I don't think anything is mad or random at this point
Ive had a similar discussions on a whatsapp family group chat recently the wildest was from my cousin who's just as big of an EE fan as myself so I had to allow it as valid was the following -
Phil sleeping with the total nutter and loose cannon Emma (Patsy Kensit) was all for a bigger purpose
So Christmas day she turns up at the Vic out of no where her usual unhinged self and for the ultimate revenge of his treatment of her, she reveals her truth of the fling and him forceably keeping her away from Lexi, she goes in for the kill with Phil BUT wanting to always be the hero for Kat and the boys Alfie steps in the way and instead of losing his life to cancer he heroically dies protecting Kats man for her, basically its Shane Ritchies big send off.
(Personally I still think its Ian killed by Cindy)