EastEnders airs Grant Mitchell return amid troubling Phil decision in early iPlayer release

Grant Mitchell (Ross Kemp) has returned to EastEnders, just as a distressing situation unfolded for his troubled brother Phil (Steve McFadden).

Heading to his old family home from 1985, Phil was transported to that era as he watched his father Eric (George Russo) deliver some bad news.

Rather brutally, Eric told Phil's mum Peggy (played by Jaime Winstone), a younger Phil (Daniel Delaney), as well as young Grant (Teddy Jay) and nine-year-old sister Sam (Laila Murphy) that due to cancer, he would not live to see that Christmas.

On the Square, Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean) was frantically searching for missing Phil, but the man himself was soon back home, with he and Jay Brown (Jamie Borthwick) sharing a heart-to-heart over loss.

In emotional scenes played movingly by McFadden, Phil wondered why his body continued to heal itself despite years of self-abuse through alcohol and drugs.

But as Phil managed to convince Jay that he was alright, he was left alone to his hallucinations once more, witnessing his dying father take out a gun and prepare to take his own life.

The young Phil walked in on Eric, and present-day Phil was soon goaded by his counterpart over his failings in life.

McFadden's Phil argued that Eric was the root of all his problems, but as the fictional row escalated, Phil imagined shooting his younger self.

Later, Winstone's Peggy appeared to comfort Phil, but in his mind, even she became a twisted version of the matriarch, urging him to end his life.

But with Peggy having come into her own after abusive Eric's demise, there was, at least, a brief glimpse of the Peggy we all remember.

She was seen reciting some touching words voiced by the late Barbara Windsor, from Peggy's goodbye letter to Phil: "My first, best boy."

Appearing to make a decision in the wake of his hallucinations, Phil loaded the gun, and a vision of the younger Grant and Nigel Bates (played by Sam Miles) gave way to the present day characters.

Paul Bradley's Nigel revealed that Grant was back to see Phil, with Grant uttering those famous words: "'Ello, Bruv."

Will Grant be able to stop Phil from taking his own life? Next week, Grant will join Nigel and Linda Carter (Kellie Bright) in trying to reach a broken Phil.

We can only hope that the legendary Mitchell man can find a way through this darkness.

If you need help and support on issues raised within this article, please visit Samaritans, CALM, and Rethink Mental Illness for guidance.

Read more:

• EastEnders airs unexpected vision twist for Phil Mitchell in early iPlayer release
• EastEnders airs unannounced double return and guest cameo in early BBC iPlayer release
• EastEnders' Diane Parish reveals 'jeopardy' in Jack and Ravi choice
• EastEnders' Kellie Bright on how Linda is when she returns from rehab
• EastEnders' Lacey Turner on hopes for 40th anniversary
• Iconic EastEnders writer breaks down Barbara Windsor's outstanding final episode – departure of a great matriarch
• EastEnders confirms new behind the scenes special fronted by returning soap legend
• EastEnders confirms no early release episodes in anniversary week

EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday at 7:30pm on BBC One and from 6am on BBC iPlayer.

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