulls out a handgun and shoots at the dashboard, which causes Grant to crash into the River Thames. Phil is rescued, but Grant's body is not recovered, though he survives and flees to Brazil
. When Grant sends Phil his half of The Queen Victoria, he sells it to Dan Sullivan (Craig Fairbrass
) for £5 to spite Peggy due to her favouritism towards Grant.
(Tamzin Outhwaite
) and they sleep together. Phil grows jealous when Melanie reunites with Steve Owen (Martin Kemp) and becomes abusive to Lisa. Thinking a baby will improve things, Lisa stops taking her contraceptive pills. However, Melanie overhears Phil stating he does not want another baby, so she encourages Lisa to end the relationship, confessing to their affair. Lisa leaves Phil, and unknown to him, she is pregnant with his baby. Mark Fowler
(Todd Carty
) persuades her to pretend the baby is his. Phil gains many enemies: Lisa; Steve, who has discovered Melanie slept with Phil; Ian, who wants revenge for Phil's bullying; Mark, who wants to avenge Lisa; and Dan. On Steve and Melanie's wedding night, Phil is shot in the back by someone hiding in the bushes, collapsing in a pool of blood, and is hospitalised. Steve is prime suspect and is arrested. However, it was not Steve and after being discharged from hospital a month later, Phil confronts the real culprit, Lisa. She had stolen Steve's gun in a moment of madness. Realising he drove Lisa to it, Phil decides to let her off and frames Dan for the deed with the help of Ritchie Stringer (Gareth Hunt
), who supplies Dan with the gun. Not realising he is being set up, Dan holds Phil at gunpoint, demanding money. However, the police arrive, arresting Dan for attempted murder. Steve is called as a witness at Dan's trial, and Phil persuades him to give a false testimony, further implicating Dan, but to everyone's astonishment he is found not guilty. Dan seeks revenge, so he kidnaps Melanie, the only common link between Phil and Steve, threatening to kill her unless they each give him £100,000. They work together to rescue Melanie but Dan escapes with the money.
Phil begins a second relationship with Sharon, who has returned, and they run The Queen Victoria together. Phil wants children, but Sharon reveals she is infertile and tells him Lisa's baby, Louise (Rachel Cox), is really his daughter. Phil ends their relationship and confronts Lisa, demanding to be part of his child's life. Steve offers to take Lisa to California
, but when she is unable to leave, Steve absconds with Louise. Phil is informed and chases after Steve in his car. Steve crashes into a wall and Phil rescues Louise but cannot save Steve, who dies when the car explodes. Phil knows he must win Lisa back to gain custody of Louise, and Lisa is easily swayed. Phil slowly begins excluding Lisa from Louise's life, so in desperation, Lisa flees to Portugal
with Louise. Phil's nephew Jamie
(Jack Ryder
) helps her escape, earning him a beating from Phil. Phil goes to Portugal and returns a month later with Louise. Some of Phil's neighbours suspect he has murdered Lisa.
Phil falls for Kate Morton (Jill Halfpenny
), not knowing she is an undercover police officer, investigating Lisa's disappearance. After gaining a confession from Phil that he manipulated Lisa into handing over Louise, Kate reveals her true identity, and says she loves him and will quit her job, but Phil threatens to kill her. Kate disappears, but several months later, Phil finds her while she is working undercover for gangster Jack Dalton (Hywel Bennett
). Phil saves Kate's life when Jack orders her dead, with Jack calling off the hit but telling Phil he owes him. Kate then moves in with Phil. Jack orders Phil to kill Dennis Rickman
(Nigel Harman
), so Phil corners Dennis at gunpoint, but Dennis tells Phil he will kill Jack so they can both be free of him, which he does. Phil and Dennis vow to keep their involvement in Dalton's murder to themselves, but Phil later tells Andy Hunter (Michael Higgs
), Dalton's second-in-command. Dennis is enraged by Phil's betrayal and demands that they settle the score with a fight. Phil hires a group of men to deal with Dennis instead.
Phil and Kate go on to marry, but Lisa arrives, demanding access to Louise. She plans to shoot Phil again but fails. She breaks down until Den Watts
(Leslie Grantham
) vows to get revenge on Phil for her and for having his son Dennis beaten up. Den plans an armed robbery and coaxes Phil into joining him, but Den, with Dennis' assistance, sets Phil up and he is arrested. Kate is forced to give Louise back to Lisa and they leave Walford together. Phil cannot forgive Kate and their marriage ends. Phil escapes from prison and attacks Den and Dennis, and Den gives Phil money to survive on while on the run. Phil returns in need of money and attacks Ian, who leads him to believe he will help him escape, but calls the police and Phil is arrested again. However, the case falls through after Grant pays a witness to change his testimony and Phil is released. Johnny Allen
(Billy Murray
) makes an enemy of Phil after threatening to harm his family. Dennis gets involved the feud, not realising his wife Sharon has been threatened by Johnny and that he will be killed if he does not leave Walford. Phil informs Dennis, who beats Johnny, but then has Dennis murdered, leaving Phil feeling responsible and vowing to make Johnny pay. Phil and Grant confront Johnny, but he escapes and a car chase ensues. The brothers' squabbling allows Johnny to capture them, and Johnny orders Danny Moon
(Jake Maskall
) to kill them. However, Danny's brother Jake
(Joel Beckett
) shoots Danny, killing him, and Johnny surrenders.
) returns to live with his half brother Ian. Phil tries to build a relationship with Ben and they slowly begin to bond, eventually leading to Ben asking to live with his father. Phil meets Stella Crawford
(Sophie Thompson
) and they begin a relationship. She moves in but Ben is unwilling to accept her. She uses underhand tactics to make him more obedient and they become rivals for Phil's affections. She starts psychologically and physically abusing Ben, and manipulates him into persuading Phil to propose to her. The abuse is revealed by Ben during the wedding, and Stella flees to an abandoned warehouse with Phil in pursuit, where she jumps from the roof to her death. Jack Branning
(Scott Maslen
) uses his police contacts to trace Louise (now Danni Bennatar
) for Phil, but Phil is incensed to discover that she calls another man "daddy" and that Jack has not warned him. Jack tries to blackmail Phil regarding his involvement in a motor scam with Kevin Wicks
(Phil Daniels
), which inadvertently kills Kevin, as Jack has a recording of Phil's confession. Phil teams up with Jack's brother Max
(Jake Wood
) to remove Jack from Walford, though he later returns.
Phil proposes to his girlfriend Suzy Branning
(Maggie O'Neill
) when she tells him she is pregnant, but his friend and employee Shirley Carter (Linda Henry
) tells him there is no pregnancy and Suzy is trying to con him. However, Phil stays with Suzy until he discovers she has schemed with his uncle Archie
(Larry Lamb
). Peggy and Archie marry, but Archie's manipulation of his entire family is revealed, so Peggy asks Phil to kill him. However, Phil just forces him to leave Walford. Phil starts drinking again and starts an on-off relationship with Shirley but it soon ends. Archie returns to win Peggy back, and Phil's sister Sam Mitchell
(Danniella Westbrook
) returns from Brazil after being on the run for her part in the murder of Den Watts. Sam is arrested so Phil sells the garage to Pat Evans
(Pam St Clement) to raise the bail money to have her released. However, Archie convinces Sam to flee, leading to the Mitchells struggling financially. Phil takes a loan from Ian on the condition that Ian gets The Queen Victoria if the money is paid back in two weeks, which Phil accepts. Ian sells the loan to Archie, but does not tell Phil, saying there is no need to pay him back yet. Archie ejects the Mitchells from the pub and Phil turns to alcohol again. Archie is murdered on Chistmas Day. Phil asks his now-girlfriend Shirley for an alibi, who tells police Phil was with her all day. However, she finds a blood-stained shirt, which she hides. Phil confesses that he found Archie dead and lost his balance, falling into the blood, but did not call the police because he panicked. They then burn the shirt and replace it with a brand new one. Eventually, Bradley Branning
(Charlie Clements
) becomes the prime suspect in the murder but falls to his death while being chased by police, although the real killer turns out to be Stacey Branning. Phil and Shirley resume their romantic relationship.
Phil's cousin Ronnie
(Samantha Womack) tells Phil that Louise (now Brittany Papple) came looking for him but she sent her away because Phil was in a fight at the time. Phil smashes up the bar and shouts in Ronnie's face, just as Louise walks in to witness his rage. Louise spends the night under the secret care of Peggy and Phil, and pleads to stay permanently, to which Phil initially agrees. However, Shirley finds out that Louise is hiding in the pub, and persuades Phil to do the right thing, so he then sends Louise back into care. He takes a DNA test to prove he is Louise's biological father, and custody is granted after Phil moves in with Shirley. Phil discovers that Ben has been burning Louise's arms and punches his son. The next day Ben explains that he is being bullied by Jordan Johnson (Michael-Joel David Stuart
), so Phil tells him to stand up for himself, leading to Ben attacking Jordan and leaving him in a coma. Ben decides to confess to the police and is charged and bailed. Phil is told Ben could spend six weeks in custody, so plans to move to Portugal with Grant, but Peggy stops them as they are about to leave. Phil is outraged to hear Ben must spend five months in custody. He learns that Lisa has made an application to see Louise so he asks his solicitor Ritchie Scott (Sian Webber
) to find a way to prevent her getting access. After Phil visits Ben, he discovers that Ben is being bullied by another prisoner, Cal Childs (Danny Barnham). Ben tells his family never to visit him again, but Phil attempts to, and while he is there, Peggy tells Louise that Lisa wants to see her, but insults Lisa, leading to Louise running away. Phil finds Louise and confronts Peggy, slapping her and leaving her bruised. Phil attempts to keep Louise locked in the house, but Peggy sneaks her out and takes her to Lisa, finally allowing her to stay there. Phil throws Shirley out of the house, accusing her of helping Peggy. He goes to Lisa's house to retrieve Louise but finds it empty and abandoned.
