EastEnders star confirms Max Branning return date and teases "jam-packed" flashforward episode
Max Branning will stay on brand with being at the centre of festive drama.
Actor Jake Wood has confirmed Max Branning’s return date in EastEnders.
The BBC One soap aired a shorter return for Max in the Autumn, but now he will be back full-time from December.
Speaking on The One Show on Friday (28th November 2025), Jake Wood revealed when fans can expect Max to be back in Walford.
Max’s return episode will air on 16th December 2025.
This episode follows the return of Max’s former lover, Linda Carter (Kellie Bright), the previous day, after leaving Walford in July for a world cruise.
Fans will be well aware that Linda and Max’s family are hiding from him the fact that Linda’s daughter, Annie Carter, is in fact Max’s daughter.
Referring to the secret keeping by the other Brannings, Wood revealed: "That’ll be a big betrayal for Max."
Max was last seen leaving Walford in disgrace after causing chaos at daughter Lauren’s (Jacqueline Jossa) wedding to Peter Beale (Thomas Law), his past affair with Zoe Slater (Michelle Ryan) being exposed, and failing to convince old flame - and daughter-in-law - Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner) to take up a romance with him before she departed the UK. So, what prompts Max’s return to Albert Square?
Of course, the other big thing on the agenda for Max is that he will be the focal point of a special flashforward episode to air on New Year’s Day 2026, but it will be set on New Year’s Day 2027.
Little has been revealed about the episode, but only that it chiefly concerns Max and the Brannings and will pose questions about what happens in 2026 and then what will happen next.
Wood revealed on The One Show that filming recently concluded on the instalment before teasing it further.
"Max is in a lot of trouble in the lead-up," teased Wood. "Those episodes are amazing."
He continued: “Then, suddenly, we cut to The Vic, and it’s not New Year’s Day 2026, it’s New Year’s Day 2027. We see Max, obviously, he’s had a very busy year; he’s been in lots of drama; there have been a lot of events that have happened.
"I think the audience is really going to love it. There’s gonna be so much speculation.
"And it’s just a really interesting way of telling the story because over the next year we’re going to build up to what we’ve seen."
He noted, "Honestly, it’s so jam-packed. Full of questions."
Wood teased that the episode will be both "intriguing" and "confusing" for viewers, with the cast themselves joining in the intense speculation.
Just what trouble has Max got himself into this time?
Elsewhere, the coming week will see the departures of Freddie Slater (Bobby Brazier) and Anna Knight (Molly Rainford) as the couple head off travelling, while the week after will see the return of another Walford troublemaker: Sam Mitchell (Kim Medcalf).
However, aside from mischief, Sam has an emotive and important storyline for her return stint.
Read more:
- 5 EastEnders spoilers: Teddy Mitchell receives verdict in murder trial as Sam stands accused of being Zoe's tormentor
- EastEnders director reveals "eye-opening" experience crafting special Nigel Bates episode – and his incredible resilience to land the job
- EastEnders airs shock passion for Zoe Slater following intriguing tormenter twist in BBC iPlayer release
- EastEnders 2025 Christmas preview: Four major returns as Max Branning bombshells implode in a face-off with Cindy Beale
- EastEnders star Alice Haig confirms aftermath of Vicki Fowler's shock kiss with Zack Hudson in BBC iPlayer release
- EastEnders airs shocking sacrifice following brutal death in BBC iPlayer release
EastEnders confirms explosive return of Mitchell icon this Christmas - but why have they returned?
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Lewis is the News and Trends Editor at Radio Times and leads our approach to news, reactive content, and serving audience demands and interests. An obsessive fan of television and film, Lewis is a Nicole Kidman fanatic with a side of passion for science-fiction, art-house cinema and the latest HBO drama. Lewis has a degree in Psychology and a Masters in Film Studies. After working in advertising, Lewis worked at The Mirror for three years in community management and SEO, showbiz, film and television reporting.
