In October 2012, soon after Sharon returns to Walford with a six-year-old Denny in tow, Phil's latest enemy Derek Branning (Jamie Foreman) mentions that Dennis was murdered - not knowing that Sharon's six-year-old son overheard him. Denny is upset after learning the truth of his father's death, as he was told by Sharon that his father was a helicopter pilot and died while saving others. Sharon admits to her son that she lied to protect him, and although he is angry, he eventually forgives her. In January 2014, Phil finally confesses to Sharon that he had played a part in Dennis's death - having goaded him into attacking the man who went on to order his death - as Phil's conflict with Johnny ultimately led to Dennis being murdered. Sharon is furious, but then goes to visit Dennis's grave for the last time. It is at that point that Sharon realizes she needs to leave Dennis in her past, as Phil is now her future. Months later, Sharon marries Phil and he later adopts Denny in the subsequent years. But over five years later, on Christmas Day 2019, they end up splitting after Phil discovers that Sharon had an affair with his daughter's fiancee Keanu Taylor (Danny Walters). Soon afterwards, Phil seeks revenge on Keanu and they end up fighting each other in a boat on the River Thames - which ends up crashing as a result of this; Denny is among the passengers on the boat and, although everyone else survives the crash, he consequently loses his life after suffering a cardiac arrest from drowning in the ensuing carnage.