04 February 2024 , 15:45
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Ben Mitchell actor Max Bowden has made it very clear that he won't miss starring on EastEnders.
In video footage, Max - who is posing for a selfie with a devoted fan of the soap outside the Elstree studios - can be heard saying "I'm so f*****g excited to get out". It is the first time the actor has directly addressed his exit from the show.
The 29-year old has played the role of Ben Mitchell for the past four years, becoming the sixth person to play the role when he was cast in 2019 - two years after bosses wrote predecessor Harry Reid out of the programme.
According to reports, the Beeb decided to take action despite the award-winning star winning over viewers with his portrayal of Phil Mitchell's son. Ben has been at the centre of some huge storylines in the past four years, including his eating disorder battle after being raped by Lewis Butler.
Max Bowden has played Ben since 2019 (BBC/Kieron McCarron/Jack Barnes)Reports suggest there are no current plans for him to be killed off, and whilst an exit storyline has yet to be planned, Max is likely to depart in the spring following the expiry of his contract in March. A spokeswoman for the show told the Mirror in December: "Max will be leaving EastEnders next year. We wish him all the best for the future."
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A TV insider said to The Sun on Sunday - who obtained the recent video footage of Max - that the actor is keen to "move on" and while he is proud of what he achieved during his time playing Ben, is looking forward to taking on new roles and projects away from Albert Square.
"Max has played Ben for the last four years and bosses decided his time on the show was up. There has been a lot of noise around him for a bit too long and that can take away from the drama on the show," a source previously told The Sun when discussing Max's exit. "He went in for a meeting as his contract was up for renewal next year. No one knew how it was going to go and following discussions it was decided that he would leave. Bosses have yet to plan his exit storyline but Ben is not a character that they would kill off as we’ve already seen in all the previous recasts."
Prior to Max joining the cast of EastEnders in 2019, Ben - the son of Phil Mitchell and Kathy Beale - was previously played by Harry Reid, Charlie Jones and Joshua Pascoe. Before making his soap debut, Max appeared on shows like Waterloo Road and starred in the stage productions of Birdsong and The Haunting of Alice Bowles.