EastEnders stars Shona McGarty and Max Bowden have reportedly grown closer since his split with his pregnant ex-girlfriend.
Shona, who plays Whitney Dean in the long-running soap, has been described as "a shoulder for him to cry on" after Max and insurance executive Roisin Buckle announced they were no longer together earlier this year.
Despite their break-up, Bowden and Buckle announced last month that they are expecting their first child together. The former couple have reportedly remained friends and plan to co-parent together.
Bowden assured his ex he had not seen anyone since the break down of his romance with Buckle, with the two soap stars also saying they are not "officially dating", according to The Sun.
Shona was spotted with Max alongside another couple when they attended a country music festival at London's O2 in March as rumours of a relationship between the two cast members heightened.
A source told “Max and Shona are mad for each other. They have been spending quality time together for a while now.
“Max and Shona’s friendship is more enthralling than an EastEnders’ plotline.”
A pal to the two actors said: "Shona and Max have been friends for years now but they’re absolutely not in a relationship.
"Shona has been a great support for Max over the last couple of months and been a shoulder for him to cry on.
They added that the pair are just good friends, but pointed out "Who knows what could happen in the future."
Max, 27, is the sixth actor to play Ben Mitchell and has been in the role since joining Eastenders in 2019.
Ben was embroiled in an affair with Whitney's fiance, Callum 'Halfway' Highway, shortly after his character returned to Walford following his plan to leave the country the year before.
The two shared a kiss, which Callum admitted to Whitney on the day before their wedding. It was subsequently called off.
Late last year, the 30-year-old actress said she was ready to get back on the dating scene more than two years after her engagement to her long-term fiancée had ended.
She was engaged to electrician Ryan Harris for 18 months before their relationship fizzled out towards the back end of 2019.
Shona announced that her engagement was called off in January 2020 – two years after it was originally revealed – and that the romance had come to an end weeks earlier.
Shona and Ryan had been together for five years before he popped the question.
The Mirror has contacted both Shona and Max's representatives for a comment.
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