As Max Branning makes his highly anticipated return to EastEnders, fans have been eagerly trying to work out what’s to come
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It’s the soap comeback every EastEnders fan has been waiting for and it’s safe to say Max Branning’s return to Walford didn’t disappoint.
The iconic character, played by Jake Wood, arrived unannounced in the Queen Vic during his daughter Lauren Branning (Jacqueline Jossa) and new son-in-law Peter Beale’s (Thomas Law) wedding reception at the end of Tuesday’s (September 30) episode.
Max arrived at the pub just in time to catch Lauren’s bouquet and triumphantly declared: “Must be my lucky day!”
Everyone was left stunned by his entrance, with former love interest Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner) visibly taken aback while daughter Lauren stood in shock.
Max’s return to was announced earlier this year, but it’s yet to be revealed the exact reason he’s decided to come to Walford.
It’s likely that he’s come to track down ex-lover Zoe Slater (Michelle Ryan) after they had a bust-up at their last meeting, but two of his children, Lauren and Oscar (Pierre Moullier), are both living on the Square and have revealed they’ve had no contact with their dad for several years.
Fans at home have been eagerly trying to work out exactly what Max’s return storyline will be but some are convinced he’s only back for a brief visit and will exit again but with a certain Walford resident.
“From the looks of next week’s spoilers it looks like Max is only back for this week which indicates he might leave the Square with Stacey on Thursday night and then come back on his own later in the year. Unless the Max spoilers for next week are embargoed #EastEnders,” one fan wrote on X.
Stacey has been deciding whether to go and join her brother Sean Slater in Brazil after he invited her to help run his new restaurant. However, she’s felt guilty about leaving her family behind.
Some fans aren’t sure Max would be keen to head to Brazil with Stacey, especially as he’s never seen eye-to-eye with her brother Sean, who once dated Max’s ex-wife Tanya Turner (Jo Joyner).
“Somehow I can’t see him actually leaving with Stacey if she’s actually going to Brazil to work with Sean as Sean always hated Max’s guts and Max is a stranger to Hope and Arthur,” one fan wrote.
Or could Max’s return prompt Stacey to leave? One fan wondered: “Stacey’s final incentive for leaving will be Max’s return #eastenders.”
EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday on BBC One and episodes are also released at 6am on BBC iPlayer
