Max Branning and Lucy Beale
EastEnders' Max Branning is to be accused of Lucy Beale's murder, leaving him shocked and annoyed.
The philandering character, who enjoyed a brief romance with his daughter's best friend before her death, will be suspected of being behind the killing when his business partner David Wicks (Michael French) notices he has been acting "suspiciously".
Actor Jake Wood explained: "Max is acting suspiciously in David's eyes, so he confronts him with the possibility that Max is the murderer.
"Max is obviously shocked and put out at that, so he goes on to reveal that the reason for his behaviour was that he was seeing Lucy. Max makes David promise not to say anything, but David says that he is going to go and tell Ian [Beale, Lucy's dad] because Ian deserves to know. Max then gets fearful for his situation."
Max also worries his secret romance with Lucy could cause his alcoholic daughter Lauren Branning (Jacqueline Jossa) to relapse.
Jake added to Digital Spy: "There is no reason to think that [the murder] wouldn't be a big enough shock for Lauren and send her back drinking again. So obviously that is a concern for Max, but he doesn't want to complicate things for Lauren by giving her the other news that he was seeing her best friend before she died. Obviously he is just concerned for her and trying to support her through it."
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