It’s been over a month since EastEnders fans witnessed Max Branning (Jake Wood) preparing to marry a mystery bride in a special flash-forward episode of the BBC One soap.
The events of the unique offering took place on New Year’s Day 2027 and raised many questions, with several mysteries and twists that will keep viewers guessing for the rest of the year.
A shocking hostage situation, a newborn baby (whose parentage has yet to be determined) and another baby on the way were among the riddles posed and it’s safe to say that speculation is already rife.
But the biggest – and perhaps most intriguing – question of all: who is Max’s new bride-to-be?
There are several options. Linda Carter (Kellie Bright), Cindy Beale (Michelle Collins), Chelsea Fox (Zaraah Abrahams) and Denise Fox (Diane Parish) were all seen getting ready for a big event on January 1 next year.
Linda somewhat feels like the obvious choice as she has developed feelings for Max since his return to Walford, with the former flames even sharing a kiss last week.
However, Max once again proved that a leopard cannot change his place because, when given the opportunity to do the right thing, he chose the wrong option and withheld crucial information from Linda when he discovered that Ollie’s (Harry Farr) bully was none other than his own grandson Louis.
His reason for keeping shtum? Because he feared it would sabotage his chances of crawling back into Linda’s arms.
When Linda learned of his betrayal, she was shocked that she had allowed herself to believe Max was a changed man, and in heated scenes told him he had made her sick.
The fact that Max gambled with her son’s safety to get what he wants should certainly rule her out of the race for his future bride. If he hasn’t changed in the five years since their last romantic entanglement, it’s unlikely he will in a few months, right?
We’re talking about Walford, of course, so there’s always the possibility that Max will manage to win her affections again, especially since they’ll be spending time together co-parenting Annie.
But even if you think Linda could give him another chance, there’s still one reason why she can’t be the New Year’s bride-to-be.
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The wedding in question will take place on January 1, the day she married Mick (Danny Dyer) in 2016.
As anyone who has watched EastEnders in the last decade will know, few soap couples had what Mick and Linda had. They were childhood sweethearts and spent most of their lives together and are firmly considered each other’s soulmates.
Their wedding was very special for Linda as she got to say ‘I do’ to Mick, who was dressed in her signature pink dressing gown at the time, before starting a new chapter of their lives together.
Mick, who tragically disappeared at sea four years ago and is presumed dead, was Linda’s absolute everything, so it’s highly unlikely she would even consider tying the knot with anyone else on the anniversary of their big day – let alone do so with Max.
As fans will recall, Linda controversially cheated on Mick with Max in 2020. The former Queen Vic landlady had come to believe that Mick was withdrawing from her at the time, completely unaware that he had just discovered he had been abused when he was 12 years old.
Fearing her marriage was over, Linda reluctantly decided to leave Mick and start a new life with Max, with the plan set in motion for New Year’s Day 2021.
When Mick told what he had been through, L was devastated to discover that she had cheated on her beloved husband when he needed her most, but realizing that there was a possibility of a future for them, she reunited with him and quickly ended her affair.
Jilted Max once again showed his true colors, making a number of plays to win Linda’s affections, downplaying her lifelong relationship with Mick and claiming that what they had was stronger. He even claimed to be in love with her, much to Linda’s horror, but the pub landlady was convinced that Mick was the man she wanted, prompting Max to leave The Square for four years.
Even if we believed that within a few months Linda could forgive Max for hiding the truth about Ollie’s ordeal from her after she gave him the benefit of the doubt to prove himself, would she really walk him down the aisle on a day so special to her and Mick’s legacy?
The day they first tied the knot and the day they were reunited after her affair with Max almost tore them apart?
That would be strangely out of character for Linda, especially since she has done her utmost to keep the memory of the man she kept alive as her one true love since he was tragically taken from her.
But who knows what could happen between now and January 2027!
EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday at 7.30pm on BBC One or streams from 6am on BBC iPlayer.
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