Eastenders: Who does Max marry on New Year’s Day? Latest fan theories and predictions

ALBERT Square’s resident Henry VIII, serial love-rat Max Branning, has pulled the plug on his fifth marriage just hours after tying the knot. As with any typical EastEnders wedding, the ceremony between Max and Cindy Beale was unlikely to go off without a hitch. Max Branning has had a turbulent week on the Square Credit: BBC The words “in sickness and in health” took on a new meaning when Max suffered a heart attack just moments after saying “I do”. Hitting an all-new low, he dumped his new bride Cindy (Michelle Collins) directly from his hospital bed as she weeped in her wedding dress. Sign up for the Eastenders newsletter Thank you! Then, if the stress wasn’t enough after Max’s near-fatal wedding day heart attack, Linda Carter, who recently confessed her love to Max, rushed to his bedside to plot out their future together. Long-standing EastEnders fans will be very well aware that these twists and turns all lead up to the ultimate New Year’s special. Read more EastEnders News But after this week, trying to figure out who his new bride-to-be is has become incredibly hard. Linda Carter Linda and Max have finally ended up together Credit: BBC If you wanted to place your bets on who Max Branning, played by Jake Wood, marries at Christmas, choosing Linda Carter, the mother of his young daughter Annie, feels the safest. On the same day as the Max and Cindy wedding fiasco, the pair were already sharing a secret kiss in the barrel store. One fan predicted: “Linda was in the flash forward, shown getting ready as one of the potential brides.” Most read in TV However, this fairytale ending with a romantic New Year’s wedding has a few too many flaws at this stage. Firstly, Kellie Bright, who has played Linda for 13 years, is officially leaving the Square, with her exit storyline scheduled to air later this year. Despite Executive Producer Ben Wadey suggesting a high-stakes drama for Linda’s departure, surely a potential marriage to Max Branning complicates things. This gets even more tricky when you remember Linda famously married Mick Carter, played by Danny Dyer, on New Year’s Day in 2016 in a dramatic double episode special. Surely Linda would not marry Max on the 10-year anniversary of her marriage to her first love, Mick. Cindy Beale The iconic Cindy Beale has just been dumped by Max, but it wouldn’t be the most unusual thing to happen on the Square Credit: BBC A rogue suggestion to say the least, especially after Cindy and Max only lasted 12 hours successfully married to eachother. But we all know Cindy is heartbroken by Max’s decision to dump her, and would realistically do anything to win him back. One fan actually rumoured that they never actually got married at all, saying: “It’s possible he and Cindy never signed their marriage certificate so it’s not legit.” Instead of a brand-new official wedding, could the couple simply be renewing their vows on New Year’s Day, with less of the heart attacks this time round? Priya Nandra-Hart Priya is currently pregnant with Max’s baby, with their affair only recently revealed Credit: BBC Max and Priya (Sophie Khan Levy) are an unusual match to get married on New Year’s Day, but their ongoing affair has been entertaining to say the least. Indeed, Priya is pregnant with Max’s sixth child and becoming the fourth mother of his kids, while being engaged to Ravi Gulati played by Aaron Thiara. Similar to Kellie Bright, Thiara is also leaving his role as Ravi in late 2026 or early 2027, throwing his marriage to Priya in the balance. While a marriage to Max or Ravi seems rather far-fetched right now, Priya is a much stronger candidate for the mystery pregnant woman waking up in Max’s bed on New Year’s Day. Chelsea Fox Clues pointed to Chelsea wearing a white outfit reminiscent of a wedding dress Credit: BBC Chelsea Fox (Zaraah Abrahams) and Max Branning have had limited interactions on the Square, with any being in relation to Denise Fox and Jack Branning. However, EastEnders may have revealed Max’s bride months ago as part of a shocking clue. Remember when Cindy Beale said no to Max’s proposal, then later said yes, the screen then cut to Chelsea sitting in a hospital waiting room with the rest of her family. In that episode, Chelsea gave subtle hits about a potential wedding, posing in a bridal-white wedding dress alongside a clock set to 1.05am. The hands point to double 1s, the same date as Max’s potential wedding -January 1, 2027. Fans have previously shared their delight at this theory, saying “Okay, this is the best theory!” and “I love this.” Janine Butcher Janine Butcher battles Linda in a first look at her iconic return Credit: ISO It’s confirmed – the iconic Janine Butcher, played by Charlie Brooks, is returning to the Square this year for some explosive funeral scenes. Pictures have shown Janine interacting with long-term nemesis, Linda Carter, who blames Janine for the death of her husband Mick. Despite both Max Branning and Janine Butcher being notorious for their dramatic love lifes and sordid affairs, the pair have never been a relationship with each other. After a history of animosity and bitter conflict, could this be the moment that Max and Janine build bridges? Stacey Slater EastEnders fans will never forget the iconic affair between Stacey and Max Credit: BBC The Max Branning and Stacey Slater affair reveal has been hailed as one of the most iconic episodes in Eastenders history. However, Max and Stacey’s relationship has lasted much longer than that, with the pair always ending back in each other’s company. Currently, Stacey is on a break in Brazil, visiting her brother Sean Slater, with actress Lacey Turner preparing to star in this year’s Strictly Come Dancing. With Sean Slater, played by Rob Kazinsky, confirmed to be returning to the Square this year, could this be the perfect opportunity for Stacey to come back into Max’s life as well. Comment now