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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
Entertainment
Charlotte Tutton

EastEnders: Where has Phil Mitchell been and did he kill Dennis Rickman?

EastEnders legend Phil Mitchell as at the centre of a tragic ongoing storyline on the BBC soap.

He's been off-screen for around a month now after doing a runner after the devastating boat crash in February.

Phil played a key part in the crash and the death of his stepson Dennis Rickman, who drowned after becoming trapped.

In upcoming scenes, Dennis' grieving mother Sharon Mitchell will come face-to-face with her estranged husband for the first time since her son's death.

Blaming him for what happened, she's furious when he finally shows up on the day of the funeral and a showdown ensues.

EastEnders' Phil Mitchell returns very soon (BBC)

But what happened to Dennis and why was Phil at fault? The reason goes way back to December when Phil learned of Sharon's affair with Keanu Taylor.

In spring 2019, months after Sharon and Keanu ended their affair, they slept together again and she fell pregnant.

Fast-forward to December, when Phil found out Sharon had cheated on him - and their unborn child wasn't his.

Dennis Rickman was killed in the boat crash (BBC)

On Christmas Day Phil confronted wife Sharon in dramatic scenes, while he and son Ben Mitchell also had Keanu killed in a shocking twist.

But the biggest shock came when viewers learned Keanu wasn't really dead, and after faking his demise he went on the run.

In February, he came back for his own revenge on the Mitchells - while Phil was still in Portugal having fled the police who wanted to arrest him for the "murder".

EastEnders: Ben, Keanu and Phil's showdown led to the boat crash (BBC/Kieron McCarron/Matt Burlem/Amy Sharp)

Ben was stunned to find out Keanu was still alive, and that he had kidnapped his boyfriend Callum Highway as ransom for money.

Desperate, he called his dad Phil who made his big return to the soap to save Callum and end Keanu for once and for all.

But tragically it was others who paid the price when their deadly showdown led them all to the boat, where Albert Square residents were partying on the River Thames.

EastEnders: Phil and Keanu were fighting on the boat (BBC)

As Keanu and Phil fought it out on the boat, they accidentally attacked the captain and caused the boat to steer into the dock.

The crash impact caused the boat to fill with water, leaving lives on the line with many trapped on the boat, and some including Keanu and Ben in the water.

Phil was last seen getting on a rescue boat with a rescue team, crying as he witnessed Dennis be declared dead back on land.

Phil returns after weeks away (BBC/Kieron McCarron/Jack Barnes)

Dennis drowned after becoming trapped, thanks to Ian Beale, leaving his mum Sharon distraught - moments after she gave birth to baby son Kayden.

Sharon soon learned that the fight between Keanu and Phil caused the crash, blaming both men for Dennis' death.

EastEnders airs Mondays at 8pm, and Tuesdays at 7:30pm on BBC One.

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