Max Branning (Jake Wood)

[Perdita]

Jake Wood is leaving EastEnders - but fear not, as he'll only be gone for a year.

The actor, who has played Max Branning since June 2006, is taking some time off to pursue other projects.

"I've been at EastEnders for nine years and I feel the time is right to give Max a break," he explained.

"But it won't be for too long as I shall be back to see Max face another chapter of drama."

Max will leave Albert Square after he is put in an untenable situation over the summer that he can't escape.

"When I returned to EastEnders, both Jake and I agreed that Max has been through so much over the past 9 years that we would give both him and Jake a break when the opportunity arose," executive producer Dominic Treadwell-Collins said.

"That opportunity has come and it is the perfect time to send Max Branning out with a bang that will send ripples through the Square for the rest of the year until Jake returns."

Wood has already signed a contract securing his return to EastEnders next year.

[parkerman]

"That opportunity has come and it is the perfect time to send Max Branning out with a bang that will send ripples through the Square for the rest of the year until Jake returns."

That looks like it's going to be an explosive storyline which will rock the Square. I doubt if the lives of the inhabitants will ever be the same again.

[maidmarian]

That looks like it's going to be an explosive storyline which will rock the Square. I doubt if the lives of the inhabitants will ever be the same again.

Ripples?? Could there be a flood as well?

[maidmarian]

Dupl

[lizann]

will he change his plea to guilty to save abi, max thinks she did it still

[Dazzle]

will he change his plea to guilty to save abi, max thinks she did it still

It's an interesting thought that Max will change his plea, but I'm not convinced he believes Abi murdered Lucy (at least not at the moment).

[parkerman]

will he change his plea to guilty to save abi, max thinks she did it still

Can't say I would see the point of that. Abi hasn't even been arrested. If and when she is would be the time maybe for something like that. But then this is Eastenders, so anything is possible.

[tammyy2j]

Jake Wood has admitted that he had some early doubts when he first heard about Max Branning's great escape.

The actor's popular character took centre stage with a shock moment last night, as Max fled from the soap world's least secure courtroom after being found guilty of Lucy Beale's murder.

With fans still stunned over the drama in court, Wood appeared on The Radio 1 Breakfast Show this morning (September 29) and spoke about the bombshell storyline twist for the first time.

Asked whether he thought the plot was genius or insane when he first read the script, he laughed: "Insane! When I got the script and I read it, I thought, 'That's a little bit far-fetched'.

"But apparently it happens. People do escape from court. I had a conversation with a couple of directors and they said they'd done research, and people do actually jump over the barriers and escape. It has happened!"

Max is about to leave our screens as Wood is taking a year-long break from EastEnders, but the big question now is whether he'll manage to go on the run or whether the authorities will catch up with him.

Wood explained: "It all plays out and there's some great episodes to come this week. Then I'm taking a break from the show and going back next year, so we'll wait and see what happens to Max.

"He's either going to get caught and put away, or he'll escape. We've got a couple more episodes this week. It's a really good story. People are really into it. My Twitter feed went mad last night, so people are really enjoying it."

The star also joked that he wouldn't have been as nimble for Max's big moment if he hadn't taken part in Strictly Come Dancing last year.

He laughed: "It definitely helped. It helped me with the spring over and the quick-step away!"

[Dazzle]

Asked whether he thought the plot was genius or insane when he first read the script, he laughed: \"Insane! When I got the script and I read it, I thought, 'That's a little bit far-fetched'.

At least Jake agrees with us. It's true that it's been known to happen in real life. I suppose it would seem even more farcical if you witnessed something similar for real.

[lizann]

is he in jail for the year no more on his case