Celebrity Apprentice's Jake Wood: Secret artist side hustle, his wife, look-a-like kids and EastEnders comeback
Will Lord Alan Sugar want to hire or fire Jake?Jake Wood is one of 12 brave stars hoping to show their worth in tonight’s Celebrity Apprentice – but who is he?
The actor will be putting on his business head (if he has one!) in hope of impressing Lord Alan Sugar.
Jake and his fellow celebs will be flown to Lapland for the Christmas special and challenged with raising money for Children in Need.
But how much do you know about Jake Wood? Here we lift the lid on the actor’s life, including who he wife is, his look-a-like children and why he left EastEnders… and then came back!
Who is Jake Wood? How old is he?
Jake Wood was born on July 12, 1972. This makes him 53 years old.
Jake is a Londoner through and through, having been born in Westminster to a French mother and English father. He went to Highbury Grove School (now named City of London Academy Highbury Grove).
Jake showed a talent for performing as a child. He later decided to pursue acting as a career and trained at the Anna Scher Drama School.
Sadly, Jake says he was bullied at school for having red hair. In 2022, he showed his support to Anti-Bullying Week by opening up about his own experience.
He said: “I was ginger and so there was name-calling and being picked on. Any nicknames you can think of for someone with red hair, I was given them.
“I would stand up to it and it hasn’t had an impact on me. But it depends on your character. Not everybody is in the same position. If you’re unlucky it can be very bad.”
What has Jake Wood been in?
Jake started his career with supporting roles in TV shows including Only Fools and Horses, Silent Witness and A Touch of Frost. He also starred in Press Gang, Casualty and Red Dwarf.
But in 2006 he quickly became a household name after landing the part of Max Branning in EastEnders. Jake had actually appeared in the BBC soap in 1990 as a homeless man for two episodes, but Max was a much bigger role.
Jake’s character arrived in Albert Square with his wife Tanya (played by Jo Joyner) and their daughters Abi and Lauren. Max was also dad to Bradley and he and Tanya later had a son together called Oscar.
During his time in EastEnders, Max was involved in some huge storylines. On Christmas Day in 2007, fans were gripped as his affair with Stacey Slater (played by Lacey Turner) was exposed.
Tanya later tried to bury Max alive as revenge. He was also framed for Lucy Beale’s murder in 2015.
Why did Jake Wood leave EastEnders?
Jake played Max in EastEnders until February 2021 before bowing out. At the time, he said he was leaving because he wanted to focus on other acting projects.
He wrote on Instagram at the time: “After 15 years I will be leaving Eastenders at the end of this year.
“I have loved playing Max Branning who amongst other things in that time has had 4 marriages, 10 affairs, 4 children (2 dying from falling from the roof of The Queen Vic), been buried alive, watched unwanted DVDs at Xmas and perhaps most traumatising of all…shared a hot tub with Ian Beale.”
Jake went on to co-host the podcast, Wood Wehn In The Membrane, with his pal Henning Wehn.
But in September this year, Jake made a surprise EastEnders comeback. He reprised the role of Max, who is now in an unexpected relationship with Cindy Beale.
Jake Wood the artist
During his break from EastEnders, Jake began working as a professional artist. He now describes himself as an “actor by day, artist by night”.
Jake sells his artwork at Vache Bleue Galleries in St Albans, Hertfordshire. One of his recent customers was iconic Brit actor Ray Winstone.
Jake’s artwork is bright, bold and graffiti style and often relates to political figures or pop culture. He sells prints for around £100 each.
View this post on Instagram
Who is Jake Wood’s wife?
Jake has been married to his wife, Alison Murray, since 2001. In 2018, they renewed their vows in front of family and friends in a mini Glastonbury Festival-style ceremony.
Alison is believed to work in fashion. Earlier this year, she and Jake celebrated their anniversary with a trip to the coast. Alongside a snap taken in a hot tub, Alison said: “24 years married…. 30 years together!!! Happy Anniversary @mrjakewood.
“I fall in love with you over and over again as the years go by. Thank you for sharing this crazy life with me through the ups and downs.” Aww!
How many children does Jake Wood have?
Jake and Alison have two children together. Their daughter Amber Bo turned 20 earlier this year and she shares a passion for fashion like her mum. She aspires to be a successful model.
Their son is called Buster, he is 16 years old and is a keen footballer. Alison and Jake sometimes shares pictures of Amber and Buster online and we’d be lying if we said they don’t look like their dad!
The family live in a converted school house in Hertfordshire.
Jake Wood in The Celebrity Apprentice
Jake is starring in tonight’s Celebrity Apprentice with 11 other famous faces, including Miranda actress Sarah Hadland, TV presenter Rob Rinder and Paralympian Kadeena Cox. See the full Celebrity Apprentice line-up here.
In tonight’s episode, Jake and his fellow candidates will be flown to Lapland. Once there, they will be split into two teams and tasked with designing and making Christmas biscuits.
They will then have to pitch their biscuit brands to leading industry experts. The team that impresses the most will be ‘hired by Lord Alan Sugar. He will ‘fire’ the other team.
What time does The Celebrity Apprentice start?
The Celebrity Apprentice starts tonight at 9pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer (Monday December 29, 2025). The show is on for one hour, with an end time of 10pm.
Tonight, the celebs will be seen arriving in Lapland and designing their biscuits. The good news is that you don’t have long to wait for the second instalment.
Episode 2 will also start at 9pm on Tuesday December 30 on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. In the second show, the celebrity candidates will be pitching their biscuit brands to businesses – and one team will be fired.
If all this is enough to whet your appetite, you’re in luck. The BBC has confirmed a full series of The Celebrity Apprentice will air in 2026. Yippee. We can’t wait for it!
Read more: The Masked Singer: When the ITV show is back on as the 2026 characters are revealed
