David Fisher/Shutterstock/comp EastEnders Insider Share By Joey Crutchley Jul 3 2025 By Joey Crutchley Jul 3 2025 Steve McFadden: Father of five, EastEnders co-star split, Danny Dyer 'feud', eye-watering net worth and why Ross Kemp refused to be in same room as him A powerhouse performer, inside the real-life of the Phil Mitchell actor Phil Mitchell Steve McFadden Share By Joey Crutchley Jul 3 2025 By Joey Crutchley Jul 3 2025 Steve McFadden is one of the most iconic stars from EastEnders. Playing hardman Phil Mitchell since 1990, Steve has become a staple on the soap – and involved in some of its biggest storylines. But how many children does he have? Why did Ross Kemp refuse to be in the same room as him? And who is his EastEnders star ex? Keep on reading to find out… Steve has played Phil for over three decades (Credit: BBC) Who is EastEnders star Steve McFadden? Steve McFadden is a British actor, best known for playing hardman Phil Mitchell on EastEnders. As well as EastEnders, Steve has appeared in the likes of The Bill, and turned his hand to presenting in the 2004 reality show, Britain’s Hardest. However, it’s his role as Phil Mitchell that he is best known for. Article continues below Read all the latest spoilers Steve hasn’t changed much over the years! (Credit: Julian Makey/Shutterstock) How old is Steve McFadden? Steve McFadden is 66 years old, and was born in Maida Vale, London, on 20 March 1959. After leaving school in 1975, Steve turned his hand to an array of different jobs, including carrot picking, labouring and plumbing. Deciding to go to university, Steve studied acting at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. His first acting role was in the 1987 film The Firm. And then three years later, EastEnders came knocking… Three EastEnders legends (Credit: BBC) Steve on EastEnders Steve rocked up to Walford back in 1990, playing Phil Mitchell. Harmdan Phil is the child of Peggy and Eric Mitchell. His siblings are Grant and Samantha. Actor Steve McFadden temporarily left in 2003, but made a comeback in 2005. He is now the second-longest-serving character in EastEnders, surpassed only by Ian Beale. Phil’s journey has been nothing short of dramatic during his time in Walford. His storylines have included everything from affairs to addiction. Where does Steve McFadden live? Away from Walford and TV screens, Steve lives a quiet life in Falmouth, Cornwall. In 2017, Steve described Falmouth as his “second home”. He told CornwallLive: “I first went to Falmouth in 1966, I was fishing in the harbour at Falmouth Bay when I was six. I’ve got a little boat down there, a place to stay and loads of friends and family. “I get down as often as I can. It’s my second home, if it wasn’t for EastEnders it would be my first choice of residence, but because of the show I have to be in London more.” Steve and Lucy dated for four years (Credit: Jeremy Williams/Shutterstock) Steve McFadden’s EastEnders romance Back in the late ‘90s, Steve dated fellow EastEnders star Lucy Benjamin – who played his onscreen girlfriend Lisa Fowler. Their relationship on the soap was highly dramatic and iconic – with Lisa eventually revealed as the resident who shot Phil in the 2001 ‘Who Shot Phil?’ storyline that bagged 23 million viewers. Steve and Lucy were together from 1999 to 2003. And according to Steve, their relationship ended due to the controversial phone hacking scandal at the time. Despite their split though, the pair carried on working together. Talking about her return to the soap and working with Steve again in 2017, Lucy said on Loose Women: “It was strange really, but lovely to be working with Steve, Tish, and Natalie Cassidy again. “It was just like being with mates. They have been doing fabulous work and I knew that they would look after me and have my back upon my return.” Steve McFadden’s children Steve is a doting dad to five children. He had his first child, Matthew, born in 1986, with his childhood sweetheart, Sue Marshall. Then came along daughters Teona and Mollie, born in 1997 and 2004, with ex-girlfriend, Angela Bostock. He then had daughter Amelie Tinkerbell – born in 2009 – with Rachel Sidwell – who he split with months after her birth. Steve’s youngest daughter was born in 2019. He shares the little girl Frankie with current partner Karen Cairns. A source told The Sun at the time: “Steve and Karen are both over the moon with little Frankie. Her pregnancy did come as a surprise, but now they are both really happy.” Danny and Steve reportedly didn’t get on (Credit: ITV) Steve’s ‘feud’ with Danny Dyer Back in 2022, Danny Dyer quit EastEnders after 9 years of playing Mick Carter. And it didn’t take him long to spark rumours of a behind-the-scenes feud on the soap… Appearing on The Johnathan Ross Show in 2023, the host asked Danny if there were any of his castmates he disliked – and Danny was honest. “There’s a few of them actually, I ain’t going to lie. I won’t say [who], you know. Most of them I love dearly. Not all,” he said. Jonathan asked: “So they know who they are, though?” Danny replied: “I would have thought so.” What’s more, The Sun alleged at the time that Steve disliked Danny as soon as he joined in 2013. The source claimed: “It was an open secret on set. They rarely worked together.” Another source alleged: “Steve hated that bosses gave Mick the Queen Vic, which spent so many years being at the heart of the Mitchell family. “It meant Danny would have maximum screentime. Danny coming in was a big fanfare, and everyone loved him, but Steve didn’t like him.” There are also claims that “Danny tried to win him over but Steve wasn’t having it”. And, in the end, it’s alleged that “Danny got sick of him”. Steve regularly stars in panto (Credit: Tony Larkin/Shutterstock) Steve McFadden’s ‘net worth’ With a career that spans several decades, it’s no surprise to hear that Steve’s net worth is reportedly worth an eye-watering amount. The actor reportedly bags £200,000 per year for his job on EastEnders. What’s more, in 2011, he took a break from the soap to star in a Peter Pan pantomime at The Swan Theatre in London. And it’s been reported that he earned a whopping £200,000 for a few weeks of work over the festive season. Thanks to his EastEnders stints and other projects, Steve is said to be worth over £2.8m, according to Celebrity Net Worth. The Mitchell brothers: Phil and Grant (Credit: Boldizsar/Shutterstock) Are Steve McFadden and Ross Kemp friends? Ross Kemp plays Grant Mitchell on the BBC soap – the brother of Phil. The pair shared the screen together for years, and were a part of some of the soap’s biggest storylines. However, back in 2018, fans shared their concern when Steve and Ross appeared to keep their distance together at the National Television Awards. But it turned out there was a reason for Ross not wanting to be near Steve – and it’s down to how people react when they are together. “Everyone always asks for ‘Phil and Grant’ selfies,” he told The Sun. The pair are believed to be on good terms though – with Ross set to return to the soap this year for EastEnders’ epic 40th anniversary. Read more: Who’s leaving EastEnders, joining and returning in 2025? Good to Know Share By Joey Crutchley Jul 3 2025 By Joey Crutchley Jul 3 2025
