Max becomes the sixth actor to play Ben Mitchell!
EastEnders newcomer Max Bowden has revealed that he’s thrilled to be tackling the role of Ben Mitchell - the sixth actor to take on the part!
Harry Reid was the last star to play Ben, before departing Walford last year after four years in Albert Square.
Now, EastEnders has revealed that former Waterloo Road actor Max will be the new Ben.
Talking about playing “complicated and troubled” Ben, Max said: “Joining one of the most iconic families in soap is beyond exciting. I can’t wait to get started and see what’s in store for Ben.”
EastEnders teased the exciting news on Twitter, declaring: “Ben Mitchell is coming home! And he won’t be alone. Lola will be with him, and so will their daughter, Lexi. But why are they heading back to Walford?”
One EastEnders fan joked: “Is Ben Mitchell a Time Lord or something… He’s had more Faces than Doctor Who!.”
As a baby, Ben was played by Matthew Silver before a succession of young actors took on the part, most famously, Harry Reid.
Last year Harry revealed on Sunday Brunch that he was ultimately “glad” to have left the show. “There’s obviously an essence of job security there. As an actor, it is such a hard thing – you want to pay the bills and you want to do the job you love. So you do have to make a choice.
“Obviously, I told you last time they wrote me out so they kind of gave me that push, but it was one that I’m glad they did, because now I can go out and do other stuff.”
Meanwhile, Max has has also enjoyed roles in Casualty and Doctors. But it’s fair to say EastEnders is easily his biggest ever part…
EastEnders continues on BBC1.
