EastEnders' Jake Wood reveals to Soaplife how Max secretly wants Tanya… So he's not in the mood to celebrate when Kirsty tells him she's having his baby!
So, how does Max feel about Kirsty?
"They have a real connection. When they met in Manchester, we decided the only way it would work was if they had this really strong connection that happened really quickly, enough for them to get married. If Tanya hadn’t had the cancer then Max’s life would have continued and they’d have made a go of it."
Instead, he abandoned Kirsty...
"Yes. He dealt with it badly, only phoning Kirsty once, not explaining anything and cutting off all contact. He hoped if he ignored her then the problem would go away and he could get married to Tanya. His feelings for Tanya over-rode any feelings he had for Kirsty."
So is it Kirsty or Tanya that he really loves now?
"If Tanya said she’d have him back he’d go like a shot. Even though he’s living with Kirsty at the B&B, he’s holding out for Tanya."
And all this on his doorstep…
"It’s very awkward, especially with Lauren and Abi giving him a hard time. This isn’t a situation that Max would have wanted, but he feels responsible for Kirsty. He’s trying to make the best of it, but it feels very claustrophobic. Kirsty wants them to move into a place of their own, but Max is stalling, playing for time until he knows what the situation is with Tanya."
What if Tanya met someone else?
"Yeah, well… As we saw when he suspected that Jack was moving in on her, he got very upset very quickly because he’s still deeply in love with Tanya."
And then Sharon tells him Tanya regrets throwing him out...
"This is the first sign that maybe she isn’t coping quite as well as she makes out. It gives him renewed hope that there might be a chance for them."
Until Kirsty announces she is pregnant…
"Yes, the timing couldn’t be worse. Max doesn’t want to discuss it with her. I think he’s trying to work out what he’s going to do. He needs to know more than ever where he really stands with Tanya."
Will he tell Tanya about Kirsty’s pregnancy?
"No! He’s hoping she won’t find out because if she does, it might ruin any chance he has of getting back with her. He’s in a real mess…"
