EastEnders legend fuels return rumours as he reunites with co-star weeks before 40th anniversary

EastEnders viewers are buzzing with excitement over the potential return of actor Jake Wood, who played legendary character, Max Branning.

As the BBC soap prepares to celebrate its 40th anniversary in February 2025, speculation has been mounting about which storylines will unfold, including whether Max will make a comeback to Albert Square.

The upcoming anniversary is shaping up to be a special one, with confirmed storylines including the return of Grant Mitchell, the revelation of Cindy Beale's attacker, and Denise Fox’s decision between Jack Branning and Ravi Gulati.

In addition to this, the special anniversary episode will be broadcasted live, which is set to promise plenty of unexpected twists as well as a possible slip up from the actors.

Sharing their thoughts on the anniversary, executive producer Chris Clenshaw said: "Whilst we’re still keeping the finite details of the 40th close to our chest, I can promise that it will be an unmissable week full of shocking twists that will change Albert Square, and the lives of those who live in it, forever."

Recently, Jake Wood was spotted reconnecting with his on-screen brother, Jack Branning, played by Scott Maslen.

The two actors were all smiles, posing for a photo during a night out, which Scott later shared on Instagram with the caption, "He ain’t heavy he’s my brother!"

The reunion has sparked rumors that Jake could return to EastEnders for the milestone event, with fans eagerly hoping for his reappearance.

Heading straight to the comment section after seeing the snap online, one fan wrote: "Lovely photo! Been saying Jake has to come back to Eastenders for the anniversary surely?!"

Another soap fan asked: "When is @mrjakewood coming back to the square?

"Can’t wait to