Phil Mitchell isn’t exactly known as the friendly face of Walford, but his actions this week would have made Corrie’s Pat Phelan proud…
On Tuesday (26 February), EastEnders fans watched in horror as the resident hardman targeted a new victim – a school boy!
Read more: EastEnders fans thrilled with Keanu’s mean and moody comeback!
Viewers know that the mechanic has become desperate to get his hands on the £50,000 that Alfie Moon ‘borrowed’, and has now even resorted to threatening Alfie’s son Tommy.
In scenes that fans called “weird”, Phil targeted the eight-year-old when he lured him over by offering him the opportunity to play with his drone.
No, that’s not a euphemism, we’ll leave that to Emmerdale.
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As Tommy became engrossed in flying Phil’s drone, Phil led him to the Arches – where he slammed the door closed behind the child.
In the quite frankly baffling scenes that followed, Phil attempted to intimidate the schoolboy, demanding to know where Alfie was.
Little Tommy told Phil: “You said we were flying a drone.”
To which Phil hissed: “And now I’m saying, we’re ringing your dad.”
When a worried-looking Tommy told Phil he “wanted to go home”, Phil replied: “I ain’t spoken to him for ages, and I fancy a nice little chat.
“Now you call him, you say hello, and then you pass me the phone.”
When poor Tommy protested, Phil warned: “Just do it.”
However, mum Kat arrived at that very moment to see Phil leaning over Tommy, and she spat: “This’d better be good.”
When Phil explained he wanted his money back, Kat told Phil to keep away from Tommy as the money wasn’t anything to do with him.
And fans agreed that Phil turning on the boy was just plain wrong.
One simply said: “Phil threatening a child! Pathetic! @EastEnders.”
https://twitter.com/NellaYuSi/status/1110630261161709574
Phil's gone dark #eastenders
— demelcy (@demelcy) March 26, 2019
Phil this is weird #eastenders
— Easstenders (@_easstenders_) March 26, 2019
phil the thug is back #Eastenders
— saggiterrorist (@yungbarbie17) March 26, 2019
Phil is about to rough up that child! Good lord no! #eastenders
— Dot cotton (@Dotcott91421271) March 26, 2019
Phil the child catcher #EastEnders
— Shirley Carter (@DriedUpShirl) March 26, 2019
Phil thats a new low demaning an 8 year old #EastEnders
— Steven Lobel (@StevenLobel4) March 26, 2019
https://twitter.com/SoapFan1999/status/1110630197362126848
Evil Phil #eastenders
— JohnCravensDentures (@Soapyjob) March 26, 2019
https://twitter.com/IAmTomGardiner/status/1110630280052830208
Another added: “Phil is about to rough up that child! Good lord no! #eastenders.”
A third said: “Phil the child catcher.”
Phil’s behaviour was “evil”, “weird”, “thuggish”, “dark” and “a new low” agreed others.
Next week, Mel Owen will be left stunned when she catches business partner Phil using their club, the E20, to launder money.
But she’s got her own money worries as her fight to get killer son Hunter out of jail continues.
Do you think Tommy is in danger? Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and let us know what you think!