EastEnders' Phil Mitchell actor Steve McFadden hates fame, according to co-star

06 September 2023 , 10:49

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EastEnders' Phil Mitchell actor Steve McFadden hates fame, according to co-star

EastEnders star Max Bowden has revealed his co-star and on-screen father, Steve McFadden 'hates being famous'.

Steve, 64, has played Albert Square gangster Phil Mitchell for 33 years, making his character one of the longest-running and most iconic on the BBC soap. Although Phil Mitchell has become a household name among soap fans, the actor behind the infamous character is not a fan of the fame that comes along with being one of the most recognisable faces on UK television.

Speaking exclusively to The Mirror at last night's National Television Awards at the 02, Max, 28, who plays Ben Mitchell on the BBC One soap revealed that Steve 'hates all the fuss' that comes with fame – especially on nights where he has to pose for the camera.

After Steve was seen hiding from the cameras in the winners room, Max explained Steve's reasoning for shying away from having his picture taken. "He hates all that stuff. He hates all the fuss and the fame. He just loves his job and adores acting, but when it comes to stuff like tonight – like the NTA's – and posing for pictures, he's anxious and wants to hide."

EastEnders star Max has shed light on Steve's aversion to fame (BBC)

EastEnders was the big winner at this year's National Television Awards with an impressive total of three wins – including the prestigious Serial Drama accolade as the cast of the BBC one soap beat Coronation Street, Emmerdale, and Hollyoaks to scoop the gong.

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Speaking about the huge win, Max told The Mirror: "It's unbelievable. But this year was such a huge year for EastEnders, especially with Lola's storyline, so I think it's only deserving that we nabbed the award tonight."

Danielle Harold, who played out her final scenes earlier this summer as Lola Pearce, broke down in tears as she took home the award for best Serial Drama Performance during television's biggest night of the year. Danielle was up against other huge soap stars but managed to impress the voting public with her portrayal of Lola.

Danielle Harold scooped an NTA for her incredible performance as Lola Pearce (BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron)

After Danielle was awarded with the impressive achievement, she broke down in tears as she gushed over her time on EastEnders and how much the heart-wrenching storyline meant to her.

The wins for the BBC One soap didn't stop there however, as Strictly Come Dancing star Bobby Brazier took home the gong for Best Rising Star thanks to his incredible performance as Freddie Slater on EastEnders. Bobby, 20, gushed over his 'EastEnders family' when accepting his award on stage as his proud dad, Jeff Brazier, watched on with tears in his eyes.

Gushing over Bobby's incredible win, Max told The Mirror that 'nobody deserved it more than Bobby'.

Susan Knox