Phil starts drinking again after two months of sobriety, blaming Peggy for the loss of his two children, so Peggy orders him to be ejected from the pub. At an all-time low, he approaches Rainie Cross
(Tanya Franks
), a drug addict, and is tempted to try some of her crack cocaine
after she says she needs it to block things out, as he wants to forget his children. Phil and Rainie get high on drugs at Phil's home, and when Shirley comes in to check on him, she finds them naked together on the floor. Phil takes money from The Queen Victoria to get more drugs, but Rainie is mugged when she tries to buy some, so Phil tries to take money from The Arches. Minty Peterson
(Cliff Parisi
) and Ricky Butcher
(Sid Owen
) refuse to hand over the keys, locking him in. They get Shirley, who calms Phil down and offers to help him get clean, throwing Rainie out when they return home. She tells Phil to choose either her or the drugs, and he walks away, having chosen the drugs. When Peggy decides to make up with Phil, she finds him in a drugged-up state on the floor so leaves in disgust. She visits him again to say she will get him some help but slaps him when he insults her for her nagging. She regrets this but he throws her out and tells her to go away. When Shirley visits later, Phil is gone. Phil's relative Billy Mitchell
(Perry Fenwick
) finds Phil a few weeks later and takes Peggy to see him in an estate. Peggy wakes him and tells him he is coming home and that Sam has had a baby. Phil says he does not care and that Peggy has made him this way. She leaves in tears after telling him if she had a gun, she would give it to him and tell him to shoot himself as he would be better off dead. However, Peggy realises she needs to get Phil off the drugs, so she enlists Minty and Billy to help get him back to The Queen Victoria and lock him in the upstairs living room, where the windows and door are boarded up so he cannot escape. He begs to be let out as he is suffering withdrawal symptoms and says he needs a doctor. Worried he will die, he convinces Billy to open the door to bring him some water, promising he will not try to leave. When Billy enters, Phil grabs the crowbar from him and Billy runs out and boards him back in. Phil uses the crowbar to escape. He confronts Peggy, and after a huge argument, throws a match on the floor and sets the entire room on fire. Within minutes the entire pub catches fire, causing mass panic. Phil tries to grab boxes of alcohol from the cellar, but cannot carry it out. When he tries to steal money from the till, the roof collapses on him. Peggy and Billy manage to save him and get him out of the pub. Peggy departs Walford the next day when she realises that Phil is better off without her.
When police come to the house, Phil runs and goes to Shirley's. Shirley is angry until Phil admits he needs her help to change, but soon realises that Phil started the fire and says she cannot trust him as he did not tell her. However, she later tells Phil to lie to the police and do everything she tells him to from now on, and moves in with him. Billy shouts at Phil that he needs to get himself sorted, and Phil does not get angry. Shirley tells Phil she will find something for him to do and eventually finds an investor and buys back the garage from Pat. A few weeks later Phil leases The Queen Victoria over to Kat
(Jessie Wallace
) and Alfie Moon
(Shane Richie
) and they begin to refurbish it. He also employs Ryan Malloy
(Neil McDermott
) and Connor Stanley (Arinze Kene
) to steal cars and handle stolen jewellery. Phil and Shirley steal a large amount of money from Roxy. With Roxy not realising who stole the cash, Phil uses it to buy a house on the Square. Roxy's mother Glenda Mitchell
(Glynis Barber
) finds out that Phil is the thief, but instead of telling her daughter, Glenda tells Phil she knows and propositions him. The pair have sex and then embark on an affair. Phil grows fond of Jay Brown
(Jamie Borthwick
). Eager to impress him, Jay goes to retrieve some money owed to Phil from Connor, however Connor under-pays him. Shirley admits this to Phil and says she has sent him to get the cash back. A worried Phil goes to support Jay, but sees him beat up Connor for the money, which impresses Phil. Jay then asks Phil if he can change his surname to Mitchell which he agrees to.
When Ben (now Joshua Pascoe) returns from prison, he greets Phil by punching him, which pleases Phil. He then overhears Glenda and Ian's son Peter Beale
(Thomas Law
) arguing and learns that Glenda has been having an affair with Ian. Glenda is pushed down her stairs by Ben and tells the police, so Phil blackmails Ian into giving Ben a false alibi and coerces Glenda into retracting her statement. He buys Jack's share of local nightclub R&R and resumes his affair with Glenda. When he is unable to pay his bills, he blackmails Ian into giving him £5000, but Ian subsequently blackmails Masood Ahmed
(Nitin Ganatra
) who goes to Phil for a loan. Realising that Ian is trying to get the money from Masood, he orders Ian to find the cash by the next morning. The next day, Phil suffers a heart attack during an encounter with Glenda, and when Ian comes in, Phil begs for his help. Glenda phones the ambulance but Ian lies to the paramedics and sends them away while Phil is in the club office. Ian forces Phil to beg as revenge for years of torment, and then leaves, refusing to help, but when he hears Ben asking where Phil is, he changes his mind and calls the ambulance. In hospital, Phil proposes to Shirley and she accepts. Later, Shirley discovers his affair with Glenda, which results in a strain in their relationship, after Glenda leaves Watford, Shirley gets back together with Phil, but refuses to marry him. As Phil continues to treat Jay more like a son, he and Ben grow further apart and eventually Ben goes to live with Peggy. He begins to take complete control of R&R, ignoring his business partner Roxy, and banning her from looking through the accounts, she becomes more unhappy with him as her partner and he offers to buy her share of the club, however she sells her share of the club to Janine Butcher (Charlie Brooks
), another one of Phil's many enemies.
Phil sees Patrick Trueman
(Rudolph Walker
) holding his son Ben against a wall, which causes a feud between Phil and Patrick, and leaves Phil branded a racist by the community. Ben eventually admits to Phil that Patrick saw him kissing someone, and Phil asks why that would be a problem before realising that Ben was kissing a boy. Phil storms out in a rage, pushing Ben over in the process, leaving him with a badly bruised eye. Ben then confronts Phil, admits to him that he does not care what he says or thinks, and says that he is gay. Phil then storms off in a tearful rage, terrified that Ben's homosexuality will ruin his reputation. However, they eventually decide to try to accept each other for who they are.
Phil starts to receive a number of old photographs, and one contains the date of when Phil torched the car lot in an insurance scam and killed a homeless boy. He visits Pat, who confirms the photos are of the same boy. Phil becomes suspicious of many people, including Janine, but when he confronts her, she claims to have no knowledge of the event. Phil considers turning to alcohol but is stopped by Rainie. He tells Rainie about the incident, and they start to kiss just as Pat interrupts them. Shirley finds out that Phil has told Rainie about the insurance scam, and is angry at Phil for not telling her first, as she would not have been shocked. When Phil receives a text message saying "I know you killed Kevin", Phil believes Jack is behind the message, so confronts him. Jack denies this, and when he goes to give Phil the recording, he finds it missing, along with a file on all of Phil's past misdemeanors.
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 The Bill
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.
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.
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 his family's.
– EastEnders during the 1980s having been very much dominated by the hugely popular Watts family.
(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.
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".
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 double
s, 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 "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 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.
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:
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.
s. 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. In 2009, Phil Mitchell came second in a poll by British men's magazine Loaded
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.
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 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".
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." A former cocaine addict, Sarah Graham, agreed with the BBC, saying "I think it's really important that a mainstream character like Phil Mitchell is doing this storyline. [...] I'm not surprised that there have been so many complaints about seeing this on one of our favourite soaps. The episode showed the brutal reality of addiction. [...] I can see that many people will be worried about children watching these scenes. [...] With that in mind, I think they should put the Frank drugs helpline
number on after the programme."
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
.
Character (arts)
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
from the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
EastEnders
EastEnders
EastEnders is a British television soap opera, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 19 February 1985 and continuing to today. EastEnders storylines examine the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work in the fictional London Borough of Walford in the East End...
, played by Steve McFadden
Steve McFadden
Steve McFadden is an English actor, known for his role as Phil Mitchell in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, which he has played since1990.-Early life:...
.
