EastEnders to air heartbreaking Phil Mitchell twist tonight leaving residents in tears

EastEnders are set to air heartbreaking Phil Mitchell episode tonight(Image: BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron)

EastEnders are set to air a special episode tonight, focusing on Phil Mitchell’s (Steve McFadden) time in the Mental Health Unit. The special episode, which is available to watch now on iPlayer is set across four weeks. During his time in the Unit, Phil opens up to friend Gaz, played by Keith Allen guest starring in the soap.

Over the past few months, the BBC soap have aired an emotional storyline showing the decline of the beloved character’s mental health. Things took a turn for the worst during the 40th anniversary episode when Phil attempted to take his own life.

He was then admitted to a Mental Health Unit with the help of friends Linda and Nigel, and he hasn’t been seen on the soap since.

(Image: BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron)

The rest of this article contains spoilers and details from Thursday night’s episode now available on BBC iPlayer, set to air on BBC One at 7:30PM tonight. If you don’t want to know what happens, do not continue reading.

On tonight’s episode, which is available for fans to watch on iPlayer, fans see the journey fill goes through, from Day 1 to 24, when he discharges himself and reunites with Linda, Nigel, Billy and Lexi in emotional scenes.

At the start of the episode, Phil is reluctant to open up to anyone, and is visibly angry at the whole situation. However, as time goes on he starts to open up to friend Gaz, where he reveals that he never got over his ex Sharon. Unbeknownst to Phil, Sharon and Grant were intimate during his time in the Unit. Elsewhere in the episode, Phil also became close to a nurse in the Unit, after a tragic accident involving friend Gaz.

The episode will show Phil’s time in the unit across four weeks(Image: BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron)

Later, he begins to open up to the rest of the patients, and by the end of the month, he’s ready to discharge himself. Linda, Nigel, Billy and Lexi find him at Peggy’s grave which leads to an emotional reunion. In heart-breaking scenes, Phil apologises to Nigel, before they share a teary embrace. Asking Nigel how he’s been, he informs Phil he’s had “good and bad days,” as Phil promises to help him throughout his battle with dementia.

Fans have taken to X, formerly known as Twitter after watching the emotional episode, praising Steve McFadden’s acting skills once again. “What an incredibly powerful episode of #EastEnders tonights ep is. Just wow,” penned one fan, while another agreed: “Today’s #eastenders is totally outstanding . Totally.”

“Massive shout out to Keith Allen for today’s episode. A brilliant performance! #EastEnders,” wrote a third, while a fourth gushed: “A huge shout-out to Keith Allen in tonight’s #EastEnders. A brilliant addition to tonight’s episode. Gaz proving pivotal to Phil’s recovery. I hope we see Gaz in Walford at some stage to see Phil again.”

Speaking on his guest role in the soap, Keith Allen said he was “honoured” to be a part of Steve McFadden’s emotional storyline. ” “I’ve written a number one hit single, I’ve presented Top of the Pops, I’ve played the lead in the West End and I was at Craven Cottage when we beat Juventus 4-1…Could it get better than that?” he asked.

“Well, yes, I’ve just guested in an episode of EastEnders…What a joy! And what an honour to be a part of Steve McFadden’s incredibly moving story line. I may be a resting actor but I now rest in peace.”

Executive producer Chris Clenshaw added: “I’m delighted to welcome the incredibly talented Keith Allen to the cast of EastEnders as he takes on the guest role of Gaz in a special episode focusing on Phil’s mental health.”