I was just wondering what people think about the realism the of the Phil Mitchell storyline.
Thoughts on Eastenders liver story line - British Liver Trust
Thoughts on Eastenders liver story line
Written by
Matt007
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29 Replies
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I can only talk from my partners experience. He was diagnosed last June & drank nowhere near the amount "Phil Mitchell" is drinking. I would be very happy to see my partner walking around with the same energy.! He gave up drinking the day he was diagnosed (not alcohol dependant) & now has aged 10 years in mind & body. I suppose we have to understand that Eastenders is a soap & there isn't the time to show progression at the true rate.
I agree, I last night's episode where all of a sudden he had the energy to walk round almost normal is the part I found very wrong and gave a very wrong impression.
Ditto.
It sounds like you are very in the know! ☺ Are you a career?
My husband often comments about how good\effective the make up is and that, even after nearly a year of being abstinent, sometimes I look like that.
It is a horrible illness.
Good luck 🍀
Yes I am a carer of my beautiful, and brave wife, and we went for a special new scan today that is part of some research trying to make it better for patients, the process was very good but the results were a big reality check which is why I think Eastenders should do real justice to this disease so that people really understand properly and don't see liver disease with any stigma.
We all have our off days but poor Steve Mcfadden looks like that everyday - without make-up.
When I first saw the episode that revealed Phil has cirrhosis, my concern was/is that the general public will only associate cirrhosis with drinking, and there's people out here that have it and don't drink, that we will automatically be assumed to have a drink problem, when actually we have a liver problem... and all that this brings... I'm glad it's out there for the general public however, but they need to show how it affects our lives every day, no energy, tiredness, fear, the list is endless...
Bloody hell love, I hope your bloke hasn't seen your thoughts. Are you saying that he has aged in mind and body even since he was diagnosed with whatever liver problem he has? If he's had the guts to give his drinking up, and it's not looking better yet, you must both feel robbed. My heart really does go out for you, but really , if he has stopped, you have to back him up even if things don't look great yet. you don't say how old either of you are, I'd like to know.
As for the tv show crap - it's just telly, and hopefully no-one is deranged enough to think it's anything but a cartoon. Especially when Phil Mitchelle's head looks like a spat out chewing gum.
Not so sure, but he does play a very good drunk.
Has it ever been said how ill he if or is he is at end stage? I hope they show him sober up and then face not getting a transplant as he hasn't been sober for six months. Then perhaps show him getting sicker despite being sober and maybe dying before the six months is up. That's the reality of this disease!
I agree, I I can't remember the exact diagnosis but in an episode a while back he was told drink again and he would die. I hope they do give a real picture but I doubt it which would be a shame because I as a carer I have much respect for all fighting this disease and I believe the public should have much greater education about it rather than it being seen as "well you drank so it's your fault".
They've already done the drunk in the gutter stereotype even though this is rarely the case.
I think that they said that Phil needs a transplant and if he carries on drinking, his time's up. That was about a month ago.
A lot of us raised these points when the storyline first emerged that he was going to be given a cirrhosis diagnosis - many of us felt it would very publicly and to a wide audience continue to re-enforce the liver disease = alcoholism message which is neither good for removing the stigma attached to liver disease (especially for those who have the misfortune of getting cirrhosis due to non-alcohol related issues) and also wouldn't help to educate drinkers as to the dangers posed by drink when taken even fairly moderately.
The British Liver Trust were working with Eastenders writers to make sure they got it 'right'.
I haven't been watching - just had a flick through a couple of episodes on iPlayer after your question and it seems he is still just battling with the booze, didn't see any mention or sign of cirrhosis just his constant battle with alcohol.
I just dread them actually suggesting he is a candidate for transplant because as he stands just now he in real life he wouldn't get a look in for a long time yet and I go with Rodeojoes comment about what would really happen to an alcoholic in his situation and the minimum abstinence period etc. [It would help set liver donation back many years if the storyline did progress that way - some folks already say they wouldn't give their liver because it is only going to get wasted & this is already due to the liver disease = alcohol message that many folks believe].
