EastEnders airs tragic Max Branning confession in early BBC iPlayer release

Max Branning (Jake Wood) has made an emotional admission to son Oscar (Pierre Counihan-Moullier) in EastEnders.

It comes after an absolutely hellish day for the Albert Square love rat.

In the hours prior to his wedding to Cindy Beale (Michelle Collins) he was attacked by Ravi Gulati (Aaron Thiara), who had found out about his affair with Priya Nandra-Hart (Sophie Khan Levy).

Priya and Linda Carter (Kellie Bright) then attempted to shut down the nuptials, though hesitated and allowed the 'happy couple' to walk down the aisle. However, guilt-ridden Max became panicked during the speeches, and suffered a heart attack.

In hospital, he ended his marriage to Cindy and called for an annulment, before confessing his love for Linda and discharging himself.

The two were caught kissing by Zoe Slater (Michelle Ryan) in the Queen Vic barrel store, and when Max raced to ask for confidence surrounding his new relationship, she had collapsed on her bed. He assumed she was drunk and left, though she was actually suffering from a bleed on the brain and passed away just hours later.

In today's episode, he was blissfully unaware of what had happened to Zoe and decided to throw Cindy out of their shared flat following damage she'd inflicted on some vehicles at the car lot.

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She was furious, and son Peter (Thomas Law) charged over to Max before thumping him across the face twice. He then guided his emotional mother home.

Lauren Beale (Jacqueline Jossa) - who was well aware of her dad's affair prior to the wedding - then asked her husband and mother-in-law to stop fighting and consider the wellbeing of her children.

Cindy reluctantly agreed.

Max then learnt of Zoe's passing, and knowing that he was likely the last person to see her alive, asked Oscar to join him for some drinks.

The two chatted about his adulterous ways, but upon seeing a grieving Kat Moon (Jessie Wallace), Max slinked off. Oscar then approached, urging her to not give up on her life in the wake of Zoe's death, and to focus on her family.

He reflected on mum Tanya's downfall in the wake of older sister Abi's death, and warned Kat that she shouldn't follow a similar path.

Later, Oscar went to check-in on his dad following his sudden disappearance. Max was visibly emotional, and tearfully admitted that by failing to intervene, he was responsible for Zoe's untimely demise.

Will Oscar allow him to explain what he means by this, or will he believe that his dad has blood on his hands?

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Authors

Michael Adams is the Soaps Editor at Radio Times, covering all of the hot gossip and spoilers from Weatherfield to Walford, Emmerdale to Hollyoaks and everywhere in-between. He joined the team from Metro, where he spent two years as a Soaps Reporter and previously worked on the sets of both Coronation Street and Emmerdale.