An EastEnders fan favourite is set to tie the knot again, but the identity of his bride is being kept under wraps.
EastEnders’ Max Branning, portrayed by Jake Wood, will walk down the aisle for the fifth time on New Year’s Day 2027 in a daring flashforward episode that the actor has described as “brave, big and bold.”
The special standalone instalment of the long-running BBC One soap will jump a year into the future, centring on Max’s wedding day and offering viewers a glimpse of what lies ahead for the character.
The half-hour episode is set to deliver a fast-paced mix of unfolding events, all with Max firmly at the centre of the drama.
Speaking about the innovative episode, Jake, 53, said: “It’s brave, it’s big, it’s bold. It’s a real privilege to be part of it.”
He went on to say that the run-up to New Year is a hectic period for the Brannings, with Max attempting to reconnect with his children — though with little success.
“By New Year’s Eve, I think he’s probably at the lowest point we’ve ever seen him,” he explained. “Then we move into the flashforward.”
Describing the two episodes as a “stark contrast,” Jake added that viewers will see Max at rock bottom before jumping ahead in time to a point where things appear to be slightly less bleak.
EastEnders executive producer Ben Wadey said: “For Max, life is like one big game of Kiss, Marry, Kill.”
He explained that the concept quickly sparked excitement among the team, adding that it unleashes a great deal of chaos.
Meanwhile, Jacqueline Jossa, who plays Lauren Branning, teased that the year ahead will be “very interesting” for her on-screen family.
Speaking about Lauren’s baby son, Jimmy, the 33-year-old revealed that a christening is on the way.
“You can imagine how it unfolds, but it’s incredibly interesting,” she said. “We see people meeting for perhaps the first time. It’s very dramatic, but it makes for brilliant television.”
Earlier, the BBC soap gave viewers a sneak peek with a flashforward scene in February 2023, hinting at the Christmas Day 2023 storyline.
Max, played by Jake Wood, first arrived in Walford in June 2006 alongside his then-wife Tanya and their daughters, Lauren and Abi.
He left the show in 2021 after his character’s romance with Linda Carter ended, before returning earlier this year.
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