Have they actually showed him having symptoms of his cirrhosis yet? Can't say the make up I saw in the episodes I flicked through reflected what i've witnessed of cirrhosis patients in the last 4 years of mine and hubbies life with this blooming awful condition.
Hope Mellow is doing a bit better Matt, keep up the good work of supporting her.
Katie 
Im disappointed because they picked someone like Phil who was obviously drinking vodka in morning and a former drug user etc and was the typical falling down drunk in the park etc etc. The truth is that you DONT have to be drinking in the morning and be a falling down drunk to get Cirrhosis.
The story line would have hit home and made people think more if it was someone that was the typical "few glasses of wine after work" Everyone who is a drinker will look at Phil and think "thats not going to be me as I only drink a few after work, i dont drink in the morning or all day"
I have only see up to the bleeding varices, which as far as im aware wasnt really that accurate.
This is a soap, so will always show life at it's extremes. So it's hardly surprising they have chosen a heavy drinker really. If it had been a casual drinker I agree it may have been more of a warning to the general population but also less "believable' as the bare facts are the more you drink the more chance you have of getting Cirrhosis.
With lighter drinkers, you would have people in their millions saying "I drink more than that but I'm ok and my dad before me was ok and his dad's dad" etc.
Yes there are other causes, but in effect a case of something else other than drinking causing Cirrhosis would make this story little different from a character getting cancer etc though I suppose they could have picked Hepatitis through lifestyle choices as an alternative cause if they were intent on sending a public health message.
Re: transplants and donations, I don't know much on the subject, but I wasn't aware the Donors family would know their Liver was going to an ex-alcoholic? I thought you make the decision to donate and that's it? Is this not correct then?
Regarding the negative effect that this storyline may have on potential donors I agree, but what people need to realise is that their are plenty of people out there who live/lived less than angelic lifestyles who nonetheless are registered as donors. I'm one.
If people don't want to give organs to such people, then surely to avoid being hypocritical they similarly won't be wanting any of my still usable bits if they suddenly have the need for them when I die?
The opt out system can't come quick enough IMO. In the meantime I'll wish Phil Mitchell all the best
The WHO the organ goes to discussion came up in the ethics of liver transplant section on the Future Learn Liver Transplant course - some families do unfortunately try to put conditions on the type of recipient for a loved ones organs - liver transplant co-ordinators on the retrieval teams often have a lot of discussion about this before they can sometimes persuade families to go ahead with the donors wishes.
Plus you do get the option of which organs get donated (at the time you sign up to the register) so sadly many folks under the misguided belief that all people needing a liver transplant are raging alcoholics opt out of donating their liver - the George Best effect of he/she will only destroy it again.
This was my point - if Phil Mitchell were to be taken on an inaccurate path to transplant this message would perhaps be re-enforced thus setting back the organ donation message & also not covering the fact that there are more causes to cirrhosis than drink.
To be honest east endears ,they do go to some low levels ,simple answer is its crap acting n they way they portray things is an absolute joke , that program is crap n full of desperation, I surprised that when he got diagnosed he was then hit by a bus , reality is its a load of bad acting done for more viewers , if you really thought about it shouldn't even be portrayed on tv the way it's been shown , n I'm only going of what I hear as I don't watch that garbage, just saying 😀
It's not a reality show, it's a rubbish soap opera/drama and we have to expect it to be heavily influenced with artistic liscense. The sad fact is though that people actually believe it to be factual.
I can see the guy getting his transplant from his dying /dead mother.
Coincidentally, I'm usually taking my walk when it's on. Taking into account Coronation St, that gives me about an hour and a half of decent exercise.
Many do enjoy it though.......
Mike
RodeoJoe• in reply to
An interesting point, could a dying person donated to a family or friend like you might see with a kidney donation.
Soaps are a joke but every now & again they can help a particular cause...in this case I do hope so as a sufferer myself....the last time I watched a soap was many years ago..it was called Crossroads & on the Thursday one of the main characters died then on the Monday his twin brother played by the same actor arrived from Australia...this made me laugh...they are such a joke but now they have run this storyline I do hope they give it justice....
