EastEnders star Jake Wood opens up about Max’s disastrous marriage proposal to Ruby

EastEnders Max Branning
(Image credit: BBC / Jack Barnes)

Max Branning didn’t get the answer he was hoping for…

It was a humiliating night for EastEnders’ Max Branning on Friday as he decided to pop the question to another girlfriend.

Unfortunately for the unlucky-in-love character, he didn’t get the answer he was hoping for from his latest squeeze Ruby.

Max proposed at a restaurant in front of a number of Walford residents, only to be left mortified when Ruby – played by Louisa Lytton – rejected his proposal because she doesn't believe in marriage.

Reflecting on Max’s embarrassing moment, actor Jake Wood said: “Max went the wrong way about this. It's not the reaction he wanted.

Max is mistaken for Ruby's dad

“If he'd sat down and thought about it beforehand, he'd have realised that rushing into another marriage probably wasn't the right thing to do.

"I think they can work it out, though. Max's feelings for Ruby are really genuine – and I think Ruby really likes Max too."

He added to Digital Spy: "When Max is good, happy and stable, he's very attentive as a partner and he can be a good support.

“Ruby is in the process of getting the club and hopefully Max can help there. They're well matched and a good pairing.

"I've enjoyed working with Louisa too. It's great to have her back in the show. She has a great history in EastEnders after working there when she was younger."

It's Louise's birthday

Meanwhile, EastEnders bosses are paying tribute to everybody’s favourite landlady Peggy Mitchell by naming the square’s newest addition after her.

In a touching nod to Dame Barbara Windsor, who left the role of Peggy in 2016 after her Alzheimer’s diagnosis, soap bosses have decided to carry on her name with granddaughter Louise’s baby.

Louise — played by Tilly Keeper — is pregnant with boyfriend Keanu Taylor’s baby, and EastEnders bosses have decided to name the newborn Peggy.

On hearing the news, Barbara’s husband Scott Mitchell said that her face “lit up” at the touching tribute.

Jenni McKnight

Jenni McKnight is a beauty, lifestyle and entertainment journalist, currently US Lifestyle Editor for HELLO! Online. She has also written for HELLO! Magazine, GoodTo, CelebsNow, Daily Mirror and Yahoo!  Her first big break came when she interned on the Guilty Pleasures showbiz desk at Metro newspaper. She has since worked on the online lifestyle team at Woman & Home and Woman and was Senior Content Editor at CelebsNow.