Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) has made a shocking move in EastEnders, that has left ex-wife Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean) mortified.
The Walford stalwart’s mental health has worsened over recent months, forcing him to make an attempt to take his own life.
After firing up the engine on an old car and gasping for breath, he tumbled out of the vehicle and fell into the grease pit below.
Fortunately, the next morning, Harry Mitchell (Elijah Holloway) discovered him and he was quickly rushed to hospital.
Doctors encouraged him to open up to his family members who were waiting for him outside, but Phil didn’t want to hear it.
After a conversation with Mo Harris (Laila Morse) about the £10,000 he’d gifted to Billy and Honey Mitchell (Emma Barton and Perry Fenwick) for their wedding, Nigel realised that his old pal had tried to commit suicide.
Nige confronted him – who was infuriated that the shocking truth of his condition had been outed.
After ordering him to pack his bags, Phil was seen to be engaging in a heated conversation with someone in his living room – but there was nobody there.
This is just the beginning of troubling hallucinations of his late mother Peggy (Jaime Winstone) and his younger self (Daniel Delaney) that we’ll see more of in next week’s scenes.
In last night’s episode, Sharon rallied the troops in the cafe to discuss how they were going to help Phil.
A number of the Mitchell men were left wondering how they would be able to make a breakthrough, given he was so reluctant to accept help.
She lead the way by heading to his house to ask whether he wanted her to collect some shopping, but as ever, Phil shut her down.
Sharon made an emotional plea, telling him of pensioner Reg Cox who was found dead and alone in his flat when she was a teenager – and that she didn’t want him to be in the same position.
Hardcore EastEnders viewers will remember that Reg’s death was addressed in the very first ever episode which aired almost 40 years ago.
As Sharon left, Phil gazed at a business card that a sex worker had given him the day before.
He proceeded to contact her, and she rushed around to his house.
The pair were then caught in an embarrassing situation by a returning Sharon, who walked in and overheard the sex worker telling Phil that he needn’t be humiliated by his inability to sleep with her.
As he coughed up payment, Sharon watched on in horror.
Will anybody be able to help Phil, or will that be left up to his brother Grant (Ross Kemp) who arrives back in Albert Square next week?
