EastEnders spoilers follow.
EastEnders boss Ben Wadey has responded to calls for Tanya Branning to return following Max’s big comeback.
Fans have been wondering whether Jo Joyner will reprise her role as Tanya now that Max is heading back to Walford.
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The BBC soap has been working on rejuvenating the Branning family in recent months – with Pierre Moullier taking over the role of Oscar, and Jake Wood signing up for a full-time return as Max.
With Max’s ex-wife Tanya still the missing link, executive producer Wadey was asked about her at an EastEnders press event this week.
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“We’ve just given you Max and Zoe!” he jokingly replied.
Wadey continued: “Jo is amazing, isn’t she? We’ve also got an amazing cast. We’ve got a huge cast and brilliant performers, that all deserve and need stories.”
The rest of the cast also weighed in, with Jacqueline Jossa – who plays Lauren – quipping that she’s been “texting” Jo to sound her out.
Meanwhile, Scott Maslen – who plays Jack – suggested: “We need a bit of naughty Max first, don’t we? We need him back for a while for her to come and sort him out.”
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There’s plenty to keep Max busy when he makes his return – from unfinished business with Zoe Slater, to tensions with Cindy Beale over the death of her son Steven.
Max also still doesn’t know that Linda Carter’s daughter Annie is his child.
Jake Wood, who plays Max, told us: “Well, there’s just so much, isn’t there? Obviously, Max has got a son [Oscar] that he hasn’t seen for a few years. He hasn’t seen Lauren. Obviously, there’s Annie that he doesn’t know about.
“Stacey might be there, might not be. Obviously, there’s the relationship with Zoe. It’s just so much. And the Brannings just interact with so many different characters, don’t they, and pull so many other characters into the story?
“So, there’s just so many ways it can go – and so many people on that Square that have unfinished business. You’ve got Cindy as well, who I think blames Max for the death of Steven.
“It’s just so rich – it’s very exciting.”
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Elaborating further on Max and Cindy, Wadey added: “I think there would be fireworks! As Jake said, Cindy blames Max for the death of her son.
“And Max is returning at a point when obviously Lauren and Peter are in a relationship, so there’s a lot of Branning-Beale history. Should they meet, you’d want popcorn.”
EastEnders airs on Mondays-Thursdays at 7.30pm on BBC One. The show also streams on BBC iPlayer, where most episodes drop early at 6am ahead of their TV broadcast.
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