Phil first arrived in Albert Square
Albert Square
Albert Square is the fictional location of the BBC soap opera EastEnders. It is ostensibly located in the equally fictional London borough of Walford in London's East End. The square's design was based on the real life Fassett Square in Hackney, and was given the name Albert Square after the real...
on 20 February 1990, and was soon joined by his brother, Grant
Grant Mitchell (EastEnders)
Grant Anthony Mitchell is a fictional character from the British soap opera EastEnders, played by Ross Kemp. Grant first appeared in 1990, introduced by producer Michael Ferguson to revamp the show. Kemp remained until 1999 when he opted to leave...
, sister Sam
Sam Mitchell (EastEnders)
Samantha Margaret Priscilla "Sam" Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC One soap opera EastEnders. The third member of the Mitchell family to be introduced, Sam entered as a 15-year-old school girl in July 1990, played by Danniella Westbrook. Westbrook quit in 1993, but was reintroduced...
and mother Peggy
Peggy Mitchell
Margaret Ann "Peggy" Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders. Peggy was initially played by Jo Warne when she first appeared on 30 April 1991, featuring in the series on a recurring basis over several weeks. Peggy was reintroduced in 1994, recast and was then played by...
. 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 after Grant left. More recent storylines, such as the return of his son Ben, have shown a softer side to the character. In 2010, McFadden was given six weeks off EastEnders, so he could appear in pantomime.
He has, at various times, owned many businesses in the Square. He has been married three times and featured in numerous high profile storylines, including the much-hyped whodunnit, dubbed "Who Shot Phil?
Who Shot Phil?
"Who Shot Phil?" was a storyline of the BBC soap opera EastEnders which evolved during 2001.-Background:The storyline centred around one of EastEnders longest running characters, Phil Mitchell . The build up to the storyline occurred throughout 2000-2001. The character became darker and a more...
"—when the character was gunned down outside his home – and an affair with his brother's wife, dubbed "Sharongate
Sharongate
"Sharongate" is the term used for a storyline in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, which reached its climax on 24 October 1994, attracting 25.3 million viewers. The plot was written by EastEnders scriptwriter, Tony Jordan. In the storyline, Sharon Mitchell confessed on tape that she had slept with...
".
Backstory
Phil, named after his paternal grandfather Philip who died when he was young, 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 old enough to fight back. Phil and his younger brother Grant were close, and had a reputation for their thuggish behaviour.1990–2000
Walford
Walford is a fictional borough of east London in the BBC soap opera EastEnders. The name Walford is both a street in Dalston where one of the series' creators, Tony Holland, lived and a blend of Walthamstow, where Holland was born, and Stratford. The suffix 'ford' is also found throughout East...
, buying the garage on Turpin Way, known as The Arches. Phil goes into partnership at The Queen Victoria
The Queen Victoria
The Queen Victoria is a fictional Victorian public house in the BBC soap opera, EastEnders. It has the fictional address of 46 Albert Square, Walford, London E20.-Appearance and development:...
public house
Public house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
with Grant and his fiancée Sharon Watts
Sharon Rickman
Sharon Anne Rickman is a fictional character from the popular BBC1 soap opera EastEnders, played by Letitia Dean, who was a regular cast member for the first 10 years after the programme began on 19 February 1985. She returned in May 2001, and appeared on and off, having most recently appeared in...
(Letitia Dean
Letitia Dean
Letitia Dean is an English actress and singer. She is best known for her role as Sharon Watts in the popular BBC soap opera EastEnders, who was one of the serial's original characters. Dean was part of the original cast in 1985 and remained in the series until 1995...
), and moves in with them. Following a failed romance with Anne Howes (Cassie Stuart), Phil grows close to Sharon, who turns to him for comfort during Grant's violent outbursts. Sharon and Phil sleep together but she chooses to stay with Grant, who remains unaware of the 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, and when Grant is released a reformed man, Sharon reconciles with him, leaving Phil heartbroken. On the rebound, Phil enters into a marriage of convenience
Marriage of convenience
A marriage of convenience is a marriage contracted for reasons other than the reasons of relationship, family, or love. Instead, such a marriage is orchestrated for personal gain or some other sort of strategic purpose, such as political marriage. The phrase is a calque of - a marriage of...
with Nadia Borovac (Anna Barkan), a Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
n refugee
Refugee
A refugee is a person who outside her country of origin or habitual residence because she has suffered persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or because she is a member of a persecuted 'social group'. Such a person may be referred to as an 'asylum seeker' until...
, enabling her to stay legally in the UK, with Nadia departing after the wedding. Phil begins a romance with Kathy Beale (Gillian Taylforth
Gillian Taylforth
Gillian Taylforth is an English actress. She is best known for her roles as Kathy Mitchell on the BBC soap opera, EastEnders and as Jackie Pascoe-Webb on ITV's Footballers Wives , but more recently as Sgt. Nikki Wright in ITV's The Bill...
), but Nadia returns, needing Phil to play her husband in more realistic ways to prevent deportation. She moves in with him while she is investigated. Nadia seduces and sleeps with a drunken Phil, and he regrets it, denying it to Kathy after Nadia informs her. Nadia disappears after Grant threatens to kill her, though Phil later bribes her into agreeing to a divorce.
When Kathy discovers that Phil is responsible for torching Frank Butcher
Frank Butcher
Francis Aloysius "Frank" Butcher is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by the late Mike Reid. Frank made his first appearance on-screen as a guest character in 1987 but, due to a positive viewer reception, he was reintroduced in 1988 as a regular. Reid took a long...
's (Mike Reid
Mike Reid (entertainer)
Michael Reid was an English comedian, actor, author and occasional television presenter from Hackney in east London, who is best remembered for playing the role of Frank Butcher in EastEnders and hosting the popular children's TV show Runaround...
) car lot in an insurance scam, killing a homeless boy, she leaves him. He wins her back by proposing marriage, leaving Sharon jealous. Intent on winning him back, Sharon kisses Phil, but he stops himself from kissing her back. During Phil and Kathy's engagement party, Grant listens to a cassette of Sharon confessing to the affair and plays it at the party. Kathy is incensed, and Grant beats Phil so badly that he is hospitalised with a ruptured spleen and a blood clot to the brain. Phil undergoes surgery, which stirs remorse in Grant. He pressures Phil into blaming Sharon for their affair and Grant chases her out of Walford. Phil and Grant make peace, but things between them are not the same. Kathy and Phil eventually sort out their differences and get married. Kathy falls pregnant and gives birth to Ben (Matthew Silver). Phil feels neglected and depressed so turns to alcohol, developing an addiction. He becomes abusive and neglectful of Ben, so Kathy leaves him. Realising what he has lost, Phil gives up drinking to rebuild his marriage. He attends Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous is an international mutual aid movement which says its "primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics achieve sobriety." Now claiming more than 2 million members, AA was founded in 1935 by Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith in Akron, Ohio...
, which helps reveal the basis of his problem—the physical abuse he received from his father and his fear he will do the same to Ben. Kathy takes him back but when he attends counselling, he begins an affair with a fellow alcoholic named Lorna Cartwright
Lorna Cartwright
Lorna Cartwright is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Janet Dibley intermittently between 1997 and 1998. Lorna was introduced primarily as a catalyst to break up the marriage of the characters Phil and Kathy Mitchell...
(Janet Dibley
Janet Dibley
Janet Dibley is an English actress. She is best known for her role the 1980s sitcom The Two of Us. She currently appears as Dr...
), who later starts stalking him. With their relationship in jeopardy, Phil takes Kathy to Paris, hoping that it can bring them closer, but it has the opposite effect when Phil confesses to the affair and Kathy throws her wedding ring into the river. Phil begins sleeping rough, gambling, and blaming Kathy for his decline. Kathy decides to leave Walford to live in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, letting it be known that an offer of reconciliation from Phil would make her reconsider. Phil waits until the last minute but is stalled by Lorna, who locks herself in his bathroom and attempts suicide. Kathy leaves for the airport and Phil follows but is accosted by Kathy's son Ian Beale
Ian Beale
Ian Albert Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Adam Woodyatt. He is the longest-serving character and the only remaining original character to have appeared continuously since the first episode on 19 February 1985...
(Adam Woodyatt
Adam Woodyatt
Adam Brinley Woodyatt is an English actor and media personality, best known for his role as Ian Beale in the long-running BBC soap opera EastEnders...
), who persuades him that Kathy is better off without him. Phil agonises over the loss of his son.
To take his mind of things, Phil gets involved in a protection racket
Protection racket
A protection racket is an extortion scheme whereby a criminal group or individual coerces a victim to pay money, supposedly for protection services against violence or property damage. Racketeers coerce reticent potential victims into buying "protection" by demonstrating what will happen if they...
with Annie Palmer
Annie Palmer
Annie Palmer is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Nadia Sawalha. Annie was portrayed as a hard-nosed businesswoman, who wasn't averse to dabbling on the wrong side of the law...
(Nadia Sawalha
Nadia Sawalha
Nadia Sawalha is an English actress and television presenter.Sawalha is perhaps best known for her role as Annie Palmer in the BBC soap opera EastEnders during the 1990s, although most of her television work is now as a presenter rather than an actress...
