Phil Nail

Phil Nail was Gail Platt's love interest and boyfriend between 2005 and 2006.

Biography
Phil met Gail Platt at the Medical Centre in Weatherfield when he began work there as a reflexologist. He offered Gail a free foot session upon meeting her and it became obvious that Gail fancied him. He also met Eileen Grimshaw who also took a shine to him. Eileen tried to book an appointment with Phil at the Medical Centre but Gail told her he was fully booked. Both Gail and Eileen later booked an appointment with him and Gail asked him round for dinner. He refused, as he was booked to do Eileen's feet at her house. The following morning, Phil's car was still parked outside Eileen's and Gail assumed he'd stayed the night. However, it was revealed that Phil's car was parked there for an MOT at the garage. Lacking confidence, Eileen enlisted lodger Sean Tully to help chat him up. Sean booked a reflexology session with Phil and planned to leave Phil alone with Eileen. After seeing Phil enter Eileen's house once more, Gail filed a complaint to Donald, the Health Centre Manager, claiming that Phil's "affair" with Eileen was unethical as she was his patient. Despite this, he dismissed the complaint claiming there was no case to answer. Whilst talking with Phil, Eileen made the mistake of telling Phil about Gail's past sagas, making Gail sound like a very interesting woman. Gail later insisted that Donald take action and Phil berated Gail after receiving a hauling. She was mortified to discover that he and Eileen had not actually been sleeping together. Phil also insisted that he wanted nothing more to do with Gail, but she apologised and he accepted, agreeing to take her out for a meal.

During a date, Phil later asked Gail if he could use her life with Richard Hillman as a subject for his degree dissertation on victims of crime. Horrified, she left the restaurant in a daze. Hearing how difficult life had been for Gail since her marriage to Richard, Phil told her that although he did want to interview her, he'd be happy to see her on whatever basis. Gail subsequently asked her children, David and Sarah, to open up about their feelings regarding Richard. David, however, blamed Gail for bringing Hillman back into their lives. Meanwhile, Eileen continued to set her sights on Phil and Sean asked him to ask her out on a date. Phil brought her a foot spa but she was unimpressed. Sean booked another foot massage with Phil but was too ticklish, so he did Eileen's instead. When Eileen and Phil were about to kiss, her son Jason walked in and the moment was lost. Whilst Phil interview Sarah, Gail went to the Rovers Return Inn and saw Eileen dolled up about Phil. Gail angrily threw Phil out of her house, accusing him of using her family. However, Gail admitted she really fancied Phil but David and Sarah told her that he was a creep and she'd be better off without him. However, Phil apologised to Gail for any misunderstanding, destroying the tapes of his interviews with her family. He suggested they start afresh and they arranged another date.

Gail cancelled a date with Phil after seeing how much Sarah was worried about it, telling him she needed to spend the evening with her. However, Gail persuaded Sarah to give Phil a chance. When Phil takes Gail out for dinner once more, he opened up to her about how his younger brother drowned. Gail then took Phil home, but David was rude to him and he left feeling awkward. Gail was disappointed when Phil didn't phone her, unaware that David had been deleting messages from him. When Phil had dinner at Gail's again, they kissed but Gail resisted when he tried to lead her up to the bedroom. In emotional turmoil, she broke down and asked him to leave. Gail later regretted her actions and told Phil that it was difficult for her to trust another man because of Richard Hillman. Gail and Phil finally spent the night together after another dinner date.

When David had a fight with Jason Grimshaw in November 2005, Phil confirmed Jason's story that David attacked him when he was questioned by the police. This annoyed Gail, but Phil was adamant that David needed to take responsibility for his own actions.

In December 2005, David annoyed Phil by treating Gail badly. David was also annoyed at the prospect of Phil having Christmas dinner with them. When Phil's flat flooded, he moved in with the Platts and David was furious. David was brought home by the police after he tried to get into Phil's flat to check if it was flooded. Gail forgave him for the incident but Phil thought she was too soft with him.

In January 2006, David continued to irritate Phil by treating Gail like a slave and by mimicking his accent. Phil tried to reason with David but he made it clear he wanted Phil out of his mother's life. Whilst Gail was out David was rude to Phil, telling him to clear off. Phil lost his temper, grabbing David and throwing him against the wall, telling him he needed to learn his lesson. David subsequently threatened to report him to the police. When Gail arrived home, David told her what had happened but Phil lied, saying he shouted but never laid a finger on him. Gail believed him and hit David across the face when he accused her of caring more about Phil than her children. Phil later tried to smooth things over with David once more but he refused to stop his hate campaign.

When Phil and David seemed to have finally started to get along, Phil annoyed David by patronizing him and David slammed the car boot on his hand whilst they were unloading the shopping for Gail. Gail called an ambulance but Phil covered up for David claiming it was an accident. Phil was unable to work for several weeks because of his hand. After David returned from a visit to his father Martin, Phil apologised to David for pinning him up against the wall and told him he'd tell Gail the truth if he agreed to bury the hatchet, but David refused. When David continued to wind him up, Phil threatened to trap his hand in the door to give him a taste of his own medicine.

When Gail received a hoax Valentine's card from Richard Hillman, her mother Audrey suggested Phil was behind it. Later in March 2006, she received an anniversary card from Richard and questioned whether Phil had sent it. He denied and insisted it must have been David. Audrey also received a Mother's day card from Richard and suspected Phil, although Gail defended him initially. When Gail also began to suspect him, he pestered her to realise he wasn't involved but lost his temper and grabbed her arm in an effort to make her listen. David leapt to her defence but Phil pushed him over. Gail told him to leave and that she never wanted to see him again. She apologised to Sarah and David for bringing another violent man into their lives.

Phil later rang Gail in May 2006 but David unplugged the phone to stop them talking, as he suspected him of sending the ongoing Richard Hillman cards.