EastEnders' Max Bowden seen kissing new girlfriend ahead of surprise BBC soap return

Max Bowdenwas spotted planting a kiss on his new girlfriend ahead of his shock return to the EastEnders lineup later this year. The actor who plays Ben Mitchell on the long-running BBC soap was spotted locking lips with co-star Tori Allen-Martin.

The duo had shared the stage together in the musical Midnight Cowboy and appear to be getting closer. The 30-year-old kissed his fellow star on her birthday.

The image shared to Instagram showed Tori wrapping her arms around the actor as he leaned in for a peck. The sweet image seemingly confirmed the pair's relationship status after sources claimed they had "hit it off pretty much straight away".

The insider told The Sun: "They have the same sense humour and Max was always making her laugh, they just got each other. Neither was looking for romance, it just kind of happened."

They added that the duo are "having a lot of fun together".

Tori, 39, is best known for her appearance on BBC's Here We Go sitcom. She also plays a role on London Kills, where she takes on the part of trainee detective Billie Fitzgerald.

Max, meanwhile, is known for being the most recent actor to portray the role of Ben Mitchell in EastEnders. He left Walford in 2023, with his partying lifestyle said to have been a key factor.

However, he is now readying himself for a return to Albert Square with new boss of the soap Ben Wadey up for giving him another chance. Last month it was claimed he would be the latest in a line of faces from the past returning.

Recently, Zoe Slater, played by Michelle Ryan, made a brief comeback. However, after shocking fans with her return, the short-lived stint quickly saw her disappear again.

It's not yet known how long Max will remain on the soap this time around, with it said to be a short spell to start with. There is reportedly scope for a permanent return, though.

The star was axed the BBC soap in December 2023 after playing Ben Mitchell for five years. His final scenes played out in April the following year as his character left the show after being arrested for an international crime, and is now in prison in America.

Ben is still mentioned from time to time. Every now and then Phil, who recently went through a mental health crisis, picks up the phone to speak to his son.

A source recently claimed to the Sun of the reported return: “Ben had a list of characters he wanted to bring back and Ben Mitchell was one. It’s taken a little while to sort out but Max will be back filming on Albert Square later this year.

“Ben wanted to meet Max and see where his head was at," the source continued before revealing that the new boss had been to see the actor in the musical Midnight Cowboy.

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