Phil’s bombshell
He makes a confession to Jay, following a family fallout
Ben has often felt that Phil sees Jay as the son he wished he’d had
It’s confession time for Phil Mitchell who, following his recent return from Italy, has something mammoth to get off his chest. Did he kill one of the locals and bury them under an olive tree? Or maybe he copped off with a Nancy Dell’olio lookalike.
Actually, scrap the second theory; it’s too far-fetched. Surely no one would lust after Phil when he’s wearing trunks and espadrilles.
Phil’s shock revelation follows a turbulent week in which his relationship with Ben hits a new low. It all starts with Phil getting an unexpected and rather hefty offer for the car-lot land. Are Max and the suits at Weyland & Co after another piece of the Square?
Though tempted, Phil turns the offer down, and decides instead to share out his riches among the faarmly. He tells Ben that he’d like him to have the Arches, and stuns Shazbang by giving the car lot to Jay. Ben is delighted – until he learns that Jay’s handout is worth more than his. Our Eastenders mole reveals: ‘Ben has often felt that Phil sees Jay as the son he wished he’d had, and he thinks this is the proof that his dad values Jay more.’
As Ben confides in Kathy, Jay, meanwhile, has concerns of his own. Adds our mole: ‘He feels uneasy about getting the car lot over Sharon. He tells her that she means more to him than money, and offers to turn it down.’
Sharon gives Jay her blessing to accept Phil’s gift, but as the pair hug, Ben sees them and his paranoia rockets. Confronting Phil, he questions whether he ever wanted him in his life, and tells him he can stick the Arches.
Jay tries to heal their rift with a family dinner and, when Phil’s a no-show, Ben tells Jay how much the car lot is worth. Realising Ben has a right to feel upset, he decides to have it out with Phil.
But Phil’s suspiciously cagey about the reasons behind his decisions, and when he and Jay eventually come face to face, he makes a shock admission. Just what has Phil been up to?