), who he is also having casual sex with, but he grows tired of being bossed around by her and quits. He starts seeing Lisa Shaw
Lisa Fowler
Lisa Deborah Fowler is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Lucy Benjamin from 1998 to 2003 and in 2010. Lisa was instrumental in one of EastEnders most highly publicised and anticipated storylines, dubbed Who Shot Phil? in 2001, where she gunned down her former...
(Lucy Benjamin
Lucy Benjamin
-Career:Born Lucy Jane Baker in Reading, Berkshire, England, she took the stage name of Benjamin after her brother. Benjamin trained at the Redroofs Theatre School in Maidenhead. Her first acting role was as a child actor in Doctor Who in 1983 playing a young version of the character Nyssa...
), but the relationship stalls when Kathy returns briefly, continuing an affair with Grant. However, before she is due to return to South Africa, she asks Phil to leave with her. Phil cannot go as Grant has planned an armed robbery and Phil will not let his brother do the job alone. Infuriated with Phil's loyalty to Grant, Kathy reveals their recent tryst, leading to Phil confronting Grant after the heist and Grant confessing 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 pulls out a handgun and shoots at the dashboard, which causes Grant to crash into the River Thames. Phil is rescued, but Grant's body is not recovered, though he survives and flees to Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
. When Grant sends Phil his half of The Queen Victoria, he sells it to Dan Sullivan (Craig Fairbrass
Craig Fairbrass
Craig Fairbrass is an English actor. He is known for his distinctive Cockney accent.-Life and career:Fairbrass was born in Stepney, London. He made his acting debut in an episode of the television series Shelley in 1980. This was followed by appearances in series such as Emmerdale, Three Up Two...
) for £5 to spite Peggy due to her favouritism towards Grant.
2000–06
Phil and Dan's allegiance ends after Dan tells the police about a motor scam Phil has been involved in, and Phil cons Dan into giving control of the pub back to Peggy. Phil is unsupportive when Lisa has a miscarriage and she becomes unstable. He turns his attention to her best friend Melanie HealyMelanie Owen
Melanie Jane "Mel" Owen is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Tamzin Outhwaite. She appeared from October 1998 to April 2002 when Outhwaite opted to leave the role...
(Tamzin Outhwaite
Tamzin Outhwaite
Tamzin Maria Outhwaite is an award-winning English actress. She became known for her role as Melanie Owen in the British soap opera EastEnders, whom she portrayed from 1998 until 2002.-Early career:...
) and they sleep together. Phil grows jealous when Melanie reunites with Steve Owen (Martin Kemp) and becomes abusive to Lisa. Thinking a baby will improve things, Lisa stops taking her contraceptive pills. However, Melanie overhears Phil stating he does not want another baby, so she encourages Lisa to end the relationship, confessing to their affair. Lisa leaves Phil, and unknown to him, she is pregnant with his baby. Mark Fowler
Mark Fowler
Mark Albert Fowler is a fictional character from the popular British BBC soap opera EastEnders. Mark was an original regular character in the series starting February 1985 but became a semi-regular after his original portrayer David Scarboro was written out of the role in April 1985. Scarboro made...
(Todd Carty
Todd Carty
Todd Carty is an Irish actor and director, who has grown up on television screens in a variety of roles. His stage work has varied from pantomime to serious drama, as well as radio plays, voiceovers, commercials, narrations, and films...
) persuades her to pretend the baby is his. Phil gains many enemies: Lisa; Steve, who has discovered Melanie slept with Phil; Ian, who wants revenge for Phil's bullying; Mark, who wants to avenge Lisa; and Dan. On Steve and Melanie's wedding night, Phil is shot in the back by someone hiding in the bushes, collapsing in a pool of blood, and is hospitalised. Steve is prime suspect and is arrested. However, it was not Steve and after being discharged from hospital a month later, Phil confronts the real culprit, Lisa. She had stolen Steve's gun in a moment of madness. Realising he drove Lisa to it, Phil decides to let her off and frames Dan for the deed with the help of Ritchie Stringer (Gareth Hunt
Gareth Hunt
Alan Leonard Hunt was an English actor, known as Gareth Hunt, best remembered for playing the footman Frederick Norton in Upstairs, Downstairs and Mike Gambit in The New Avengers.-Early life:...
), who supplies Dan with the gun. Not realising he is being set up, Dan holds Phil at gunpoint, demanding money. However, the police arrive, arresting Dan for attempted murder. Steve is called as a witness at Dan's trial, and Phil persuades him to give a false testimony, further implicating Dan, but to everyone's astonishment he is found not guilty. Dan seeks revenge, so he kidnaps Melanie, the only common link between Phil and Steve, threatening to kill her unless they each give him £100,000. They work together to rescue Melanie but Dan escapes with the money.
Phil begins a second relationship with Sharon, who has returned, and they run The Queen Victoria together. Phil wants children, but Sharon reveals she is infertile and tells him Lisa's baby, Louise (Rachel Cox), is really his daughter. Phil ends their relationship and confronts Lisa, demanding to be part of his child's life. Steve offers to take Lisa to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, but when she is unable to leave, Steve absconds with Louise. Phil is informed and chases after Steve in his car. Steve crashes into a wall and Phil rescues Louise but cannot save Steve, who dies when the car explodes. Phil knows he must win Lisa back to gain custody of Louise, and Lisa is easily swayed. Phil slowly begins excluding Lisa from Louise's life, so in desperation, Lisa flees to Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
with Louise. Phil's nephew Jamie
Jamie Mitchell
Jamie Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Jack Ryder, who made his first appearance on 9 November 1998. Ryder decided to leave in 2002, and his final episode aired Christmas Day 2002, when Jamie was killed off....
(Jack Ryder
Jack Ryder (actor)
Jack Seigfried Ryder is an English actor, best known for playing Jamie Mitchell in the BBC One soap opera EastEnders from 1998 to 2002.-Biography:...
) helps her escape, earning him a beating from Phil. Phil goes to Portugal and returns a month later with Louise. Some of Phil's neighbours suspect he has murdered Lisa.
Phil falls for Kate Morton (Jill Halfpenny
Jill Halfpenny
Jill Halfpenny is an English actress.Halfpenny is best known for her roles as Rebecca Hopkins in the British soap opera Coronation Street from 1999–2000, and as Kate Mitchell in rival soap EastEnders, from 2002-2005...
), not knowing she is an undercover police officer, investigating Lisa's disappearance. After gaining a confession from Phil that he manipulated Lisa into handing over Louise, Kate reveals her true identity, and says she loves him and will quit her job, but Phil threatens to kill her. Kate disappears, but several months later, Phil finds her while she is working undercover for gangster Jack Dalton (Hywel Bennett
Hywel Bennett
Hywel Thomas Bennett is a Welsh film and television actor. Bennett is best known for his recurring title role as James Shelley in the television sitcom Shelley from 1979 to 1984 and its sequel The Return of Shelley from 1988 to 1992....
). Phil saves Kate's life when Jack orders her dead, with Jack calling off the hit but telling Phil he owes him. Kate then moves in with Phil. Jack orders Phil to kill Dennis Rickman
Dennis Rickman
Dennis Rickman is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Nigel Harman. He entered the show on 14 April 2003 and made his last appearance on 30 December 2005, when he was fatally stabbed as the midnight fireworks began. He is part of the Watts family, though his...
(Nigel Harman
Nigel Harman
Nigel Derek Harman is an English actor, most famous for his role as Dennis Rickman in the UK soap opera EastEnders. He has worked extensively in theatre, with the stage being described as his "first love"...
), so Phil corners Dennis at gunpoint, but Dennis tells Phil he will kill Jack so they can both be free of him, which he does. Phil and Dennis vow to keep their involvement in Dalton's murder to themselves, but Phil later tells Andy Hunter (Michael Higgs
Michael Higgs
Michael Higgs is a British actor best known for prominent roles in two long-running television series: Eddie Santini in ITV1's The Bill, and Andy Hunter in EastEnders....
), Dalton's second-in-command. Dennis is enraged by Phil's betrayal and demands that they settle the score with a fight. Phil hires a group of men to deal with Dennis instead.
Phil and Kate go on to marry, but Lisa arrives, demanding access to Louise. She plans to shoot Phil again but fails. She breaks down until Den Watts
Den Watts
Dennis Alan "Den" Watts is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by actor Leslie Grantham. He became well known for his tabloid nickname, "Dirty Den"....
(Leslie Grantham
Leslie Grantham
Leslie Michael Grantham is an English actor best known for his role as "Dirty" Den Watts in the soap opera EastEnders. He is also a convicted murderer, having served 10 years for the killing of a German taxi driver, and he generated significant press coverage as the result of an online sex scandal...
) vows to get revenge on Phil for her and for having his son Dennis beaten up. Den plans an armed robbery and coaxes Phil into joining him, but Den, with Dennis' assistance, sets Phil up and he is arrested. Kate is forced to give Louise back to Lisa and they leave Walford together. Phil cannot forgive Kate and their marriage ends. Phil escapes from prison and attacks Den and Dennis, and Den gives Phil money to survive on while on the run. Phil returns in need of money and attacks Ian, who leads him to believe he will help him escape, but calls the police and Phil is arrested again. However, the case falls through after Grant pays a witness to change his testimony and Phil is released. Johnny Allen
Johnny Allen (EastEnders)
Jonathan "Johnny" Allen is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Billy Murray.-Storylines:Johnny Allen was a businessman and retired gangster, who grew up in Walford but moved away to start up an empire of his own which he named J.A. Enterprises...
