Inside Soap UK 16 - 2018

“Max doesn’t get a warm welcome!” Never mind a bad penny, Max Branning is more like a bad £5 note, given the number of times he’s reappeared in the Square, brazenly brushed off his past sins – and started work on some new ones! Of course, Max doesn’t exactly get a warm welcome when he reveals himself as the new owner of the car lot this week. During his last stint in Walford he made an enemy of a record number of residents, even by his standards! But of course, Max being Max, he soon finds himself a warmer welcome with the help of his irresistible charm! As he meets Mel for the first time, we can sense a bit of double trouble coming up, as these two are certainly…

Ross is forced to face up to his demons this week, as he finally shares a courtroom with Simon McManus – the man who carried out the acid attack on him two months ago. As the week’s events unfold, there are plenty of secrets waiting to come tumbling out – and a number of parties desperately trying to keep them hidden. Will Ross start to piece together the truth that Debbie was behind the attack that’s left him severely scarred? And will he crack as he’s forced to relive the details of the assault? “Ross is trying to act confident, though he’s also extremely nervous,” sighs actor Michael Parr, who plays the troubled fella. “There’s no guarantee that Simon will be convicted. They’ve got a witness who sounds reliable… but…

MOIRA LEARNS OF HER GUILT… As the trial begins, Debbie is worried that Moira will realise she was behind the acid attack. If Moira goes to the courtroom and sees Simon, Debbie knows she’ll join the dots. Desperate to protect his daughter, Cain tries to persuade his wife not to attend – but to no avail. Moira is duly appalled to learn Simon was behind the attack, and aghast to rumble Debbie’s involvemnt. As the recriminations begin, Debbie starts to panic that Moira will go to the police with her information – or that she’ll decide to tell Ross everything she now knows……

The residents of Albert Square are none-too-pleased to see Max Branning back in their lives this week – and they’re even more shocked when they find out about his new business venture! Having been inadvertently responsible for the death of his daughter Abi, Max was left a broken man. After being banned by the rest of the Brannings from attending her funeral, he slunk away from Walford a few weeks ago. But he’s starting to get his life back together – and we’re about to find out what he’s been up to while away… “A new car lot is opening in the Square, which naturally draws quite a bit of attention from the locals,” explains our East End insider. “Ian Beale’s curiosity is certainly piqued, and he’s stunned when he…

MICK & LINDA Max conned the couple into signing away the deeds for the Queen Vic, handing over the boozer to dodgy Weyland & Co. Although they eventually managed to recover the pub, will Mick now try to get his own back? IAN Ian discovered that Max was responsible for Steven’s death and blackmailing his wife, Jane, to leave Walford. On top of all that, Max tried to strangle him! So if anyone has a score to settle with Max, it’s Ian. PHIL Max once tricked Phil’s son Ben into signing over the Arches to him – and now that Max is treading on his turf again, we don’t think Phil will take it lying down! It could be the battle of the Albert Square heavyweights… MARTIN Martin wasn’t a…

“For Josh to be punished for this, David must say it out loud” The Platts are horrified this week, after David spends the night with teenager Emma – then announces that the salon assistant is moving in! While David’s bizarre behaviour further proves that something is very wrong with him, his concerned family remain oblivious to the fact that David was raped by Josh. Can anyone get him to admit what he’s going through? “By making a play for Emma, David is trying to prove to himself – and Josh – that he’s a real man,” explains Jack P Shepherd, who plays the suffering fella. “He wants to show Josh that he’s wrong about him – he’s not gay. But Emma is also a toy who distracts him from his…