EastEnders icon sparks return rumours for 40th anniversary after posting telling snap

As EastEnders gears up to observe its 40th anniversary, fans are hoping to spot the instrumentality of immoderate of the soap's astir legendary characters, including Max Branning

EastEnders fans are connected tenterhooks implicit whispers of Jake Wood's instrumentality arsenic Max Branning, the iconic fig from Walford.

As the BBC soap gears up for its 40th day bash successful February 2025, tongues are wagging astir imaginable plots, with whispers swirling astir Max's imaginable instrumentality to Albert Square.

The landmark day is acceptable to beryllium crammed with drama, confirming tales specified arsenic Grant Mitchell's comeback, the unmasking of Cindy Beale's attacker, and Denise Fox torn betwixt Jack Branning and Ravi Gulati.

What's more, the celebratory occurrence volition spell live, teasing the assemblage with unexpected turns and the accidental of a flub oregon 2 from the cast.

Teasing the fans, enforcement honcho Chris Clenshaw said: "Whilst we're inactive keeping the finite details of the 40th adjacent to our chest, I tin committedness that it volition beryllium an unmissable week afloat of shocking twists that volition alteration Albert Square, and the lives of those who unrecorded successful it, forever," reports the Manchester Evening News.

Wood precocious caught up with his on-screen sibling Scott Maslen, who takes connected the relation of Jack Branning.

Beaming together, they took a drawback connected a nighttime out, which Scott past splashed crossed Instagram with the words, "He ain't dense he's my brother!"

This cosy get-together has sparked chatter that Jake mightiness popular backmost into EastEnders for the large 4-0, with buffs crossing their fingers for his expansive return.

Soap enthusiasts flooded the remark conception aft catching a glimpse of the photograph online. One instrumentality couldn't fell their excitement, expressing: "Lovely photo! Been saying Jake has to travel backmost to Eastenders for the day surely?!"

Another keen spectator inquired: "When is @mrjakewood coming backmost to the square?" A third, filled with hope, added: "Can't hold to spot you some connected the 40th anniversary," and yet different chimed in, speculating: "So @mrjakewood backmost for the 40th then."

Jake, famed for his portrayal of Max Branning from 2006 to 2021, was astatine the bosom of immoderate of the soap's astir explosive plots, which notably included a scandalous matter with Stacey Slater.

After 15 years of embodying the iconic character, Jake filmed his past scenes successful December 2020, with Max's storyline concluding arsenic helium moved to Croatia upon realising determination was thing near for him successful Walford.

EastEnders airs Mondays-Thursdays astatine 7:30pm connected BBC One