EastEnders has aired a special mental health episode focused on Phil Mitchell, with a poignant ending.
This week, Lexi finally discovered the truth about where her grandad is, after a confusing interaction with Nigel, whose dementia continues to worsen.
Philโs loved ones decided to pay him a visit in the mental health unit, but when they arrived, they were told that he had discharged himself that morning.
๐ญ๐๐๐๐๐๐ & ๐พ๐๐๐๐๐๐: ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ซ๐ข๐๐ง๐๐ฐ๐ฌ.๐๐๐๐
Todayโs special episode went back in time, giving viewers an insight into Philโs month spent in the unit following his suicide attempt.
Phil at first struggled to adapt to his new environment and refused to buy into the unitโs activities and therapy sessions, convinced that he would be โfixedโ with medication alone.
But he then met fellow patient Gaz, and while he was initially reluctant to chat, the pair struck up a friendship and Phil began to open up to his new mate.
Phil spoke about his dad and the pressure of being a โmanโ for his family โ and he confessed that before he tried to take his own life, he realised that he had never stopped loving Sharon.
๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ฌ๐ ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฐ โ๐ญ๐๐๐๐๐๐ & ๐พ๐๐๐๐๐๐: ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ค๐ .๐๐๐๐โ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฎ๐ฉ๐๐๐ญ๐ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐ข๐ง๐ญ๐๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฑ๐๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ข๐ฏ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฅ ๐ข๐ง๐๐จ๐ซ๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง. ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ฎ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐จ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐ข๐ง๐ญ๐๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ญ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐ข๐ง-๐๐๐ฉ๐ญ๐ก ๐๐จ๐จ๐ค๐ข๐๐ฌ
Gaz was told that he was being discharged from the unit, but he wasnโt happy about this, as unlike Phil, he has no support from family and friends.
The next day, Phil made the devastating discover that Gaz had harmed himself using the beer can he had given him. He quickly told the staff, who were fortunately able to save his friendโs life.
Phil berated support worker Yasmin for not finding Gaz earlier, but the pair later had an emotional conversation where he admitted he didnโt want his family to see him in a vulnerable state.
Yasminโs advice struck a chord, so Phil began to engage in the therapy sessions and eventually decided he was ready to be discharged โ bringing viewers back to the present day.
As Nigel, Linda, Billy, Lexi worried about Phil, Yasminโs insight meant that they found him at his dad Ericโs grave, having already left flowers and a picture on Peggyโs headstone.
Phil resolved not to end up like Eric and reunited with his loved ones. He promised Nigel that they would help one another through their struggles, and Juliaโs Theme played as he began to look to the future.
๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ฌ๐ ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฐ โ๐ญ๐๐๐๐๐๐ & ๐พ๐๐๐๐๐๐: ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ค๐ .๐๐๐๐โ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฎ๐ฉ๐๐๐ญ๐ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐ข๐ง๐ญ๐๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฑ๐๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ข๐ฏ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฅ ๐ข๐ง๐๐จ๐ซ๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง. ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ฎ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐จ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐ข๐ง๐ญ๐๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ญ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐ข๐ง-๐๐๐ฉ๐ญ๐ก ๐๐จ๐จ๐ค๐ข๐๐ฌ