Phil Mitchell Misses Christmas

Phil Mitchell will not appear in 'EastEnders' this Christmas.

Steve McFadden, who plays the alcoholic hardman in the BBC soap, has been allowed leave during the festive season - the show's most tense and climactic period - after he threatened to quit.

He is instead set to make around £160,000 by starring in pantomime as the character Captain Hook from 'Peter Pan' for six weeks. He will miss filming between the end of November and mid January.

A source told The Sun newspaper: "The festive season is a massive time for soaps - and the Christmas Day and New Year's Day episodes are the biggest event of the soap year.

"But bosses are desperate to keep Steve on side as he will be the last senior Mitchell left, with Peggy doing a disappearing act."

The actor's on-screen mum, Peggy – played by Barbara Windsor, 72 - is set to retire from the show after 16 years in coming months and Steve, 51, has previously said he was thinking of following in her footsteps.

He said: "My contract's up in August. Then we'll see. Barbara leaving will be a massive hole for the show and for me personally as well."

Meanwhile, nearly 10,000 tickets for his pantomime, 'Peter Pan', staged in High Wycombe, have already been sold.