Phil Mitchell was fighting for his life after suffering potentially life-changing brain damage in Friday night’s episode of EastEnders.
Doctors placed the soap stalwart (Steve McFadden) in a medically induced coma after he was left for dead by Stacey Fowler (Lacey Turner), who fled Albert Square in a black cab.
She struck Mitchell over the head with a wrench in Tuesday night’s episode.
Goodbye, Martin and Stacey. Stay safe. #EastEnders pic.twitter.com/DFR3Yy66ZF
— BBC EastEnders (@bbceastenders) August 2, 2019
Mitchell’s son Ben (Max Bowden) discovered him bleeding on the pavement but left him for dead because he had recently been written out of his father’s will.
As the Mitchell family waited anxiously in the hospital waiting room, a doctor arrived to deliver the news.
He told them that although an operation to relieve the pressure on Mitchell’s brain had been successful it was not clear if he had suffered brain damage.
They would only find out by waking him from the coma.
Anyone else have a sinking feeling in ‘the pit’ of their stomachs? #EastEnders pic.twitter.com/Fp3sDagKUe
— BBC EastEnders (@bbceastenders) August 1, 2019
Matters worsened when the police launched an investigation into the attack, with DCI Morgan wanting to speak to innocent Keanu Taylor (Danny Walters).
All the while Ben remained outside of suspicion.
At the same time, Fowler and her husband Martin made an escape from the square in the back of a black cab.
Fowler claimed she was taking the kids away to look after her addict brother Sean in hospital.
But Kush Kazemi (Davood Ghadami), the father of her son Arthur, told her that he would not let their child be around an addict.
In emotional scenes she waved to Arthur as she left her son behind to flee the square and her violent crime.
EastEnders continues on BBC One.