(Billy Murray
Billy Murray (actor)
Billy Murray is an English actor, best known for playing Don Beech in The Bill from 1995 to 2004, Johnny Allen in the BBC soap opera EastEnders from 2005 to 2006, Captain John Price in the video games Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare...
) makes an enemy of Phil after threatening to harm his family. Dennis gets involved the feud, not realising his wife Sharon has been threatened by Johnny and that he will be killed if he does not leave Walford. Phil informs Dennis, who beats Johnny, but then has Dennis murdered, leaving Phil feeling responsible and vowing to make Johnny pay. Phil and Grant confront Johnny, but he escapes and a car chase ensues. The brothers' squabbling allows Johnny to capture them, and Johnny orders Danny Moon
Danny Moon
Daniel "Danny" Moon is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Jake Maskall. He made his first appearance on 30 December 2004...
(Jake Maskall
Jake Maskall
Jake Maskall is an English television, film and theatre actor.-Career:Jake's most notable role came in the BBC television soap opera EastEnders where he played ladies' man and bad boy Danny Moon. His character first appeared on 30 December 2004 and was driven out of the show by gangster Johnny...
) to kill them. However, Danny's brother Jake
Jake Moon
Jacob "Jake" Moon is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Joel Beckett, who appeared from 30 December 2004 as a regular character.-Storylines:...
(Joel Beckett
Joel Beckett
Joel Beckett is an English actor, best known for playing Jake Moon in the popular BBC soap opera EastEnders from December 2004 to October 2006 and as Lee in the British comedy series The Office...
) shoots Danny, killing him, and Johnny surrenders.
2006—
Following Kathy's death, Phil's son Ben (now Charlie JonesCharlie Jones (actor)
Charlie George Jones is a young English actor. Jones has been a student in the Anna Fiorentini theater and drama school.He is probably best known for his portrayal of Ben Mitchell in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, which he played for four years from 2006 to 2010. According to the Internet Movie...
) returns to live with his half brother Ian. Phil tries to build a relationship with Ben and they slowly begin to bond, eventually leading to Ben asking to live with his father. Phil meets Stella Crawford
Stella Crawford
Stella Crawford is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Sophie Thompson. She left the show on 20 July 2007.-Storylines:...
(Sophie Thompson
Sophie Thompson
Sophie Thompson is an award-winning English actress, best known for playing Stella Crawford in EastEnders.-Early life:...
) and they begin a relationship. She moves in but Ben is unwilling to accept her. She uses underhand tactics to make him more obedient and they become rivals for Phil's affections. She starts psychologically and physically abusing Ben, and manipulates him into persuading Phil to propose to her. The abuse is revealed by Ben during the wedding, and Stella flees to an abandoned warehouse with Phil in pursuit, where she jumps from the roof to her death. Jack Branning
Jack Branning
Jack Branning is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Scott Maslen. He made his first appearance on 29 October 2007. He is the youngest child of Jim and Reenie Branning and the brother of April Branning, Carol Jackson, Derek Branning, Suzy Branning and Max Branning...
(Scott Maslen
Scott Maslen
Scott Alexander Maslen is an English actor and model, best known for his portrayal as DS Phil Hunter in ITV's The Bill and now Jack Branning on the BBC's flagship soap EastEnders.-Early and personal life:...
) uses his police contacts to trace Louise (now Danni Bennatar
Danni Bennatar
Danielle Faye Benattar is an English child actress, who was cast in the British soap opera EastEnders in 2008 as Phil Mitchell's daughter Louise Mitchell. The character was last seen in 2003 when she was played by Rachel Cox...
) for Phil, but Phil is incensed to discover that she calls another man "daddy" and that Jack has not warned him. Jack tries to blackmail Phil regarding his involvement in a motor scam with Kevin Wicks
Kevin Wicks
Kevin Wicks is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Phil Daniels. He made his first appearance on 17 February 2006...
(Phil Daniels
Phil Daniels
Philip W. "Phil" Daniels is an English actor, most noted for film and television roles as "cockneys" such as Jimmy in Quadrophenia, Richards in Scum, Stewart in The Class of Miss MacMichael, Mark in Meantime, Kevin Wicks in EastEnders, DCS Frank Patterson in New Tricks and Edward Kitchener "Ted"...
), which inadvertently kills Kevin, as Jack has a recording of Phil's confession. Phil teams up with Jack's brother Max
Max Branning
Max Branning is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Jake Wood. He made his first appearance on 27 June 2006.-Backstory:Max is the fifth child and second son of Jim and Reenie Branning...
(Jake Wood
Jake Wood
Jake Dylan Wood is an English actor, best known in his homeland for playing Max Branning on "EastEnders" and in the United States as the current voice of the GEICO gecko.-Biography:...
) to remove Jack from Walford, though he later returns.
Phil proposes to his girlfriend Suzy Branning
Suzy Branning
Suzy Branning is a fictional character from the BBC One soap opera EastEnders, played by Maggie O'Neill, but was played by Julie Christian-Young for a brief appearance in 1996. O'Neill began filming in May 2008, and she made her first on-screen appearance on 8 July 2008....
(Maggie O'Neill
Maggie O'Neill
-Biography:The youngest of six Catholic brothers and sisters, born to head teacher parents, O'Neill grew up in the Midlands, where she was educated at a convent school, and after being inspired by a sixth-form drama teacher, "fell" into acting....
) when she tells him she is pregnant, but his friend and employee Shirley Carter (Linda Henry
Linda Henry
Linda Henry is an English actress, best known for her roles as Yvonne Atkins in the ITV television drama Bad Girls and Shirley Carter in the BBC's soap opera EastEnders.- Early life :...
) tells him there is no pregnancy and Suzy is trying to con him. However, Phil stays with Suzy until he discovers she has schemed with his uncle Archie
Archie Mitchell
Archibald Lionel "Archie" Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Larry Lamb.The character of Archie is the father of already established characters Ronnie and Roxy Mitchell , and a member of the Mitchell family, who have appeared in the soap since 1990...
(Larry Lamb
Larry Lamb (actor)
Lawrence Douglas "Larry" Lamb is an English actor who has worked frequently in television. He is best known for playing one of the greatest villains of British soap Archie Mitchell in the BBC television soap EastEnders, Michael Shipman in the BBC television show Gavin & Stacey and Mischievous...
). Peggy and Archie marry, but Archie's manipulation of his entire family is revealed, so Peggy asks Phil to kill him. However, Phil just forces him to leave Walford. Phil starts drinking again and starts an on-off relationship with Shirley but it soon ends. Archie returns to win Peggy back, and Phil's sister Sam Mitchell
Sam Mitchell (EastEnders)
Samantha Margaret Priscilla "Sam" Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC One soap opera EastEnders. The third member of the Mitchell family to be introduced, Sam entered as a 15-year-old school girl in July 1990, played by Danniella Westbrook. Westbrook quit in 1993, but was reintroduced...
(Danniella Westbrook
Danniella Westbrook
Danniella Westbrook is an English actress and television presenter. She is known for being the original actress to play Samantha Mitchell in the popular BBC soap opera EastEnders from 1990–93, 1995–96, 1999–2000 and 2009–10. Away from EastEnders she has presented various shows, and was also a...
) returns from Brazil after being on the run for her part in the murder of Den Watts. Sam is arrested so Phil sells the garage to Pat Evans
Pat Evans
Patricia Louise "Pat" Evans is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders. She has been played by Pam St. Clement since 12 June 1986, just over a year after the show first aired...
(Pam St Clement) to raise the bail money to have her released. However, Archie convinces Sam to flee, leading to the Mitchells struggling financially. Phil takes a loan from Ian on the condition that Ian gets The Queen Victoria if the money is paid back in two weeks, which Phil accepts. Ian sells the loan to Archie, but does not tell Phil, saying there is no need to pay him back yet. Archie ejects the Mitchells from the pub and Phil turns to alcohol again. Archie is murdered on Chistmas Day. Phil asks his now-girlfriend Shirley for an alibi, who tells police Phil was with her all day. However, she finds a blood-stained shirt, which she hides. Phil confesses that he found Archie dead and lost his balance, falling into the blood, but did not call the police because he panicked. They then burn the shirt and replace it with a brand new one. Eventually, Bradley Branning
Bradley Branning
Bradley Branning is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Charlie Clements. He made his first appearance on screen on 24 January 2006 and last appeared on 22 February 2010. Clements has won multiple awards for his portrayal....
(Charlie Clements
Charlie Clements
Charlie Clements is an English actor, best known for the role of Bradley Branning in the BBC soap opera EastEnders from January 2006 to February 2010. He has won several soap and magazine awards for his performance.-Biography:...
) becomes the prime suspect in the murder but falls to his death while being chased by police, although the real killer turns out to be Stacey Branning. Phil and Shirley resume their romantic relationship.
