EastEnders icon Steve McFadden emotionally takes home NTAs 2025 award after acclaimed Phil Mitchell storyline
McFadden won the award for Serial Drama Performance for the first time ever.
For the first time ever, EastEnders legend Steve McFadden has won in the Serial Drama Performance category at the National Television Awards.
McFadden won in this year's category for his performance as Phil Mitchell, the character he has played since 1990. As with the other categories at the awards, McFadden's win was determined entirely by public vote.
To win, McFadden beat out other shortlisted contenders, including Emmerdale's Belle Dingle star Eden Taylor-Draper and Coronation Street's David Platt star Jack P Shepherd.
Also in the running were Coronation Street's Debbie Webster star Sue Devaney and McFadden's own EastEnders castmate Jacqueline Jossa, who plays Lauren Branning.
Upon accepting his award, McFadden hugged his co-star Jessie Wallace, who was presenting the award alongside Michelle Ryan. He went on to say that he was "touched and over the moon" to win the award, and that he was honoured just to be in the same category as the other nominees.
He went on to thank "everybody that voted for me", saying he is "truly grateful". He also thanked his "generous, brilliant, stunning, wonderful" cast mates on EastEnders, and thanked the team on the show for "giving Phil Mitchell 35 years of stupidity."
Before making his speech, McFadden was seen visibly welling up, and as he made it, he got a standing ovation from the audience.
Phil Mitchell has been involved in a powerful and hard-hitting storyline this year, as he has been dealing with depression and attempted to take his own life in February.
Since then, he's also been taking care of his childhood friend Nigel Bates, who is suffering from dementia. Earlier this year, the two men vowed to stick together until the end, with Phil acting as his carer ever since.
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Authors
James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
