EastEnders airs momentous decision for Nigel Bates and Phil Mitchell in iPlayer release

Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) has made a life-changing decision in a bid to support old friend Nigel Bates (Paul Bradley) in EastEnders.

At the start of the week, Nigel's dementia led to a distressing incident when he confused young Hope Fowler (Isabelle Smith) for his adopted daughter Clare (Gemma Bissix), and accused Harvey Monroe (Ross Boatman) of kidnap.

Phil was forced to tell Harvey, Jean Slater (Gillian Wright) and the rest of the gathered locals about Nigel's condition, before Phil discovered that Nigel had a plan to take his own life if he failed some personally set cognitive questions.

Furious that Nigel would choose this when he had been the one to talk Phil round from his own suicide attempt, Phil told Nigel that he washed his hands of him.

A pep talk from Linda Carter (Kellie Bright) spurred Phil on to make amends, but he was shaken to find a note from Nigel stating that he didn't want to be a burden.

On his way out of Walford, Nigel was attacked by some teens, and oblivious Phil was joined by Linda in a desperate search.

Ending up at the Arches where Phil had come so close to ending his own life, Phil spoke of finding his beloved mum Peggy (Barbara Windsor) after she took an overdose when terminally ill, and shared his fear of history repeating itself with Nigel.

Linda then received a call from the hospital about Nigel, and the pair rushed to his side. Nigel was frosty with Phil, revealing he had been heading to a park home in Kent.

A worried Phil tried to get Nigel sectioned, but Linda pointed out that Nigel's struggle to deal with his inevitable deterioration was understandable, despite his upsetting choice, and urged Phil to take a different approach.

Nigel allowed Phil to take him home, but lied to get him out of the house so he could complete the test on his phone against Phil's wishes.

Unable to recall a fact that he usually knew off the top of his head, Nigel tried to leave once more, only to be stopped by Phil.

When he was later able to remember the answer, Nigel was relieved, but shaken to admit that he had been about to go through with his plan.

Phil asked Nigel to stay, suggesting that he could find him a suitable care home. But when Phil visited the café, Yolande Trueman (Angela Wynter) asked Phil what was wrong with the home Nigel was currently in.

Calling Sonia Fowler (Natalie Cassidy) in Bali, Phil asked for the nurse's advice, before returning to tell Nigel that he would be his carer.

Nigel ultimately agreed, and the two men vowed to stick together until the end, but how will Phil cope as his carer?

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

Dementia UK provides a helpline staffed by specialist admiral nurses who can advise on all aspects of caring for someone with dementia. To speak to someone, phone: 0800 888 6678.

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

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