BBC/Composite: EastEnders Insider Share By Kerry Barrett Sep 4 2025 By Kerry Barrett Sep 4 2025 EastEnders star Jake Wood spills the beans on 'complicated' Max and Zoe romance Does Max still have unfinished business with Stacey? And when will he show up in Walford? Max Branning Zoe Slater Share By Kerry Barrett Sep 4 2025 By Kerry Barrett Sep 4 2025 Max Branning has returned to EastEnders -And he’s been having a romance with Zoe Slater! No one could have predicted Max and Zoe getting together – after all, they’ve never lived in Walford at the same time. It’s the twist nobody expected and we’re all super excited about what happens next. With Max’s history with the Slater family after his torrid affair with Stacey, surely this latest Slater/Branning mixture is a recipe for disaster? We caught up with Jake Wood, who plays Max, to get the lowdown on what we can expect now this huge revelation is out in the open. Max overheard that Zoe was a Slater (Credit: BBC) Max and Zoe romance explained as EastEnders’ Jake Wood spills the beans “So, Max and Zoe met out at a bar,” Jake explains. “Max overheard she was a Slater, so that sparked his interest! The old Slater radar went off!” Of course, there was the moment between the pair of them when Max commented that Zoe reminded him of Stacey. So was that all that attracted Max to another Slater woman? Article continues below Read all the latest spoilers Jake says there’s more to the relationship than simply Max hankering over Stacey. “I think the relationship between them is genuine,” he says. “I think there are feelings between them. By the time Max comes back on the Square it’s become very complicated, but I do feel they have a connection.” Jake explains that their connection is all about Zoe’s hunt for her son, while Max has lost his children Bradley and Abi, and is estranged from Oscar and Lauren. “I think a lot of the connection is down to Zoe looking for her son that she gave up for adoption,” explains Jake. “For Max that was very pertinent, it’s got deep meaning for him, not having a relationship with his kids.” So is it a love match? Jake is reluctant to reveal what happens next! “Where it goes in the future I don’t know, but for me I felt there was a connection,” he says. Jake Wood says the relationship between Max and Zoe is genuine (Credit: BBC) Max back for Stacey? Of course, all this is ignoring the Stacey-shaped elephant in the room! Just what will Max’s old-flame think about him getting together with another member of the Slater family? Jake says there’s “undoubtedly” unfinished business between Max and Stacey. “There will always be a connection with Max and Stacey,” he says. “Regardless of where they are and who they’re with, I think there will always be an emotional connection between them. They understand each other.” But Lacey Turner, who plays Stacey, will soon be departing Albert Square for an extended break. “Will Max and Stacey’s paths cross before she goes?” muses Jake. “You’ll just have to keep watching. But personally, I really hope so!” Max said Zoe reminded him of Stacey (Credit: BBC) Ben Wadey teases ‘Branning drama’ to come as Max returns to EastEnders Max is back temporarily for now, with his permanent return happening towards the end of the year. And according to Ben Wadey, the new EastEnders executive producer. Zoe could be the least of his worries! There’s plenty of drama ahead,” teases Ben. “Max has got a lot of history on the show, but there’s also a lot of secrets that Max doesn’t know about, and which other characters, including his own family, do know about.” There’s the teeny-tiny matter of Linda Carter‘s daughter Annie, who just happens to be Max’s child. Lauren and Oscar know the truth, and so does Jack. But Max doesn’t! He’s also in the dark about Stacey and Jack’s fling. Uh-oh. “Secrets tend to have a way of coming up in Walford at all the wrong times,” laughs Ben. “So I imagine there’s going to be some things that come up that are going create some drama in this family.” And because nothing’s boring when Max Branning’s around, Ben says there’s much more drama to come. Because Max is such a big personality within the square, he’s got friends there, but he’s got a lot of enemies as well. So he’s a joy to have back because everybody has a different reaction to seeing him in Walford and seeing him in their lives again. And not all of those reactions are going to be positive!” Read more: Who’s leaving, joining and returning to EastEnders? Complete list of cast exits, arrivals and returns. Share Good to Know Share By Kerry Barrett Sep 4 2025 By Kerry Barrett Sep 4 2025
