Steve McFadden

Steve Robert McFadden (né Reid; born 20 March 1959) is an English actor. He is known for his role as Phil Mitchell in the BBC One soap opera EastEnders, which he has played since 1990. He has received accolades including the British Soap Award for Outstanding Achievement. McFadden was also the presenter of the game show Britain's Hardest (2004).

Steve McFadden was born in Maida Vale, London, on 20 March 1959. He left school in 1975, and had short stints in jobs including labouring, carrot picking, plumbing and working at a builder's merchant. After attending university, McFadden decided that he wanted to become an actor, and was accepted into the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in 1984, graduating in 1987.

In 1988, McFadden got his first acting role as an uncredited extra in the film Buster. He played his first speaking role as a football hooligan in the 1989 BBC television film The Firm, and this was followed by guest appearances in television series including The Bill, Minder and Bergerac.

McFadden then began portraying the role of Phil Mitchell in the BBC soap opera EastEnders at the beginning of 1990, at the same time as Ross Kemp, who played Phil's younger brother Grant Mitchell.

McFadden then made a brief appearance in the film Kevin & Perry Go Large (2000), and starred in an episode of the BBC anthology series Murder in Mind in 2001. He left EastEnders in late 2003 for a one-year break to concentrate on pantomimes.

During his break from EastEnders, he presented the reality television series Britain's Hardest, which was an underground competition broadcast on Sky One in 2004. In 2005, he filmed a small part as a detective sergeant in the film Provoked which released in 2006.

He returned to EastEnders for two episodes in April 2005, and in October 2005, he returned on a permanent basis, after his character was cleared of armed robbery.

He has also appeared as Captain Hook in a pantomime production of Peter Pan from 2010 to 2011 at the Wycombe Swan.