Jake Wood confirms he's leaving EastEnders after 15 years
He plays the role of Max Branning
He's one of the most recognised faces on BBC soap EastEnders, having played the role of iconic character Max Branning since 2006, but actor Jake Wood has now confirmed he's set to leave the show.
Speaking about his exit, Jake said, "I’ve had 15 wonderful years at EastEnders and have made some truly great friends.
"I’ll of course miss everyone there but I’m grateful they have left the door open for Max and I’m excited to see what the next chapter holds."
EastEnders' executive producer, Jon Sen, later added, "Jake is a truly wonderful actor and EastEnders have been extremely lucky to have him for so long.
"We have a big storyline for Max that starts in the coming weeks and we are all very excited to see that play out."
According to new reports, Jake's exit story line is going to be huge, as his character Max Branning leaves Albert Square in an explosive manner.
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Since arriving on the soap way back in June 2005, Max Branning has been caught up in some pretty huge storylines, with the actor taking short breaks in both 2011 and 2015.
Perhaps his most memorable scenes come with his marriages to Tanya Branning, Kirsty Branning and Rainie Cross on the show, not to mention his affair with his daughter-in-law Stacey Branning.
After being wrongly-accused of murdering Lucy Beale and spending time in prison, Jake's character Max tried to commit suicide by jumping off the roof of The Queen Vic. However, when Max's daughters Abi and Lauren tried to stop him, the pair both fell, resulting in Abi tragically dying.
With the drama his character has brought to our screens over the last 15 years, Jake Wood is certainly going to be missed EastEnders.
Bosses are yet to confirm details of his exit, or when his final scenes will air.