Scrooge changed his ways at Christmas time. In Max Branning’s (Jake Wood) case in EastEnders, convincing everyone he’s turned over a new leaf might take more than three ghosts.
The womanising, hot-headed scheming businessman has brought nothing but chaos to Albert Square, his selfish behaviour and constant self-destruction causing huge issues for his own family and the Beales.
Greatest hits include betraying the whole square by working with the Willmott-Browns, his fake relationship with Carmel Kazemi, leaving Jane to die in a fire, throttling Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt), and the traumatic ordeal that led to Lauren and Abi falling from the Queen Vic roof.
Then again, what else can you expect from a man who had a steamy affair with Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner), his own daughter in law? After making an enemy of practically every husband in Walford, Max departed the Square in 2021, briefly returning this early this year only to depart quickly shortly after Stacey saw him kissing Zoe Slater (Michelle Ryan). Classic Max.
But this Christmas, there’s a miracle on Albert Square as Max has returned determined to prove that he’s a changed man. Good luck with that one. After years of lying and cheating, he’s got more history with his wife Linda than the hundred years war.
‘He doesn’t even know that Annie is his daughter, and as for Cindy, she’s still got a bone to pick with him over the whole ‘you shoved my son to his death in a burning restaurant’ thing. Max has got his work cut out to earn redemption, and actor Jake Wood agrees.
‘“Max is busy!’ He laughs. ‘very busy! He’s got a lot of history with a lot of the residents, some of whom he’s met before and others he’s yet to meet. A lot has happened since we last saw Max, but also since he permanently lived in Walford, so there’s a mountain of secrets waiting to be exposed, and a whole lot of drama.”
In the lead up to Christmas, Max does what he does best – alienate everybody. Without giving away too many juicy spoilers, let’s just say his latest actions make him persona non grata in the Square.
Jake gives us a tease of the festive drama. ‘Based on their history alone, it’s clear that a Christmas dinner between the Beales and the Brannings is not the best idea.’ He explains. ‘Added to all of that pent up resentment, Max is also brewing on something Oscar has drunkenly revealed to him, so expect a classic EastEnders Christmas showdown.”
Max decides to try and make amends with his son, only to get waylaid by Linda. Desperate to put the unfortunate events of Christmas behind them, Lauren Branning (Jacqueline Jossa) and Peter decide to focus on Jimmy’s christening. Try as they might to celebrate the happy day, they cannot help but worry about Cindy coming face to face with Max for the first time.
Because of Max’s decidedly unfestive behaviour, Lauren and Peter decide to tell him that he isn’t invited. However, when Lauren sees Max upset over not being excluded, she of course changes her mind and lets the winner of Walford’s Biggest Victim Complex Award join them to wet the baby’s head. Who could possibly object to that?
Cindy, for one. She refuses to go to the church if Max is going. But she needn’t worry. In classic Max Branning form, he clashes with his brother Jake (Scott Malsen) and get uninvited again anyway. The only thing Max could do to make this worse is to ignore his family’s wishes and turn up to the Christening anyway…. Which is obviously exactly what he does.
As 2026 dawns, a shocking flashforward episode will give audiences a tantalising glimpse of what the future holds for Max as we find him and his family embroiled in drama on New Year’s Day – in 2027.
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Hi, I’m Maisie Spackman, a Soaps reporter at Metro. I cover all the latest spoilers and gossip from Weatherfield to Walford.
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Will Max ever successfully turn over a new leaf? Or will he forever be on Santa’s naughty list? Jake sheds some light on his characters motivations for coming back to the Square.
“I think ultimately, he wants to right his previous parenting wrongs with Lauren and Oscar. When he briefly returned in the Autumn, it was clear that Lauren and Oscar were ready to wash their hands with him, and who can blame them as Max hasn’t been much of a dad in the last five years.
‘Even though Max makes more mistakes than most, I do believe that his heart is in the right place, and so he’s determined to return and put things right with his kids and prove he can step up as their dad.”
Well, that makes one of us…