Phil's cousin Ronnie
Ronnie Mitchell
Veronica Elizabeth "Ronnie" Branning is a fictional character from the British BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Samantha Womack. Ronnie and her sister Roxy were introduced by executive producer Diederick Santer in July 2007; Ronnie is the "ice" to Roxy's "fire"...
(Samantha Womack) tells Phil that Louise (now Brittany Papple) came looking for him but she sent her away because Phil was in a fight at the time. Phil smashes up the bar and shouts in Ronnie's face, just as Louise walks in to witness his rage. Louise spends the night under the secret care of Peggy and Phil, and pleads to stay permanently, to which Phil initially agrees. However, Shirley finds out that Louise is hiding in the pub, and persuades Phil to do the right thing, so he then sends Louise back into care. He takes a DNA test to prove he is Louise's biological father, and custody is granted after Phil moves in with Shirley. Phil discovers that Ben has been burning Louise's arms and punches his son. The next day Ben explains that he is being bullied by Jordan Johnson (Michael-Joel David Stuart
Michael-Joel David Stuart
Michael-Joel David Stuart is a young British actor.Michael-Joel made his television debut in the BBC's award-winning drama production . He also performed as young Sunny in the West-End musical Daddy Cool and as young Simba in the West-End musical The Lion King. In 2007 he played Buckwheat in the...
), so Phil tells him to stand up for himself, leading to Ben attacking Jordan and leaving him in a coma. Ben decides to confess to the police and is charged and bailed. Phil is told Ben could spend six weeks in custody, so plans to move to Portugal with Grant, but Peggy stops them as they are about to leave. Phil is outraged to hear Ben must spend five months in custody. He learns that Lisa has made an application to see Louise so he asks his solicitor Ritchie Scott (Sian Webber
Sian Webber
Sian Webber is a British actress, best known for playing Emma Neesome in the 1980s BBC drama series Howards' Way.She has also appeared in Star Cops, Pie in the Sky, Dangerfield, Highlander: The Series, The Bill, Bad Girls, Peak Practice, Holby City, Waterloo Road and EastEnders, playing Ritchie...
) to find a way to prevent her getting access. After Phil visits Ben, he discovers that Ben is being bullied by another prisoner, Cal Childs (Danny Barnham). Ben tells his family never to visit him again, but Phil attempts to, and while he is there, Peggy tells Louise that Lisa wants to see her, but insults Lisa, leading to Louise running away. Phil finds Louise and confronts Peggy, slapping her and leaving her bruised. Phil attempts to keep Louise locked in the house, but Peggy sneaks her out and takes her to Lisa, finally allowing her to stay there. Phil throws Shirley out of the house, accusing her of helping Peggy. He goes to Lisa's house to retrieve Louise but finds it empty and abandoned.
Phil starts drinking again after two months of sobriety, blaming Peggy for the loss of his two children, so Peggy orders him to be ejected from the pub. At an all-time low, he approaches Rainie Cross
Rainie Cross
Lorraine "Rainie" Cross is a fictional character from the BBC One soap opera EastEnders, played by Tanya Franks. Rainie was introduced as the drug-addicted sister of Tanya Branning . After having three separate guest stints in 2007 , 2008 and 2010 , she returned on 12 April 2011 as a...
(Tanya Franks
Tanya Franks
Tanya Christine Franks is an English-based actress, writer and producer, who is most known for starring roles on television in Family Affairs, The Bill, Pulling and the role of Rainie Cross in EastEnders. Franks is also the founder of Stock-pot Productions, a theatre and media production company...
), a drug addict, and is tempted to try some of her crack cocaine
Crack cocaine
Crack cocaine is the freebase form of cocaine that can be smoked. It may also be termed rock, hard, iron, cavvy, base, or just crack; it is the most addictive form of cocaine. Crack rocks offer a short but intense high to smokers...
after she says she needs it to block things out, as he wants to forget his children. Phil and Rainie get high on drugs at Phil's home, and when Shirley comes in to check on him, she finds them naked together on the floor. Phil takes money from The Queen Victoria to get more drugs, but Rainie is mugged when she tries to buy some, so Phil tries to take money from The Arches. Minty Peterson
Minty Peterson
Richard "Rick" Peterson is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Cliff Parisi. He made his first appearance on 11 March 2002. His nickname was given to him because he was always late for work, turning up "after eight" when he was an apprentice mechanic...
(Cliff Parisi
Cliff Parisi
Cliff Parisi is an English actor of Italian descent, largely recognised for his performance as Rick 'Minty' Peterson in the BBC One soap opera EastEnders.-Career:...
) and Ricky Butcher
Ricky Butcher
Richard Francis "Ricky" Butcher is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Sid Owen. Introduced as a school boy in 1988, Ricky is one of the longest-running, male protagonists to feature in EastEnders. Owen originally left the role in 2000 to pursue a music career...
(Sid Owen
Sid Owen
Sid Owen is an English actor, television presenter and former singer, most famous for playing the role of Ricky Butcher in the BBC One soap opera EastEnders, which he appeared in from 1988 until 2000, 2002 until 2004 and then again from March 2008.-Career:Prior to his role in EastEnders he had a...
) refuse to hand over the keys, locking him in. They get Shirley, who calms Phil down and offers to help him get clean, throwing Rainie out when they return home. She tells Phil to choose either her or the drugs, and he walks away, having chosen the drugs. When Peggy decides to make up with Phil, she finds him in a drugged-up state on the floor so leaves in disgust. She visits him again to say she will get him some help but slaps him when he insults her for her nagging. She regrets this but he throws her out and tells her to go away. When Shirley visits later, Phil is gone. Phil's relative Billy Mitchell
Billy Mitchell (EastEnders)
William "Billy" Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Perry Fenwick, who made his first appearance on 2 November 1998. Billy was seen when Phil went to visit his godson Jamie. However, he didn't arrive in the Square until 2 August 1999, almost a year after...
(Perry Fenwick
Perry Fenwick
Perry Fenwick is an English film and television actor. He has one sister, Tracey, and two brothers, Faron and Lee. He is, also, the second cousin of Georgina Hagen, who played Lauren Waters in the series of Britannia High....
) finds Phil a few weeks later and takes Peggy to see him in an estate. Peggy wakes him and tells him he is coming home and that Sam has had a baby. Phil says he does not care and that Peggy has made him this way. She leaves in tears after telling him if she had a gun, she would give it to him and tell him to shoot himself as he would be better off dead. However, Peggy realises she needs to get Phil off the drugs, so she enlists Minty and Billy to help get him back to The Queen Victoria and lock him in the upstairs living room, where the windows and door are boarded up so he cannot escape. He begs to be let out as he is suffering withdrawal symptoms and says he needs a doctor. Worried he will die, he convinces Billy to open the door to bring him some water, promising he will not try to leave. When Billy enters, Phil grabs the crowbar from him and Billy runs out and boards him back in. Phil uses the crowbar to escape. He confronts Peggy, and after a huge argument, throws a match on the floor and sets the entire room on fire. Within minutes the entire pub catches fire, causing mass panic. Phil tries to grab boxes of alcohol from the cellar, but cannot carry it out. When he tries to steal money from the till, the roof collapses on him. Peggy and Billy manage to save him and get him out of the pub. Peggy departs Walford the next day when she realises that Phil is better off without her.
When police come to the house, Phil runs and goes to Shirley's. Shirley is angry until Phil admits he needs her help to change, but soon realises that Phil started the fire and says she cannot trust him as he did not tell her. However, she later tells Phil to lie to the police and do everything she tells him to from now on, and moves in with him. Billy shouts at Phil that he needs to get himself sorted, and Phil does not get angry. Shirley tells Phil she will find something for him to do and eventually finds an investor and buys back the garage from Pat. A few weeks later Phil leases The Queen Victoria over to Kat
Kat Moon
Kathleen "Kat" Moon is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Jessie Wallace. She was also played by Kate Peck in a flashback in 2001. She appeared in the show from September 2000 to November 2004, then returned in May 2005...
(Jessie Wallace
Jessie Wallace
Jessie Wallace is an English actress best known for her portrayal as Kat Moon in the BBC soap opera EastEnders.-Early life:...
) and Alfie Moon
Alfie Moon
Alfred William "Alfie" Moon is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Shane Richie. He made his first appearance on 21 November 2002, and left on 25 December 2005...
(Shane Richie
Shane Richie
Shane Richie is an English actor, comedian, singer and media personality, known for his portrayal of the character Alfie Moon in the BBC One soap opera EastEnders.-Early life and career beginnings:...
) and they begin to refurbish it. He also employs Ryan Malloy
Ryan Malloy
Ryan Malloy is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Neil McDermott. From his arrival on 28 April 2009, the character remained a mystery in the show for a number of months until he was revealed as the half brother of established character Whitney Dean...
(Neil McDermott
Neil McDermott
Neil McDermott is a British stage and television actor who is best known for portraying Ryan Malloy in the BBC television soap opera EastEnders from April 2009 until 2011.-Career:...