Yes, but don't underestimate soaps. There are many people who believe soaps reflect the real world and at the extreme some people think it's real.
That's why these subjects have to be covered responsibly and program makers shouldn't just make a story dramatic and unrealistic if it could be potentially damaging.
Thanks for your reply & yes I agree I hope they keep it as realistic as possible...
Phil is a great character and Steve is an amazing actor. Phil had exactly what happened to me where I vomited blood. The story got me really excited but now it's gone on too long and I think it may be responsible for deaths. He was at deaths door and told not to drink yet downs bottles of neat spirits and has no other symptoms. I was in hospital 2 weeks and nearly died. I couldn’t walk and had zero energy. The reason I feel this story is damaging is alcoholics will watch it and think he's still alive so I'm going to carry on drinking . I think the show could save lives if it showed phil on the brink of death with tubes sticking out of him and him wetting and sitting himself. After my bleed I haven't touched a drop in 3 and a half years
There's a forum on the internet called Digital Spy where people comment on different TV programmes and if the current threads are representative of the UK viewing public their focus is on a character called Shirley (I dont watch soaps so dont know the characters or plot) and whether she and Phil will get together - the drinking element is only commented on in connection with her also being an alcoholic, but nobody seems particularly interested in Phil's health or what might happen in future episodes re his liver.
I think he plays an alcoholic very well; but the term alcoholic varies as we all know; for viewing reasons they have portrayed him as the down and out type/ sleeping in the gutter etc/ which does happen in many cases/ but i agree of course, in many cases too, so called social drinkers/ or those whom work/ function well get cirrhosis too...but to show that wouldn't have made for good viewing. I have found that the so called social drinkers look down on the so called down and out ones; at the end of the day, they are all the same...alcoholics. I hope they dont show him staying off the booze then dying; i doubt he is going anywhere. No matter how someone gets cirrhosis; its bloody awful and alcoholics or others with addictions, dont want to be the way they are. I do think its right to have about a 6 month period where you must be off the booze to qualify....most alcoholics will be told this in no uncertain terms. If so, i feel they deserve a chance at life again. No one should be stigmatised about any illness; or assumptions made. In my view addiction is an illness; that needs treating; though sadly many alcoholics do not make it. Yes, of course there is the risk of going down the george best route; but i guess its up to the donors; i never knew they could choose. Id certainly give anyone a second chance.
Having read many of the comments here I decided to put "liver toxicity" into my search engine (Safari) and it came up with amongst other suggestions, medicine.net
Ok it's an American website, but made for interesting reading about the many and varied causes of liver problems, including cirrhosis. But specifically it took me to an article called drug toxicity! That certainly makes for interesting reading, it was my own "gut instinct" that made me decide to stop taking the variety of meds I was on. fortunately my brain reacts also and that's when the neural effects kick in. Remember with a Brain Injury, as I have, I can differentiate between the neural episodes.
I also read somewhe a few months ago, that apart from drugs - household sprays and cleaners can affect Our systems and liver, making it toxic! we inhale, ingest via skin contact, the various chemicals that are in them. They may freshen the air and make the wood shine - but what are they doing to our internal organs?
As for East Enders, yes he's a good acto,,but it doesn't tell the stories you guys have and live with!
This is how the viewers of Eastenders who comment about the programme on social media see the tally of characters that drink
"The problem with EE is that there's so much alcoholic behaviour but it's never acknowledged until they specifically do an alcohol storyline (eg. Phil, Jake, Lauren). Look at how Cora is constantly "on", or how Tanya used to break out the booze for the slightest thing (she even blacked out after her date with Phil - blackouts are a sign of alcoholism), or look at how much Shirley is always putting away (she was drinking vodka during the street protest) and Max loves his booze. When Lauren had her storyline, the writers didn't really acknowledge that she was raised in family where heavy drinking (Max, Tanya, Cora) and addiction (Rainie) was the norm."
Seems like its so much part of the series its not really raising eyebrows amongst the regular viewers.
You are so right. It's actually more unnoticeably now when no-one has a drink in their hand during peak time telly. As ever, it's all about money.
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