This article contains spoilers for tonight’s episode of EastEnders, which airs on BBC One at 7.30pm or can be streamed on iPlayer now.
A special episode following Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) and Nigel Bates (Paul Bradley) has been broadcast.
Earlier this week, viewers of the BBC soap saw Nige’ make the decision to leave Walford.
Phil had learned of his plan to take his own life, should his young-onset dementia diagnosis worsen.
An explosive row ensued, with Phil charging out of the house and telling his best pal to kill himself. He later found comfort and much-needed words of wisdom in Linda Carter (Kellie Bright), who told him not to give up.
The men have supported one another for the last four months through thick and thin, and now wasn’t the time to give up.
However, when Phil headed home to apologise, Nigel was missing. He’d decided to live out the rest of his days in Kent, and was strolling towards the tube station.
In a disgusting twist, a group of youngsters targeted ailing Nigel, knocking him to the ground and causing him to bang his head on the pavement.
He was effectively left to die.
The search for Nigel begins
In today’s instalment, Phil desperately searched for Nigel, unaware of where he could have gone.
A ghostly shadow stood over Nige, as he pleaded not to be hurt again.
Yolande Trueman (Angela Wynter) and Jean Slater (Gillian Wright) hadn’t seen him, so Phil teamed up with Linda to track him down.
On their journey, Phil was forced to face his daemons by entering The Arches – the same building in which he attempted to commit suicide on two occasions earlier in the year.
It wasn’t easy, but Phil knew he had to do it. Suddenly, Linda received a call from the hospital to say that Nigel had been admitted. We’re none the wiser as to who the mystery saviour is, but they did the right thing.
The men continued to bicker, with Phil convinced that having Nige’ sectioned under the mental health act would be the best way to combat his suicidal thoughts.
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Phil makes a huge decision
Linda talked him round, and asked the nurse if the accident would worsen Nigel’s condition. While she couldn’t give a concrete answer, she confirmed that it wouldn’t help.
It was upon their return to Albert Square that Phil made the decision to step up to the plate. Nigel had tested his memory with a pre-recorded set of questions again, and had failed.
An open and honest conversation led to Phil consulting Sonia Fowler (Natalie Cassidy) for advice about becoming a live-in carer.
Nigel wasn’t sure about the gesture, but they then both made a commitment – to be together until the end.