) and Connor Stanley (Arinze Kene
Arinze Kene
-Career:Kene has appeared in stage productions such as playing Simba in The Lion King, Daddy Cool, and in June 2009 played strutting lothario Raymond LeGrendre in the musical Been So Long, based on Ché Walker's 1998 play, which opened at the Young Vic...
) to steal cars and handle stolen jewellery. Phil and Shirley steal a large amount of money from Roxy. With Roxy not realising who stole the cash, Phil uses it to buy a house on the Square. Roxy's mother Glenda Mitchell
Glenda Mitchell
The following is a list of characters who first appeared or are due to appear in the BBC soap opera EastEnders in 2010, by order of first appearance...
(Glynis Barber
Glynis Barber
Glynis Barber is a South African actress of Afrikaner descent, born and brought up in South Africa. She was born Glynis van der Riet. When she was five years old, her parents divorced, and she and her mother moved to Johannesburg. She is best known for her portrayal as Sgt...
) finds out that Phil is the thief, but instead of telling her daughter, Glenda tells Phil she knows and propositions him. The pair have sex and then embark on an affair. Phil grows fond of Jay Brown
Jay Brown
James "Jay" Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Jamie Borthwick. He made his first appearance during the episode broadcast on 14 December 2006.-Backstory:...
(Jamie Borthwick
Jamie Borthwick
Jamie Simon Borthwick is a British actor.-Career:Borthwick portrays Jay Brown in EastEnders, though his first appearance on mainstream television was as an orphan in the Celebrate 'Oliver!' musical alongside Shane Richie and Joseph McManners...
). Eager to impress him, Jay goes to retrieve some money owed to Phil from Connor, however Connor under-pays him. Shirley admits this to Phil and says she has sent him to get the cash back. A worried Phil goes to support Jay, but sees him beat up Connor for the money, which impresses Phil. Jay then asks Phil if he can change his surname to Mitchell which he agrees to.
When Ben (now Joshua Pascoe) returns from prison, he greets Phil by punching him, which pleases Phil. He then overhears Glenda and Ian's son Peter Beale
Peter Beale
Peter Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders. He was played by Thomas Law from 2006 until 2010. The character has previously been portrayed by James Martin, Joseph Shade, Alex Stevens and Francis Brittin-Snell. Law took over the role on 31 August 2006...
(Thomas Law
Thomas Law
Thomas John Law is a British actor. He is the fourth actor to play Peter Beale in the popular BBC soap opera EastEnders...
) arguing and learns that Glenda has been having an affair with Ian. Glenda is pushed down her stairs by Ben and tells the police, so Phil blackmails Ian into giving Ben a false alibi and coerces Glenda into retracting her statement. He buys Jack's share of local nightclub R&R and resumes his affair with Glenda. When he is unable to pay his bills, he blackmails Ian into giving him £5000, but Ian subsequently blackmails Masood Ahmed
Masood Ahmed
Masood Ahmed is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Nitin Ganatra.- Storylines :Masood moves to 41 Albert Square with Zainab, Shabnam and Tamwar in October 2007. Masood and Zainab are both active in the postal industry: Masood is a postman and Zainab the owner of a...
(Nitin Ganatra
Nitin Ganatra
Nitin Ganatra is a Kenyan born British actor. He is known internationally as Prince Pondicherry in the Tim Burton film Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. He also appears in the Gurinder Chada film Bride and Prejudice as Kholi Saab and The Mistress of Spices as Haroun...
) who goes to Phil for a loan. Realising that Ian is trying to get the money from Masood, he orders Ian to find the cash by the next morning. The next day, Phil suffers a heart attack during an encounter with Glenda, and when Ian comes in, Phil begs for his help. Glenda phones the ambulance but Ian lies to the paramedics and sends them away while Phil is in the club office. Ian forces Phil to beg as revenge for years of torment, and then leaves, refusing to help, but when he hears Ben asking where Phil is, he changes his mind and calls the ambulance. In hospital, Phil proposes to Shirley and she accepts. Later, Shirley discovers his affair with Glenda, which results in a strain in their relationship, after Glenda leaves Watford, Shirley gets back together with Phil, but refuses to marry him. As Phil continues to treat Jay more like a son, he and Ben grow further apart and eventually Ben goes to live with Peggy. He begins to take complete control of R&R, ignoring his business partner Roxy, and banning her from looking through the accounts, she becomes more unhappy with him as her partner and he offers to buy her share of the club, however she sells her share of the club to Janine Butcher (Charlie Brooks
Charlie Brooks
Charlene "Charlie" Brooks is a Welsh actress, best known for playing Janine Butcher on the BBC soap opera EastEnders.-Acting career:...
), another one of Phil's many enemies.
Phil sees Patrick Trueman
Patrick Trueman
Patrick Neville Loftus Alfonso Trueman is a fictional character from the popular British BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Rudolph Walker. He made his first appearance on 13 September 2001.-Backstory:...
(Rudolph Walker
Rudolph Walker
Rudolph Walker, OBE is a British character actor. Born in Trinidad and Tobago, Walker came to the United Kingdom in 1960....
) holding his son Ben against a wall, which causes a feud between Phil and Patrick, and leaves Phil branded a racist by the community. Ben eventually admits to Phil that Patrick saw him kissing someone, and Phil asks why that would be a problem before realising that Ben was kissing a boy. Phil storms out in a rage, pushing Ben over in the process, leaving him with a badly bruised eye. Ben then confronts Phil, admits to him that he does not care what he says or thinks, and says that he is gay. Phil then storms off in a tearful rage, terrified that Ben's homosexuality will ruin his reputation. However, they eventually decide to try to accept each other for who they are.
Phil starts to receive a number of old photographs, and one contains the date of when Phil torched the car lot in an insurance scam and killed a homeless boy. He visits Pat, who confirms the photos are of the same boy. Phil becomes suspicious of many people, including Janine, but when he confronts her, she claims to have no knowledge of the event. Phil considers turning to alcohol but is stopped by Rainie. He tells Rainie about the incident, and they start to kiss just as Pat interrupts them. Shirley finds out that Phil has told Rainie about the insurance scam, and is angry at Phil for not telling her first, as she would not have been shocked. When Phil receives a text message saying "I know you killed Kevin", Phil believes Jack is behind the message, so confronts him. Jack denies this, and when he goes to give Phil the recording, he finds it missing, along with a file on all of Phil's past misdemeanors.
Background
Michael Ferguson (director)
Michael Ferguson is a British script writer, television director and television producer. Ferguson has been described as a “long term champion of realistic popular drama”. Ferguson was executive producer of the BBC soap opera, EastEnders between 1989 and 1991...
, who took over from Mike Gibbon
Mike Gibbon
John Michael "Mike" Gibbon is an English television producer and director. Gibbon married Moya McCarthy in July 1976 and they have a daughter, Sophie....
. Ferguson had previously been a producer on ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
's The Bill
The Bill
The Bill is a police procedural television series that ran from October 1984 to August 2010. It focused on the lives and work of one shift of police officers, rather than on any particular aspect of police work...
which seemed to be challenging EastEnders in providing a realistic vision of modern life in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. Due to his success on The Bill, Peter Creegan, the Head of Series at the BBC, poached Ferguson to become executive producer of EastEnders.
Casting
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 HollingworthCorinne Hollingworth
Corinne Hollingworth is a British television producer and executive, best known for her contributions to British soap operas, including BBC's EastEnders and five's Family Affairs...
commented: "There were some good actors we had to turn down because we couldn't find the 'right' brother." Steve McFadden
Steve McFadden
Steve McFadden is an English actor, known for his role as Phil Mitchell in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, which he has played since1990.-Early life:...
, 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
Walford
Walford is a fictional borough of east London in the BBC soap opera EastEnders. The name Walford is both a street in Dalston where one of the series' creators, Tony Holland, lived and a blend of Walthamstow, where Holland was born, and Stratford. The suffix 'ford' is also found throughout East...
's latest "tough-men." Ross Kemp
Ross Kemp
Ross James Kemp is a BAFTA award-winning British actor, author and journalist, who rose to prominence in the role of Grant Mitchell in the BBC soap opera, EastEnders...
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
Danniella Westbrook
Danniella Westbrook is an English actress and television presenter. She is known for being the original actress to play Samantha Mitchell in the popular BBC soap opera EastEnders from 1990–93, 1995–96, 1999–2000 and 2009–10. Away from EastEnders she has presented various shows, and was also a...
, who was chosen to play their sister Samantha
Sam Mitchell (EastEnders)
Samantha Margaret Priscilla "Sam" Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC One soap opera EastEnders. The third member of the Mitchell family to be introduced, Sam entered as a 15-year-old school girl in July 1990, played by Danniella Westbrook. Westbrook quit in 1993, but was reintroduced...
because of this.
Personality
Of the two brothers Phil was initially calmer, but both had a sense of physical danger about them, displayed stereotypical masculinity, thuggish behaviour and a tendency to resolve problems through violence. Phil was originally depicted as the thinker and the most 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 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.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 his family's.
Character development and impact
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 decadeDecade
A decade is a period of 10 years. The word is derived from the Ancient Greek dekas which means ten. This etymology is sometime confused with the Latin decas and dies , which is not correct....
