The complex and ultimately deadly history between Steven Beale and Max Branning stems from Max’s 2017 revenge plot in EastEnders which resulted in Steven’s death
11:27, 01 Oct 2025
EastEnders fans will remember Max Branning was involved in Steven Beale’s death(Image: CREDIT LINE:BBC/Jack Barns/Kieron McCarron)
EastEnders have confirmed a epic showdown between Max Branning and Cindy Beale.
Spoilers for the BBC soap have confirmed that Cindy (Michelle Collins) is stunned when Jasmine Fisher (Indeyarna Donaldson-Holness.) reveals Max (Jake Wood) is back during Thursday’s (October 2) and she heads to The Vic to face the man who killed her son.
Max has no idea that Cindy blames him for Steven Beale’s (Aaron Sidwell) death but it looks like he’s going to find out the hard way.
Back in 2017, Steven died of the injuries sustained in a fight with Max.
Steven got on the wrong side of Max after he cheated on his daughter Lauren Branning (Jacqueline Jossa) with his other daughter Abi Branning (Lorna Fitzgerald).
The complex and ultimately deadly history between Steven and Max stems back to 2017(Image: BBC / Kieron McCarron)
This affair led to Abi’s pregnancy and Steven’s subsequent lies about having a brain tumour to cover his deceit.
Max discovered Steven’s lies and affair with Abi and blackmailed him to participate in his revenge plot against the Beales after he was wrongly imprisoned for Lucy Beale’s (Hetti Bywater).
Steven was ordered by Max to set fire to the Beale’s restaurant but he later become trapped in the flames.
Max attacked Steven during the fire leaving him injured.
Max has no idea that Cindy Beale blames him for son’s death(Image: CREDIT LINE:BBC/Jack Barns/Kieron McCarron)
Steven was later rushed to the hospital where he suffered a fatal cardiac arrest and died.
The fire caused mass devastation on Albert Square and Steven’s death shocked the community.
His lies about the brain tumour were exposed at his funeral and his affair with Abi was revealed.
In a recent interview, actor Jake Wood, who has recently returned to the soap as Max, referred to the push that killed Steven as an “accident” but acknowledged that it created a major rift between Max and the Beales.
Aaron Sidwell played Steven from 2007 until 2017(Image: BBC/Kieron McCarron)
Steven’s mum Cindy is yet to cross paths with Max yet and fans can definitely expect fireworks between the pair in upcoming scenes.
Since being killed off eight years ago, actor Aaron Sidwell, who played Steven from 2007 until 2017, has appeared in BBC medical dramas Doctors and Casualty and landed the role of Luther Underwood in an episode of Father Brown.
He was also the first British actor to play Johnny in Green Day’s musical American Idiot.
EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday at 7.30pm on BBC One and available to stream on BBC iPlayer from 6am
