Ben Mitchell is very, very OK with being gay now, reveals new EastEnders star

EastEnders Ben Mitchell played by Max Bowden
(Image credit: BBC / Jack Barnes)

Ben Mitchell is back – and he’s bringing trouble with him!

With Ben Mitchell number 6 now back in EastEnders, the actor Max Bowden, who has taken on the role, has spoken about how Ben views being gay now.

At a press event at Elstree Studios recently where EastEnders is filmed, actor Max described how his version of Ben Mitchell will differ from the last.

“Ben is much more open with the fact that he is gay, and he’s very, very okay with it. The trouble and hurt that’s been placed on Ben in the past is taking its toll a lot more.

EastEnders Ben Mitchell and Phil Mitchell

It seems Ben has returned to Walford a different man in more ways than one...

"He’s coming back with a broodier sense of self. He’s more aware of who he is, and he’s quite content with who he is - but he still wants to be ‘more’.”

With Ben’s secret plan burning a hole in his back pocket, in the meantime he’s going to have a lot of catching up to do, and is set to be very shocked to find out his once flush dad Phil is now flat broke!

“Ben sees his dad on a pedestal and to see Phil failing is something that he’s not quite expecting,” teased Max.

EastEnders Lola Pearce and Jay Mitchell

Ben is going to have his work cut out keeping these two apart...

But Phil’s predicament is not the only curveball Ben is going to be dealing with. He’s adamant that Lola isn’t to rekindle her relationship with Jay.

“It’s because Ben loves Jay, and the way it ended before with Jay getting hurt. It’s a slight worry.

"I think Ben worries that Jay and Lola will hurt each other and then he’ll be in a position where he’s having to choose,” said Max.

No spoilers, but, it looks like he might have his work cut out there!

EastEnders airs Monday and Friday at 8pm and Tuesday and Thursday at 7.30pm on BBC One.

Picture credits: BBC / Jack Barnes and BBC / Kieron McCarron

Sarah Waterfall
Soaps Editor at What's On TV

Sarah has been writing about soaps for over 20 years! She’s worked for Hello!, WOMAN, PA News, Closer, TVeasy – and is currently What’s On TV's Soap editor as well as writing for WhatToWatch.com 


She’s interviewed tons of famous people from movie stars to pop stars, TV stars and of course, soap stars. The soaps have always been at the heart of Sarah's work; visiting the sets, getting the goss, and writing about all the soapy shenanigans week in week out, earning her a place on the judging panel for The British Soap Awards in 2017 and 2018 and on the BAFTA TV Awards in 2022 … and the nickname Soapbird!