![\"Cindy](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/543335-63f2.jpg\")
\n\t\tShe\u2019s always involved in some sort of drama (Picture: BBC)<\/p>\n
\t\t
\n\t\tShe\u2019s always involved in some sort of drama (Picture: BBC)<\/p>\n
Cindy Beale<\/a> (Michelle Collins<\/a>) is back in Walford in time for Christmas<\/a> in EastEnders. The problem is though, so is Max Branning<\/a> (Jake Wood<\/a>).<\/p>\n Max and Cindy\u2019s paths have never crossed, but Cindy already has plenty of reason to hate him.<\/p>\n During the storyline that saw Max get revenge on those who accused him of killing Lucy Beale<\/a>, he manipulated Steven Beale, Cindy\u2019s son, into helping him with it.<\/p>\n This was because Max discovered Steven was pretending to have a brain tumour.<\/p>\n The plot saw Max set fire to the restaurant with the intent of leaving Jane Beale<\/a> to die inside. When Max found Steven trying to rescue Jane, he shoved him into a countertop.<\/p>\n Steven was rushed to hospital after this, but he died as a result of the injuries sustained in the fire. Cindy knows that if Max wasn\u2019t so hellbent on destroying Jane\u2019s life, Steven probably would still be alive.<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t Max has returned to Albert Square because he wants to show his family that he\u2019s a changed man. In the lead up to Christmas Day though, he does an awful job at showing this as he vents his frustrations among his family following the exposure of a secret.<\/p>\n Vowing to support him, Lauren (Jacqueline Jossa<\/a>) and Jack (Scott Maslen) believe they\u2019ve talked Max out of acting irrationally, but their intentions are scuppered when Max accepts advice from Zoe Slater (Michelle Ryan).<\/a><\/p>\n On Christmas Day, Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt) and Peter Beale (Thomas Law) are forced to spring into action to keep a returning Cindy away from Max.<\/p>\n As the dinner commences, it\u2019s not long before chaos ensues when more than one truth sparks fireworks at the dinner table for everyone involved.<\/p>\n \u2018He\u2019s obviously got history with Linda, who hasn\u2019t told him that Annie is his daughter, and neither has his family, so I\u2019m sure Max would be heartbroken to not only discover he\u2019s been kept in the dark, and away from the chance of being Annie\u2019s dad for the last four years, but that his family have played a part in it all\u2019, star Jake Wood said.<\/p>\n \t\t \u2018Then there\u2019s Cindy, who blames Max for her son Steven\u2019s death and his involvement with Lucy, and they\u2019ve never come face-to-face before, so there has to be a showdown between the pair which we will see at Jimmy\u2019s Christening. I can\u2019t say much at this stage, but they were great scenes to film. There\u2019s also all the family stuff with Max, Lauren, Oscar and Jack, so there is a lot of unfinished business awaiting him when he returns.<\/p>\n \u2018There\u2019s also lots going on with a lot of other big families in Walford, so it\u2019s a good balance of high drama and chaos across the festive period! Watch this space.\u2019<\/p>\n With the events of Christmas looming over Walford, the Beales and Brannings attempt to put on a brave face to celebrate Jimmy\u2019s christening.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tCan\u2019t wait for the next twist?\t\t\t<\/p>\n Hi, I\u2019m Calli Kitson, Soaps reporter at Metro.\u00a0I cover Emmerdale, EastEnders, Corrie and more.<\/p>\n If you want to stay up to date on the latest spoilers, sign up to\u00a0our daily Soaps Newsletter<\/a>.<\/p>\n \t\t From the big moments to the gossip you can\u2019t miss, it\u2019s all in your inbox every morning.\u00a0Sign up now<\/a>.<\/p>\n Lauren and Peter are a bit distracted, however, as they\u2019re worrying about Cindy and Max meeting for the first time. To prevent any drama, they decide to uninvite Max.<\/p>\n However, when Lauren later finds her dad upset over not being invited, she changes her mind.<\/p>\n When Cindy learns about Max attending, she refuses to go, but he then clashes with Jack, which leads him to not being allowed to attend anyways.<\/p>\n Ignoring everyone, Max heads to the church and unsurprisingly, it isn\u2019t long until he causes a commotion with Cindy\u2026<\/p>\n Arrow Arrow Arrow![\"Jack](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/1765587248_41_543374-dea6.jpg\")
\n\t\tMax wants to prove he\u2019s changed (Picture: BBC)<\/p>\n![\"Max](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/543440-ccc5.jpg\")
\n\t\tMax was the reason Steven Beale died (Picture: BBC)<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-08-28-144150-ba9c.png\")
\n\t\tSign up to receive my latest stories (Picture: Calli Kitson)<\/p>\n
\nMORE: EastEnders\u2019 full Christmas and New Year schedule for 2025 as Max\u2019s life implodes<\/a><\/p>\n
\nMORE: Jo Joyner and Laurie Brett reunite \u2013 why it\u2019s the perfect time for an EastEnders return<\/a><\/p>\n
\nMORE: Christmas Day destroyed in EastEnders as Max Branning goes full Max Branning<\/a><\/p>\n