Jaime Winstone has revealed some new hints on EastEnders' upcoming flashback episode, teasing the impact on Phil and Peggy Mitchell.

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Winstone portrays the younger version of Walford legend Peggy, who was made into an iconic character by the late Dame Barbara Windsor.

Next month, the BBC soap will air a special episode which takes viewers back to 1979. For the first time, we'll see Phil's father Eric Mitchell (played by George Russo). Eric and Peggy's marriage is struggling, and a young Phil (Daniel Delaney) and Grant (Teddy Jay) are coming of age.

Secrets will be unearthed with the purpose of helping Phil in the present day to bring down DCI Keeble (Alison Newman), who seems to have a mystery motive as she drags Phil deeper into his police informant role.

The Mitchells in 1979 in EastEnders' flashback episode, sat around a dining table.
The Mitchells of 1979 as they appear in EastEnders' flashback episode. BBC

Speaking about what fans can expect from EastEnders' trip back in time, Winstone said: "Essentially, it's about a family who are being held together, and the cracks are starting to show. The boys are becoming men before Peggy's eyes."

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She added that it's a very eventful instalment which is designed to explore who the Mitchells became; particularly Phil and matriarch Peggy.

"It's a turbulent episode; there's a lot of stuff that goes down. There's highs and lows... There are soft moments but it's really to set up why the characters are like they are now, and why some families are broken and certain choices that were made that really shouldn't have been."

Winstone continued: "Ultimately, it's about Phil and who he is today, and why and what goes down. It's this sort of moment that Peggy Mitchell becomes the Peggy Mitchell we know."

The star also explained that we will see a more vulnerable Peggy as she feels the strain of ongoing life. "We do see a softer Peggy, [a] more vulnerable and slightly more tender Peggy. She's definitely trying to be the housewife; a good wife and a good mother all in one, and keeping things together.

"And as you'll see in the episode, the cracks start to show with the young Phil and Grant kind of shifting from boys to becoming men. There's a lot of fear and a lot of love that becomes quite explosive."

EastEnders will air the flashback episode on Monday 5th September at 7:30pm.

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