By Laura Denby

Published: Thursday, 22 December 2022 at 12:00 am


There was yet another twist to contend with in tonight’s EastEnders (22nd December), as it turns out that Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) and Keanu Taylor (Danny Walters) are actually working together to bring down dodgy DCI Keeble (Alison Newman)!

Phil has been at Keeble’s beck and call for most of the year, after a special flashback episode revealed that his dad Eric had murdered Keeble’s father during a robbery in the 1970s.

With Eric long dead, Keeble is determined to make the Mitchells pay, leading her to demand that Phil ‘grassed’ on his cousin Billy (Perry Fenwick) to keep his own freedom – and this is where the complex plot splits into multiple storylines.

Billy is still waiting to hear his fate and is terrified that he won’t be around while his granddaughter Lola Pearce (Danielle Harold) is dying from a brain tumour.

Meanwhile, Keanu, who had an affair with Phil’s now ex-wife Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean) and fathered children with both Sharon and Phil’s daughter Louise (Tilly Keeper), recently returned after being exiled from Walford almost three years ago.

Keanu has been pursuing Keeble with information on Phil, promising to help her destroy him once and for all. As far as viewers were concerned, Keanu was doing so in order to secure his own future in the Square, and tonight, after Keanu seemingly helped her out, Keeble agreed to let him work with her.

At the Queen Vic, Phil was distracted from a family catch-up when Keanu walked in, and a violent showdown ensued which saw both men throw punches.

In the aftermath, Billy confronted Phil in The Arches where he revealed Lola’s diagnosis and vented his outrage when it dawned on him that Phil had given his name to the police. Faced with Billy’s anger and devastation over Lola, Phil vowed that he had a plan and that Billy just needed to trust him.

Left alone, Phil was expecting another visitor, and it was Keanu who walked into the garage this time. As they discussed their fight and the need to make it look convincing, Keanu updated Phil on their plan. Phil replied that Keeble had no idea what was in store for her, but what exactly are he and Keanu plotting? And will their unlikely alliance last? We doubt it!

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