'EastEnders' viewers shocked as soap LEGEND faces permanent removal!

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A long-standing EastEnders character may never see the Square again.

Queen Vic EastEnders
A Square legend may not be on the Square for much longer. (Image credit: BBC)

EastEnders fans were left aghast on Thursday, when Phil Mitchell learned that he could go to prison for the rest of his life.

But the shocked Phil fans weren’t going to take it lying down, with one even going as far as vowing to stop watching if their favourite character departs. But is this really the end of the legendary hardman?

Steve McFadden as Phil Mitchell

Phil may say, 'Goodbye Walford, hello Wormwood Scrubs'. (Image credit: BBC)

Phil was on the run with his son, Raymond, to escape the police over his part in the death of Vincent Hubbard.

He’s been hiding out in Clacton at a caravan belonging to Aunt Sal – Peggy’s sister – but his girlfriend Kat and ex-wife Sharon managed to track him down.

Phil offered Kat the chance for them to go on the run as a family, but Kat wasn’t sure. 

Jessie Wallace as Kat Slater

Kat's normally always up for a holiday – but not a permanent one. (Image credit: BBC)

However, when a police car was spotted at the caravan park, he knew the game was up.

Phil decided to give himself up, which gave Kat and Sharon the chance to slip away with little Raymond.

 “Come on you lot, do your worst,” he said to the assembled coppers, as he stood outside the caravan and the officers moved in.

Denise was shocked and delighted when Kat and Sharon returned Raymond to her, having been out of her mind with worry over the last few days.

Raymond in EastEnders

Denise is reunited with Raymond. (Image credit: BBC)

For Phil, however, the news was not so good. His fearsome lawyer Ritchie sat him down at the station and as always didn’t pull her punches. Explaining the evidence the police already had, she broke the news.

“Kidnapping the kid is the cherry on top of a pretty large steaming pile,” she told him. Explaining that the police might already have the evidence “to see out the rest of your days behind bars.”

Sian Webber as Ritchie Scott

(Image credit: BBC)

And as Phil took in the news, viewers were shocked, wondering if this really was the end for the mighty Phil Mitchell.

 “If Phil Mitchell’s leaving them they’ve lost a viewer, I'm afraid,” said one.

 

Steve McFadden as Phil Mitchell

Phil faces the filth. (Image credit: BBC)

Ritchie's got Phil out of some tough spots before, so let's just hope for the sake of his fans she can do it again!

EastEnders normally airs Monday at 8pm, Tuesday at 7.30pm, Thursday at 7.30pm and Friday at 8.00pm. See our TV Guide for full listings.

Steven Murphy
Steven Murphy
Writer

Steven is a writer, editor, and commentator with a passion for popular TV and soap operas. He spent 20 years as the editor of Inside Soap magazine, documenting every punch-up and pucker-up in the Street, the Square and the village. As a feature writer, he’s covered TV crime dramas, period dramas and even some real-life star dramas. He’s been seen as a talking head on more TV clip shows than he cares to remember, has a life-long passion for TV sci-fi – the older and creakier the better – and is a slight obsessive about any reality show featuring hotels.