Is Phil Mitchell leaving EastEnders for good?

PHIL Mitchell is a well-known face in Walford.

The tough man has been played by Steve McFadden for some time, but is he leaving EastEnders?

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Is Phil Mitchell leaving Eastenders?

EastEnders viewers will be sad to hear that Phil Mitchell is leaving the soap.

Steve McFadden has other work lined-up away from TV.

The actor is set to take to the stage as he takes on a role in a production of Jack and the Beanstalk at Dunstable’s Grove Theatre.

It’s not known whether he will be leaving EastEnders forever, but with a death set to happen at Christmas some have been left wondering if it could be Phil.

What happened to Phil Mitchell?

Phil has been the centre of quite a bit of drama in recent months.

The long-term Walford villain recently broke up with his girlfriend Kat Slater in sad scenes.

Phil decided to separate from Kat to spare her from heartbreak after he was given the choice between a prison sentence and life as a police informant.

Spoilers have seemingly confirmed that he is set to accept his fate and spend the rest of his life behind bars in order to protect his loved ones, despite hearing advice from beyond the grave.

After his involvement in Vincent Hubbard’s death was revealed to the police, Phil thought that his surprisingly clean criminal record would be tarnished by a sentence.

Instead, the manager of The Arches was given a tough choice between life in prison and partial freedom as an informant.

The decision was left to him by DCI Samantha Keeble after he turned himself in to the police.

Phil had initially planned to flee England alongside his son Raymond.

Passports and new identities at the ready, Phil asked Kat if she would be willing to leave her life in Walford with him.

A suggestion she refused, leading her partner to have a change of heart and face the music, thus returning Raymond to his mother Denise Fox.

Phil thought he could only get five to seven years in prison for his actions, much like Jessie Wallace‘s Kat.

However, he suffered a blow when he was told by his lawyer Ritchie Scott (Sian Webster) that he would instead be hit with a life sentence if the police gathered enough evidence against him.

How long has Steve McFadden been in Eastenders?

Phil is one of the longest standing villains, appearing in EastEnders for the first time in the 1990s.

On Christmas Day 2003, he was given a choice by “Dirty Den” Watts after attacking him.

Den offered to give him £200,000 as long as he agreed not to come after him.

Both characters had been feuding, notably over Kate Morton.

Left with little choice due to being on the run after escaping from prison (which could be a hint to a potential return if the villain truly accepts his sentence), Phil accepted Den’s offer and left Walford with the money he was offered.

Steve McFadden reprised his role for a brief stint in April 2005, after his character ran out of funds, before making a more permanent return in October.

The actor has appeared in more than 3000 episodes of EastEnders.

How old is Phil Mitchell supposed to be?

Phillip James Mitchell was born on the January 20 1961, the eldest child of Eric Mitchell and Peggy Mitchell.

This would make him 62 as of July 2023.

Meanwhile, Steve McFadden is 64-years-old, born on March 20 1959.

How many times has Phil Mitchell been married?

Phil hasn’t been very lucky when it comes to luck.

However, he has given it a fair go, being married four times.

His first wife was Nadia Borovac and they were married from 1993 to 1994.

Phil then wed Kathy Beale from 1995–2001 before Kate Morton 2003–2005.

His most recent marriage was to Sharon Watts between 2014–2020.