EastEnders spoilers follow.
Ever since EastEnders’ flashforward episode on New Year’s Day, fans have been trying to work out the answers to all the mysteries that were set up to unfold throughout 2026. We already know who the mystery man hanging around with Oscar Branning is but we’re no closer to finding who will be tying the knot with Max Branning on 1 January 2027.
In the flashforward, Max was revealed to be getting married to a mystery woman on New Year’s Day 2027, and he was also shown to be sharing a bed with a pregnant woman who isn’t his bride.
Many fans have speculated that Max’s bride could be Linda Carter, with the pair getting closer ever since he arrived back on the Square.
Max is the father of Linda’s daughter Annie (a fact he only found out recently) and he’s been staying in Peacock Palace while he gets himself set up back in Walford.
Last week Linda and Max shared a kiss after he supported her when she found out her son Ollie was being bullied.
BBC
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But Linda later regretted the smooch when she realised Max had been hiding the identity of Ollie’s bully from her, as it was his grandson Louie.
Still, Max has made clear to Lauren that he has feelings for Linda that he believes are real.
Tonight (Tuesday 17 February), Max brought Louie to apologise to Linda and Ollie, with Linda accepting his apology and Max’s.
She later invited Max for a drink but told Johnny it was simply ‘platonic’ and she wanted her and Max to learn how to be ‘platonic co-parents’.
But Max seemed to think there was more to it, as he bought a new a tie to meet Linda in Harry’s Barn where he presented her with flowers.
BBC
As the pair got talking, Max tried to take Linda’s hand but she rebuffed him, saying she just wanted to friends and talk about co-parenting Annie.
But when Max insisted they could be more than just friends, Linda told him: “Do you know what it took for me to kiss you last week?
“There’s been no love in my life since Mick died.”
BBC
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When Max said he understood, Linda asked him why then did he ruin it by lying to her? To which he said he’d been more “slow to telling the truth” than lying.
Linda then firmly told Max: “There will never ever be an us. I cant risk it for me or Annie,” leaving Max heartbroken.
Is Linda now firmly out of the running for Max’s bride, or can he manage to win her round again?
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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