22 January 2025
'EastEnders' hard man Phil Mitchell will attempt to take his own life in a new storyline.
Phil Mitchell will attempt to take his own life in a hard-hitting new EastEnders storyline
Viewers have seen the character - played by Steve McFadden - struggle with his mental health recently amid his cousin Teddy's (Roland Manookian) romance with his ex-wife Sharon (Letitia Dean), the breakdown of his marriage to Kat (Jessie Wallace) and his son Ben’s (Max Bowden) imprisonment in America.
Bosses on the BBC soap are working with mental health charities The Samaritans, Rethink Mental Illness, the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM), and Mind to develop a storyline where Phil tries to take his own life whilst experiencing depression with psychotic symptoms.
Executive producer Chris Clenshaw said: "Phil’s depression storyline will focus on his decline in mental health and the subsequent psychotic symptoms, and the reaction of those around him, as we hope to demonstrate how mental health can affect anyone at any time.
"Steve’s performance is nothing short of extraordinary and has thoughtfully portrayed the complex realities of depression, and the experience of psychotic symptoms, with compassion and understanding.”
The storyline will follow Phil - as well as the characters close to him - as depression takes hold and his psychotic symptoms intensify, with the character experiencing hallucinations to the point where he starts to believe his life is no longer worth living.
Joe Levenson, Head of Media at Mind, said: "On-screen fictional portrayals can drastically shift how we think, feel, and behave in relation to our mental health. Through our media advisory service, we have worked closely with the 'EastEnders' team.
"Over this period, we provided extensive feedback to help build a greater understanding of what it's like for men experiencing suicidal feelings and reaching a crisis point for their mental health.
"Loneliness, depression, and suicide are all devastating, and we know the figures of those affected in the UK are huge, particularly among men. We sadly need storylines like Phil's now more than ever."
The soap has been praised for raising awareness of the issue in a "safe and responsible" manner.
Wendy Robinson, Director of Services at Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM), said: "'EastEnders' has always done a great job at shining a light on important issues through the stories they choose to explore, and we've been really pleased to support them in presenting this one in a safe and responsible way.
"Talking about suicide and bringing these stories onto our TV screens helps to break down the stigma surrounding it, which will ultimately save lives."
English (US) ·