EastEnders New Year shooter ‘confirmed’ as fans are on the case

| Soaps Reporter Published September 2, 2026 12:42pm Updated September 2, 2026 12:44pm EastEnders fans are on the case (Picture: BBC/Metro) EastEnders fans think they’ve already worked out who the New Year shooter will be, and there is plenty of evidence to back up their theory. At the beginning of this year, EastEnders gave us a glimpse into 2027 with a flash-forward episode, set on the day of Max Branning’s (Jake Wood) wedding – though the bride remains a mystery. What is supposed to be a happy day gets off to a bad start for Max when he is arrested for soliciting a murder, but things only get worse when he learns that his children are being held at gunpoint by a masked intruder. Now, EastEnders fans think they’ve worked out who is holding the gun. Taking to the comments section of a recent video on TikTok, Metro readers have speculated that the shooter could be Cindy Beale (Michelle Collins). In the video, actress Michelle discusses Max’s affair with Priya Nandra-Hart (Sophie Khan-Levy) and the fact that, at this point, Cindy has absolutely no suspicions that Max could be cheating on her. ‘Cindy’s so confident in herself that I don’t think she would ever think that Max would stray with someone like Priya,’ Michelle said, adding: ‘It doesn’t even cross her mind, actually.’ But how would she react if she were to find out? ‘Hell hath no fury like Cindy scorned! God help [Priya] is all I can say,’ Michelle warned. Ask Metro Use AI to go deeper into the stories you care about – powered by Metro and trusted publications. However, fans suspect that it could be Max who becomes the target of her revenge. ‘She’s going to be the one with the gun holding Lauren and Oscar isn’t she! (Or ordered it),’ Louisa theorised, while Becky said: ‘She’s gonna BLOW HER LID. let her be behind the gun.’ And it seems that Michelle herself has been feeding into the rumours, pointing out that Cindy is no stranger to handling a gun… Will Cindy Beale seek revenge on Max Branning? (Picture: BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron) ‘I think she would go very far [for revenge]. She would go all the way,’ she told Metro. ‘She knows how to use a gun; she’s used a gun before. That sounds terrible, doesn’t it? ‘I wouldn’t put anything past Cindy,’ she continued, adding: ‘You do not mess with Cindy. She loves hard, but she also will get revenge. Her revenge will be really hard as well.’ Deals of the Day Save 25% on red light therapy masks, sauna blankets and sleep gadgets in Bon Charge sale The viral LED face mask with over 350 lights that's currently discounted by £100 A friend said I looked 'snatched' – I credit this new Charlotte Tilbury powder Shop MySweetSmile's biggest Bank Holiday offers before they end Back-to-school shopping just got a lot cheaper thanks to Primark Could Cindy be the one forcing Max to choose which of his children survives the ordeal? She certainly has form for going all out for revenge, so we’re definitely not ruling her out at this stage… Arrow MORE: Major EastEnders death ‘confirmed’ as new spoilers reveal what happens next Arrow MORE: Cindy and Max’s EastEnders wedding erupts into catastrophe as secrets are blown Arrow MORE: What happens next in EastEnders? Big spoilers for Tuesday’s episode confirmed The Soaps Newsletter – Daily All the latest soaps spoilers and gossip, in your inbox every morning.