– 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 SharonSharon Rickman
Sharon Anne Rickman is a fictional character from the popular BBC1 soap opera EastEnders, played by Letitia Dean, who was a regular cast member for the first 10 years after the programme began on 19 February 1985. She returned in May 2001, and appeared on and off, having most recently appeared in...
(played by Letitia Dean
Letitia Dean
Letitia Dean is an English actress and singer. She is best known for her role as Sharon Watts in the popular BBC soap opera EastEnders, who was one of the serial's original characters. Dean was part of the original cast in 1985 and remained in the series until 1995...
). Despite the fact that Sharon was married to Grant, EastEnders writer Tony Jordan
Tony Jordan
Tony Jordan is a British television writer. He was listed as the number 1 television screen writer in the UK by Broadcast magazine and among British Broadcastings Top 20 in The Stage ., He currently resides in Hertfordshire, UK.For many years, he was lead writer and series consultant for BBC One...
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
Sharongate
"Sharongate" is the term used for a storyline in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, which reached its climax on 24 October 1994, attracting 25.3 million viewers. The plot was written by EastEnders scriptwriter, Tony Jordan. In the storyline, Sharon Mitchell confessed on tape that she had slept with...
" – 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.
Alcoholism
Among the many issues Phil has been used to cover is alcoholismAlcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
and the consequences the condition has upon the sufferer's life. The relationship between alcohol abuse and domestic violence
Domestic violence
Domestic violence, also known as domestic abuse, spousal abuse, battering, family violence, and intimate partner violence , is broadly defined as a pattern of abusive behaviors by one or both partners in an intimate relationship such as marriage, dating, family, or cohabitation...
was explored between Phil and his wife Kathy (played by Gillian Taylforth
Gillian Taylforth
Gillian Taylforth is an English actress. She is best known for her roles as Kathy Mitchell on the BBC soap opera, EastEnders and as Jackie Pascoe-Webb on ITV's Footballers Wives , but more recently as Sgt. Nikki Wright in ITV's The Bill...
) culminating in the slow deterioration of their marriage, which gripped viewers throughout 1997. Of particular note is an episode where Phil attends Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous is an international mutual aid movement which says its "primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics achieve sobriety." Now claiming more than 2 million members, AA was founded in 1935 by Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith in Akron, Ohio...
(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
Jacquetta May
Jacquetta May is a British actress, writer and theatre director.The Kent born actress worked in theatre for ten years after leaving Bristol University, with one short television role as a vengeful wife in the ITV police drama The Bill...
, 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".
The Mitchell car crash
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 handgunPistol
When distinguished as a subset of handguns, a pistol is a handgun with a chamber that is integral with the barrel, as opposed to a revolver, wherein the chamber is separate from the barrel as a revolving cylinder. Typically, pistols have an effective range of about 100 feet.-History:The pistol...
causing the hijacked Vauxhall Astra
Vauxhall Astra
Astra is a model name which has been used by Vauxhall, the British subsidiary of General Motors , on their small family car ranges since 1979. Astras are technically essentially identical with similar vehicles offered by GM's German subsidiary Opel in most other European countries...
they were driving to career at high speed into the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
, in an episode that was watched by 19.5 million viewers. Shot in London's Docklands, the scenes required stunt double
Stunt double
A stunt double is a type of body double, specifically a skilled replacement used for dangerous film or video sequences, in movies and television , and for other sophisticated stunts...
s, divers
Underwater diving
Underwater diving is the practice of going underwater, either with breathing apparatus or by breath-holding .Recreational diving is a popular activity...
and crash test dummies
Crash test dummy
Crash test dummies are full-scale anthropomorphic test devices that simulate the dimensions, weight proportions and articulation of the human body, and are usually instrumented to record data about the dynamic behavior of the ATD in simulated vehicle impacts...
and it has been hailed as "one of the soap's most dramatic storylines ever".
Who Shot Phil?
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
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?
Who Shot Phil?
"Who Shot Phil?" was a storyline of the BBC soap opera EastEnders which evolved during 2001.-Background:The storyline centred around one of EastEnders longest running characters, Phil Mitchell . The build up to the storyline occurred throughout 2000-2001. The character became darker and a more...
". 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 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
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
semi-final was postponed for 10 minutes to accommodate a special 40 minute edition of the soap.
Drug addiction
In June 2010, it was reported that Phil would develop an addiction to crack cocaineCrack cocaine
Crack cocaine is the freebase form of cocaine that can be smoked. It may also be termed rock, hard, iron, cavvy, base, or just crack; it is the most addictive form of cocaine. Crack rocks offer a short but intense high to smokers...
after his troubled personal life leads to depression. The report followed the news that Lucy Benjamin
Lucy Benjamin
-Career:Born Lucy Jane Baker in Reading, Berkshire, England, she took the stage name of Benjamin after her brother. Benjamin trained at the Redroofs Theatre School in Maidenhead. Her first acting role was as a child actor in Doctor Who in 1983 playing a young version of the character Nyssa...
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
Charlie Jones (actor)
Charlie George Jones is a young English actor. Jones has been a student in the Anna Fiorentini theater and drama school.He is probably best known for his portrayal of Ben Mitchell in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, which he played for four years from 2006 to 2010. According to the Internet Movie...
), 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
Addaction
Addaction is a British charity founded in 1967 and working with people who are addicted to drugs and alcohol. The charity works extensively throughout England and Scotland, with administrative base in Farringdon, central London.- Beginnings :...
and DrugScope
DrugScope
DrugScope is a UK based charity. It is the main UK membership organisation for those working in the drugs field and its aim is to inform the public about drugs, inform policy development and reduce drug-related harms...
. 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:
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.
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 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).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 symbolSex symbol
A sex symbol is a celebrity of either gender, typically an actor, musician, supermodel, teen idol, or sports star, noted for their sex appeal. The term was first used in the mid 1950s in relation to the popularity of certain Hollywood stars, especially Marilyn Monroe and Brigitte...
s. 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
Ian Beale
Ian Albert Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Adam Woodyatt. He is the longest-serving character and the only remaining original character to have appeared continuously since the first episode on 19 February 1985...
. Phil along with Grant was voted as the second most popular King Of Soaps in a Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
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. In 2009, Phil Mitchell came second in a poll by British men's magazine Loaded
Loaded (magazine)
Loaded, first published in 1994, is a British magazine for men that is considered to be the "original lads' mag". Its motto is "For men who should know better".-History:...
for 'Top Soap Bloke'.
In 2011 McFadden was nominated for 'Best Actor' at the British Soap Awards
British Soap Awards
The British Soap Awards is an annual awards ceremony to honour the best of British soap operas.The first event took place in 1999 and takes place in May each year. Although it is an ITV production, the events were held at the BBC Television Centre, in London until 2010. The 2011 awards relocated to...
2011 for playing Phil. as well as be nominated at the Inside Soap Awards
Inside Soap Awards
The Inside Soap Awards is a yearly award ceremony run by Inside Soap magazine since 1996. The awards celebrate the British and Australian soap operas and their actors. Until 2007, EastEnders had won the award for "Best Soap" on every occasion...
for 'Best Actor' in 2011.
Criticism
Jamie Mitchell
Jamie Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Jack Ryder, who made his first appearance on 9 November 1998. Ryder decided to leave in 2002, and his final episode aired Christmas Day 2002, when Jamie was killed off....
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
Parody
A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
by the television series 2DTV
2DTV
2DTV is a British satirical animated television show that was broadcast on ITV in the United Kingdom, directed by Tim Searle.2DTV employs the same satirical style as Spitting Image, but using animation rather than puppets. The animation was produced on computer, frequently with animators working up...
. There were mixed reviews for the highly publicised storyline (dubbed Get Johnny Week
Get Johnny Week
"Get Johnny Week" was a week-long storyline in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, which occurred at the end of March 2006. The storyline involved the characters of Johnny and Ruby Allen, Grant and Phil Mitchell, and Jake and Danny Moon.-Storyline development:...
) 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." A former cocaine addict, Sarah Graham, agreed with the BBC, saying "I think it's really important that a mainstream character like Phil Mitchell is doing this storyline. [...] I'm not surprised that there have been so many complaints about seeing this on one of our favourite soaps. The episode showed the brutal reality of addiction. [...] I can see that many people will be worried about children watching these scenes. [...] With that in mind, I think they should put the Frank drugs helpline
FRANK (drugs)
FRANK is a national drug education service jointly established by the Department of Health and Home Office of the British government in 2003. It is intended to reduce the use of both legal and illegal drugs by providing "targeted" and "accurate information on drugs and alcohol", particularly to...
number on after the programme."
A proportion of viewers possibly feel the criticism is justifiable as the character came second in a Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
poll of The Five TV Characters We Most Love To Hate in 2001—beaten only by Mr. Blobby
Mr. Blobby
Mr Blobby was a character on Noel Edmonds' Saturday night variety television show Noel's House Party, portrayed by Barry Killerby. A large pink blob, covered with yellow spots, sporting a permanent toothy grin and jiggling eyes, he communicated only by saying the word "blobby" in an electronically...
.