Who knew Phil Mitchell could swim?

His onscreen character Phil Mitchell wouldn't be caught dead in a wetsuit.
But Steve McFadden is no stranger to the constricting feel of Neoprene as he stepped up once again to take part in the RNLI Castle-To-Castle swim on Sunday.
A regular entrant to the watery event, the 54-year old EastEnders actor joined 400 other charity swimmers in Cornwall.

Far from Walford! Steve McFadden takes part in the RNLI Castle To Castle Swim in Cornwall

Steve jumped in the water and swam one mile between Pendennis Headland and St Mawes across the River Fal, in the race that takes place every year.

Wearing a full body wetsuit, yellow swim cap and blue goggles, it was hard to distinguish the TV star from the other swimmers who were all wearing the same attire.
Only his race number (208) marked him out from the crowd of people raising money for the Royal National Lifeboat Institute, a charity dedicated to saving lives at sea by providing a 24-hour lifeboat search and rescue service around UK coasts.

No. 208: Steve was one of 400 people taking part in the race and raising money for the Royal National Lifeboat Institute

Streamline: The actor threw on a wet suit for the river swim in the River Fal on Sunday

Training: Steve has been training for the race in his free time from filming EastEnders

In 2009 McFadden completed the castle-to-castle swim in 46 minutes but this year, the EastEnders star completed the race in 37 minutes and 36 seconds.
Last year's swim raised more than £30,000 for the charity's services in Devon and Cornwall, but the actor was unable to comete due to his work commitments during the Jubilee celebrations.
The 2013 event ran on Sunday at midday to coincide with a neap high tide - the lowest level of high tide.

Limbering up: Steve stretches out before the charity race begins on Sunday

Clear day: Swimmers jumped in the water and swam one mile between Pendennis and St Mawes Castles.

Guy Botterill, RNLI Community Fundraising Manager, says: ‘Thanks to all the participants over the past five years we’ve been able to raise a tremendous amount of money for the RNLI, which has gone directly to helping saving lives at sea by supporting RNLI lifeguards on our beaches around the south west coastline.
'The swim is an absolutely fantastic event largely run by volunteers, and without them it would simply not be possible.'

Charity: The event raises money for the Royal National Lifeboat Institute