Spoiler
family ties
Heartbreaking Ben Mitchell update as Phil and Ian Beale team up to save him from prison horror in EastEnders
The Walford favourite is serving a long sentence in an American prison
EASTENDERS spoilers reveal longtime foes Phil and Ian will unite to try and save Ben Mitchell from his prison nightmare.
Ben - most recently played by Max Bowden - was jailed in the US earlier this year, leaving behind husband Callum (Tony Clay) and daughter Lexi (Isabella Brown).
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In scenes yet to air, Ben's father Phil (Steve McFadden) and half-brother Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt) are shown to be working together to help their shared loved one.
It comes as Kathy (Gillian Taylforth) returns from a trip to America, telling Phil that their son is in a bad way.
She adds that Ian has stayed behind to help secure a better lawyer for Ben.
Meanwhile, Kathy also asks her ex-husband to put all of his efforts into helping Ben's appeal.
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In scenes aired in March, the young mechanic was stunned as police arrested him under an international warrant.
His charges related to a trip to America last year, having gone on a desperate attempt to get dying Lola Pearce onto a drugs trial, unsuccessfully.
It emerged that Ben's credit cards had been blocked.
Instead of legally sorting it, he simply stole someone else’s card and spent thousands on hotel bills, car rental and a business class flight home.
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While Ben begged solicitor Ritchie (Sian Webber) to help, she warned him he could face up to six years in an American prison for what he’d done.
EastEnders viewers were later left furious by the fallout of Ben's exit, claiming the character had been 'forgotten'.
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Passionate fans noted how Callum and daughter Lexi hadn't mentioned him being missing too much.
Quick to comment, one wrote: "Callum isn't very upset over Ben, I expected some heartfelt missing him emotion and sadness #EastEnders @bbceastenders even him taking time to compose and take it in."
Another added: "I feel like Callum has totally got over Ben & his sentencing.
"He seems way too normal for someone who has lost his husband to 6 years in prison on the other side of the world."
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As a third superfan shared a more harsh approach, as they remarked: "Why haven't they shown Callum/Lexi dealing with their grief over losing Ben?
"We haven't seen any aftermath for them at all. Why does everything have to revolve around Jay?
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"Lexi and Callum seem to exist only to advance his storylines nowadays and it’s p***ing me off."
EastEnders airs on BBC One and is available to watch on iPlayer.
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