It is a truth universally acknowledged that if Max Branning is in a relationship, he will end up having an affair. After EastEnders scenes showed him try to progress his relationship with Cindy, they teased an affair with another character, but fans have said this ‘out of character’ for his affair partner.
At the end of Tuesday’s episode, Max proposed to his girlfriend Cindy Beale, despite having only been with her for a few weeks. Wednesday’s episode continued from where the night before left off, as Cindy gave her answer.
Sadly for Max it was a very emphatic no. In fact, Cindy seemed offended by the proposal, as was Vicki Fowler who felt the fact that Max proposed at her wedding was wrong.
If that wasn’t bad enough, everyone saw and laughed. An emotionally bruised Max shuffled off to lick his wounds… and ran into Priya Nandra-Hart on the way.
View 3 ImagesMax Branning proposed to Cindy Beale in EastEnders (Image: BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron)
Priya had also suffered a couple of knock backs that night. Her ex-boyfriend Ravi Gulati returned from hospital and the two slept together, but he left soon after, telling her that they were not back together because he needed to sort himself out.
A drunk Priya then tried to flirt with both Mark Fowler and Zack Hudson, but both were more concerned with other women. For starters, Mark seemed to be in love with Lauren Branning, and Zack claimed to be in love with bride Vicki, but both also almost came to blows over Chelsea Fox.
Priya and Max bonded over their shared rejection, but Priya took it a step further. Brazenly flirting with Max, she heavily implied that they should sleep together.
Though fans had suspected Priya might either have an affair with Max or seek his protection after getting pregnant ahead of the flashforward, some felt the desperate way she acted was surprising.
View 3 ImagesPriya was dumped by Ravi(Image: CREDIT LINE:BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron)
One said: “Priya begging Max doesn’t ring true. She’s feisty and confident.” Another added: “I know she’s drunk but really? Max?” A third said: “No way would Priya fancy Max.” While a fourth, amid slamming Max for his proposal, referred to Priya’s actions as “out of character”.
A fifth felt that the storyline could have stayed the same for Priya, but made “more sense” with someone other than Max: “I feel like Priya and Mark sleeping together would have made sense she just got dumped by Ravi and he just got rejected by Lauren.”
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Others, though, thought it was “obvious” that Priya would end up with Max. They were sure that she was the pregnant woman that he woke up next to in the flashforward.
One fan wrote online: “We knew the Priya Max thing was coming and I suspect now Cindy accepts Max’s proposal, they find out Max gets Priya pregnant in the coming weeks.” Another said: “Definitely Priya that’s pregnant, and is in Max’s bed on the day of his wedding.”
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