Since bursting onto our screens in 2019 as Ben Mitchell, Max Bowden has made quite a name for himself.
The actor, 28, won the Best Bad Boy gong at the Inside Soap Awards for his hard-hitting storylines - which included unintentionally killing Heather Trott.
Fans praised the star for his sensitive portrayal, particularly as Ben came to terms with his sexuality.
However, Max's life is also full of drama off-screen.
Having split with his co-star, becoming a dad - as well as having roles on rival soaps, here's the lowdown on the actor who plays Phil Mitchell's son.
Becoming a father
Max announced his son Reginald Buckle was born in September.
The actor's ex-girlfriend Roisin, gave birth to the baby boy as Max announced the news in a sweet post on Instagram.
He said: "Greatest feeling in the world and a love like I’ve never felt. Will never get over the feeling of my son looking me in the eye for the first time.
"Well done to Roisin on being such a strong first time Mum and taking to motherhood like a champ."
Max and Roisin announced were expecting a baby boy last April, just weeks after confirming they had split. The pair vowed to raise the tot together at the time.
The actor had been dating the insurance executive since May 2021, but the couple didn't go public with their romance until October the same year.
Split with co-star
Max and co-star Shona McGarty, who plays Whitney Dean in EastEnders, reportedly called time on their romance six months after they began dating.
It is understood the couple called it quits in October after Max became a dad for the first time.
Rumours were circulating the actors were together before they went Instagram official in September.
In June, the duo were spotted looking very close as they cosied up on the red carpet at the Soap Awards, further fuelling romance rumours.
The same month, they were spotted holding hands on a romantic trip to a kebab van.
However, it appears their relationship is now over.
A source told The Sun: “There has been a lot going on in Max’s life and things were just getting too complicated with Shona being involved.
“Max will always have a lot of love and respect for Shona but it’s just not the right time."
Rival soap role
Max is making great strides in his career as Ben in EastEnders, but the actor has appeared in two rival soaps.
TV fans might recognise Max from his days in Waterloo Road back in 2014 when he played Justin Fitzgerald.
Two years later in 2016, he popped up as Kash Ryland in BBC medical drama Casualty, before he was cast in EastEnders.
Max is also a fantastic tap dancer and bagged the role of Billy Elliot in the hit stage musical when he was 16.
The performer had previously starred in a stage version of Beauty and the Beast and also appeared in the Woking pantomime Peter Pan, alongside his onscreen dad Steve McFadden.
Speaking about the experience, Max told us: "That wasn’t the first time I’d worked with Steve! I’d played his son when I was nine in a pantomime in Woking. He didn’t remember me! [The panto was] Peter Pan, he was Hook”.
