Poor old Phil Mitchell doesn't have much luck, does he? After the square's renowned bad boy recently found himself locked in a room by Gavin with nothing but a bottle of scotch, his drinking has spiralled out of control. And things are about to get a whole lot worse for EastEnders' resident alcoholic...
In a Christmas shocker, Phil - played by Steve Mcfadden, 56, discovers he has cirrhosis of the liver. Viewers will see him being checked over in hospital after rolling his car while drunk. A doctor then tells Phil that the damage is irreparable and he faces an early death if he keeps on drinking.
EastEnders has been working alongside the British Liver Trust as well as other experts in the field to help ensure the storyline is portrayed as accurately as possible. Andrew Langford, Chief Executive of British Liver Trust, commented: “Unfortunately Phil’s alcohol related health problems are not unique or that unusual.
"Currently in the UK we have an epidemic of liver disease and still the main cause of death from liver disease is alcohol related. It is the third leading cause of premature death in the UK – but is misunderstood and rarely considered in the way of other serious health conditions so it’s really important that EastEnders have chosen to tackle this serious problem.
"We all need to have a much better awareness of the damage alcohol is causing and consequently have a much more compassionate understanding of how and why Phil is causing himself so much harm and the devastating affect this is having on his wife, son and others. It is creditworthy that the EastEnders’ team have ensured that this is being portrayed as realistically as possible and have paid such attention to show how so many are affected when a family member has alcohol related liver disease."
Are last orders up for Phil? The soap's bosses are keeping tight-lipped about whether this spells the end for Phil Mitchell...