EastEnders fans left in shock as Keanu Taylor is brutally murdered on Christmas Day by Martin Fowler… but some are convinced he is still alive
EastEnders‘ Keanu Taylor was shot dead by Martin Fowler in a hard-hitting Christmas Day episode.
All hell broke loose after Keanu’s affair with Sharon Mitchell and the fact he is the father of her unborn child was revealed.
Phil Mitchell took his revenge on Keanu, the boyfriend of his daughter Louise, by ordering Martin Fowler to shoot the character dead.
Shocking: EastEnders’s Keanu Taylor was shot dead by Martin Fowler in a hard-hitting Christmas Day episode
Ben, Phil’s son, was seen watching the moment Keanu was shot by Martin on his phone
Although his death wasn’t a surprise – actor Danny Walters, 26, had announced he was leaving the soap – it was unclear how his character was going to meet his demise.
Phil had been plotting his revenge for days after finally learning that Sharon had an affair with Keanu, and that the mechanic was actually the father of her unborn child.
The soap hardman’s old facade returned to the surface as he violently lashed out earlier this week, but son Ben convinced him to set the stage for an explosive revelation on Christmas Day.
I have to do this: Martin shot Keanu dead after being blackmailed by Phil Mitchell over his hit-and-run
Please don’t shoot: Keanu was seen begging for his life before he was shot by Martin
Ben blackmailed Martin into killing Keanu by threatening to expose his recent hit-and-run.
Phil and his accomplice son then made sure they would not be under suspicion by remaining in Queen Vic pub all day.
Despite several Walford residents finding out the truth about Sharon’s affair, last week Phil was convinced that she cheated on him with Jack Branning.
Video: Martin proved he had killed Keanu by filming it and showing the evidence to Ben Mitchell, Phil’s son
Keanu’s involvement proved to be an even more devastating blow because he was also the father of Louise’s new baby girl Peggy.
Louise had instrumental part in Keanu’s death as she was seen to have led him to believe they were fleeing together.
But she then told him: ‘Never take a Mitchell for a fool’.
Martin then appeared and knocked out Keanu before taking him to an isolated building and shooting him.
Keeping up appearances: Keanu’s girlfriend Louise Mitchell, Phil’s daughter, had instrumental part in Keanu’s death as she was seen to have led him to believe they were fleeing together
Clearly traumatised by what he had done, Martin emerged with blood on his face, along with a tortured expression.
To prove he had done the brutal deed, he then showed Keanu’s moment of death on his phone.
Many fans had been convinced that Phil’s revenge would turn deadly, given actor Danny had already announced that he would be leaving the soap, and had been spotted filming scenes which saw his character bid farewell to mum Karen at the airport.
Phil was also seen in an emotional stand-off with Sharon before he threw his pregnant wife out of the house.
He also told her he would fight for custody of her son Dennis after Phil legally adopted him two years previously.
You’ve betrayed me: Phil was also seen in an emotional stand-off with Sharon before he threw his pregnant wife Sharon out of the house
Bad choice: Sharon had an affair with Keanu, who was secretly the father of her unborn child