BIG SURPRISE AHEAD!!! EastEnders’ Phil makes emotional breakthrough – but there’s bad news ahead

Phil Mitchell appeared to finally confront the emotional reality of Nigel Bates’ condition on EastEnders tonight, as he had a heart-to-heart with granddaughter Lexi. Nigel’s young-onset dementia storyline is nearing its sad conclusion, but Phil has struggled with it, having not visited his long-time friend since he entered a care home.

Scenes in today’s episode saw his sister Sam giving him some tough love as she persuaded him to talk to Lexi about her recent refusal to go to school.

Phil later appeared at a family dinner and took the opportunity for a quiet chat with her, during which the youngster explained she knows Nigel doesn’t have long left — and she dreads being told of his passing by a teacher when the time comes.

Becoming emotional himself, Phil made her see she’s been through tough times before, and as difficult as this will be, she’ll ultimately get through it. He also vowed to go into school to tell her about Nigel in person when the moment arrives.

With Lexi comforted, it was an encouraging sign that Phil was finally engaging with the reality of what lays ahead.

But when they returned home later, Sam was frustrated when he appeared to shut down again.

“You did a good thing tonight,” she said. “You need to take your own advice, though. What was it you said? We all come through tough times, it ain’t easy or quick but we get there…”

She added: “Someone’s got to say it so you really hear it. Nigel’s sick. The pneumonia’s not going away. Time’s running out.”

A tear in his eye, Phil walked out the room without engaging, leaving Sam despairing once again.

Things will escalate in upcoming scenes when Mark calls Phil and Sam’s brother Grant to update him on the situation — it’s not long before the character, played by Ross Kemp, shows up.

His return will come shortly before Nigel sadly passes away.

Speaking last week, Kemp credited Steve McFadden (who plays Phil) with his entire career, saying: “If he didn’t open the door for me, I couldn’t do anything. He is one of the most giving and one of the most talented actors I’ve ever worked with.”

Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) has finally sought help from a doctor in EastEnders – but has been refused any further support.

The Albert Square legend’s mental health has spiralled, resulting in him making an attempt to take his own life.

At the last minute he began to regret his decisions – but further horror arose when he fell into the grease pit in The Arches garage.

Fortunately, the next morning, Harry Mitchell (Elijah Holloway) discovered him and he was rushed into 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.

Nigel Bates (Paul Bradley) realised that his pal was contemplating suicide and confronted him – though the conversation quickly turned sour and he was ordered to leave.

Later, Phil could be seen engaging in a heated conversation in his living room. In a sad twist, there was nobody there. This was the first sign that he is suffering psychosis and later this week, we’ll see him hallucinate a scene from his youth.

Ex-wife Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean) decided to step in, comparing his loneliness to that of pensioner Reg Cox who was found unconscious in his flat when she was a teenager.

Reluctant to take into account what she had said, he then sought services from a sex worker.

Sharon was horrified, and in tonight’s episode decided to try and get him to accept some help from a doctor.

She had heard from another of Phil’s ex-wives, Kat Slater (Jessie Wallace), that he hadn’t been attending appointments, and as she was still listed as his next of kin she’d been contacted.

He remained adamant that he didn’t need anymore medical attention – and so Sharon took it upon herself to book him in at the surgery.

During his consultation, the doctor told him that he’d prescribe stronger painkillers to help with the pain from his knee as it hadn’t healed.

Phil asked if he could get some sleeping tablets, but they were refused due to his history with substance abuse.

Sharon, who was also in attendance, noted Phil’s low mood and he was asked to rate how he felt on a scale of one to ten.

Furious that the doctor believed he was depressed, he lied and stormed out.

Back at home, he lashed out at Sharon and launched his crutch across the room in rage.

She became convinced that his condition was beyond help, and given he wouldn’t accept it himself, there was little she could do.