EastEnders legend Steve McFadden has admitted that ‘it’s not a walk in the park’ amid ‘more sadness’ that’s on the way for Phil Mitchell.

It’s been a busy period for the actor who won his first National Television Award earlier in the month for his work as Phil on the BBC soap.

Steve crowned himself the winner of Best Serial Performance, beating his co-star Jacqueline Jossa, Emmerdale’s Eden Taylor-Draper, and Coronation Street duo Jack P Shepherd and Sue Devaney.

It was a busy year for Phil, whose battle with depression led him to check into a mental health facility after he attempted to take his own life during the programme’s 40th anniversary week.

When he won his award, Steve appeared teary eyed as he collected the award from Kat and Zoe Slater stars Jessie Wallace and Michelle Ryan.

While not known for discussing his work, Steve has provided an insight into what it’s been like working on the soap since 1990.

“Working on EastEnders is hard work. The past 35 years have been tough. But the past year has been particularly hard.

“It’s not a walk in the park. It’s really hard graft. A lot of it is quite dark. It takes a lot out of you. When I do panto, that’s fun. But EastEnders isn’t,” he told The Daily Star.

When it comes to filming Phil’s mental health struggles, Steve said that it was difficult for him to bring the scenes to life.

He explained: “It’s been tough. But that’s what the producers and directors and writers want. They want us to graft and go to the edge. They got the most they could out of me.”

Steve added: “It’s very gratifying to hear from viewers. It validates what we do.

“The storyline has touched people and it’s great to be able to reach out to people that don’t have a voice. They can feel connected to the show.”

Looking ahead to the future, Steve teased that the Christmas period might not be a good one for Phil just months after his most recent struggles.

“There will be more sadness for Phil. That’s what is coming up. Christmas might not be so good,” he said.

Phil is currently serving as the carer for his best friend Nigel Bates, whose battle with dementia has been taking a toll on him since returning to Walford last year.