Max returns to Walford and Sharon decides not to tell Phil, but when Max discovers that Phil bribed the foreman in his trial, Max visits Phil in hospital, revealing that he knows the truth. Phil hands Max his pillow, insisting that he kills him, but Max shakes his hand and says that he forgives him. Phil is unable to give Ronnie away on her wedding day to Jack, so she and Roxy visit him in hospital. The next day, Sharon tells Phil that Ronnie and Roxy have died in the hotel swimming pool – which devastates Phil. Phil is discharged from hospital and Sharon eventually discovers that Phil is the father of Denise's baby after overhearing a discussion between Shirley and Denise. Sharon decides not to tell Phil the truth, but later changes her mind when she learns that Denise is planning to give her son up for adoption. When Phil expresses his wish to adopt Dennis, Sharon tells him the truth about his son. At the hospital, Phil demands to see his son, but Sharon gets him and Denise to talk calmly. Sharon agrees to help Phil fight for his son. After emotionally holding him, Phil leaves without him. Phil refuses to speak at Ronnie and Roxy's funeral, but changes his mind after Michelle (now played by Jenna Russell) speaks to him. Phil meets Aaron, the son of his friend Tony, who was meant to have the liver the Phil received, and gives him money out of guilt for having survived when Tony died, however Aaron's mother, Antoinette, returns it and tells him not to contact them again. Phil decides that he wants to take time away from Walford to recover from his transplant and he and Sharon decide to go to Italy. Sharon returns two months later without Phil and she informs Michelle that they have bought a holiday apartment in Italy and that he regularly attends Alcoholics Anonymous.
