EastEnders airs powerful Phil Mitchell episode with important message in moving iPlayer release

EastEnders has aired a powerful instalment centring around Phil Mitchell's (Steve McFadden) recovery from depression, following his suicide attempt in February.

Phil has spent the past few weeks in a mental health unit, and the BBC soap took us back in time to his first day under hospital care, with Phil trashing his room as a care worker called Yasmin (Natasha Patel) stepped in to calm him down.

As Phil branded the other patients "fruit and nut jobs", it was clear he had a long way to go to clear his learned belief that men should never appear weak.

He asked the doctor to give him "the strong stuff" with regards to medication. But, as Phil would soon come to understand, he couldn't get better with pills alone - he had to learn to open up.

The last thing Phil was in the mood for was meeting Gaz (Keith Allen), who initially seemed like a laid-back joker.

As the days ticked by, though, Phil struck up a friendship with Gaz and even confided his enduring love for ex-wife Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean).

Phil also discussed late father Eric (George Russo), who had branded him useless, even though Phil was now the man his family usually looked up to.

When Gaz revealed he would be leaving the unit and was going back to a mouldy flat and had no living relatives, things took a distressing turn.

With Phil having brought Gaz a can of beer, he was unaware that he had handed Gaz something he would use to harm himself.

Thankfully, Phil realised Gaz's intentions and raised the alarm in time to save the man's life - but Phil raged at Yasmin that no one in the hospital had been able to foresee this incident.

For the first time, Yasmin lost her composure, and Phil made her some toast by way of an apology, also confessing he had given Gaz the can.

Phil had to be given a warning, but this marked a turning point as he broke down, admitting to Yasmin that he had been hiding away from his family, not wanting them to see him so vulnerable.

Turning a corner, Phil finally decided to have a shower after much prompting, and at a group session weeks later, his experience fixing cars became a metaphor for his mental health.

"If you were carrying a car part - something way too heavy for you? What would you do?" he was asked.

"I'd put it down," said Phil.

Later, resentful Gaz ranted at Phil, but Phil was contemplative as Yasmin helped him see that he was ready to be discharged.

As Phil put it, "I've got a few more tools in my garage!"

In the present, Yasmin told Billy (Perry Fenwick), Lexi (Isabella Brown), Nigel (Paul Bradley) and Linda (Kellie Bright) where Phil might be, and he was seen at Eric's graveside.

Telling his father that he wouldn't be carrying that toxic attitude any more, Phil added that he didn't want to end up like Eric.

Reunited with Lexi and co, Phil told Nigel that they would help each other.

As Phil looked to the future, this was a touching conclusion to the emotional storyline, played beautifully by McFadden.

Discussing the importance of today's special instalment, Chief Executive of Mind Dr Sarah Hughes said: "On-screen portrayals of mental health can drastically shift how we think, feel, and behave. We urgently need to talk about the state of mental healthcare in the UK, so an entire EastEnders episode dedicated to a story about inpatient care could not be more relevant.

"Things are pretty bleak for the nation’s mental health right now, so we also need to hear hopeful stories. Good mental health support exists, and it has a huge impact to see it brought to life on screen, so we know what better looks like.

"Mind’s media advisory service has worked closely alongside other organisations with the EastEnders team on this episode to help get the story right about what it's like for men experiencing suicidal feelings and symptoms of psychosis. These experiences are sadly increasingly common, so we need storylines like Phil's now more than ever."

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

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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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