Spoiler warning for the second episode due to air on Thursday 11th July 2024.
*Warning: Contains spoilers for Thursday’s second EastEnders episode (11th July 2024), currently available on BBC iPlayer.*
There was an upsetting end to the week for Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden), as he ended up utterly alone in the latest edition of EastEnders.
Having been exposed for framing Billy’s (Perry Fenwick) dad Stevie (Alan Ford), Phil was disowned in a showdown with Billy.
Later, Stevie stole Phil’s car and had it sold, leaving the cash to Billy and his family before making his exit.
Oblivious to the culprit, Phil was furious as he hounded the insurance company about a replacement vehicle, but they told him he had to wait for a month.
Phil’s young son Raymond (Michael Jose Pomares Calixte) wondered why his daddy kept shouting, and the youngster’s mother Denise Fox (Diane Parish) was not happy when Phil snapped at Raymond.
In the Square, Phil interrogated detective and son-in-law Callum Highway (Tony Clay), who was bemused as he explained he couldn’t do anything to help with the missing car.
Phil’s estranged wife Kat Slater (Jessie Wallace) then warned Phil to stay away after he had shouted at her son Tommy Moon (Sonny Kendall), while a concerned Callum and Jay Brown (Jamie Borthwick) visited Phil at the Boxing Den, wondering whether his stress was actually about his absent, imprisoned son, Callum’s husband Ben (Max Bowden).
Jay was soon distracted when Billy invited everyone except Phil to a family meal. Alone again, Phil left daughter Louise (Tilly Keeper) a voicemail, asking why she wasn’t returning his calls.
Outside Walford East, Phil was urged to join the clan by granddaughter Lexi Pearce (Isabella Brown), but felt pushed out when he saw Billy’s brother Teddy (Roland Manookian), and realised he hadn’t been included in the first place.
After speaking to Billy, Jay convinced Phil to attend the lunch for Lexi’s sake.
But the occasion descended into violent chaos when Phil made digs about Stevie and accused Teddy’s son Harry (Elijah Holloway) of stealing his car.
As Harry defended himself, Phil went to hit him, but punched Jay instead when the latter tried to hold him back.
Teddy suggested that Phil was too old to keep fighting, and urged him not to alienate his family. But when Phil arrived home, he once again treated Raymond poorly.
Denise had had enough, and she packed her and Raymond’s things, telling Phil she wouldn’t let him ruin Raymond’s life with his toxic behaviour.
Phil pleaded with Denise, but the locals watched on as Phil was forced to retreat to his house, where he vented his frustration by punching the fridge.
Phil wept as he looked at the family photos adorning his walls, including Callum and Ben’s wedding photo, and a picture of a young Phil and brother Grant (Ross Kemp) with late mum Peggy (Dame Barbara Windsor).
In a lonely state, will Phil realise that his own volatile behaviour has been his downfall?
Read more:
- EastEnders airs devastating turning point for the Mitchells in early BBC iPlayer release
- 5 EastEnders spoilers next week: Cindy Beale discovers Ian’s shocking secret
- EastEnders to air one-of-a-kind spiking storyline for Anna Knight
- RadioTimes.com Soap Awards reveals 2024 nominations
EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday at 7:30pm on BBC One and from 6am on BBC iPlayer.
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