EastEnders star Max Bowden has finally expressed his thoughts after being removed from the show, as the character Ben Mitchell is set to leave in upcoming scenes.
In recent events, Ben was arrested for committing fraud in America, while trying to find treatment options for Lola Pearce.
Now, Max has confirmed that his time on the show has come to an end, with an emotional Instagram post.
Alongside a promotional picture of Ben outside the Arches, Max thanked fans for accepting his portrayal of Ben, marking the sixth actor to take on the role.
'It's time!' He wrote.
'It's been a wild journey! Thank you for embracing Ben and accepting my interpretation into your lives. I had an incredible five years at EastEnders, and learned a lot about myself and the craft I love so much; it helped me through some very difficult personal times and I will always be grateful!
'I will never be able to thank everyone enough for the support, because the show's fans are so passionate, caring, and devoted, which motivates us as actors to strive for excellence; so I genuinely appreciate every single person who has shown any kind of positivity towards me over the last five years – I love you all.'
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He also mentioned that Ben Mitchell 6.0 was 'over and out', bidding farewell to EastEnders and expressing that he would miss his fellow cast members.
His post received an outpouring of support from his co-stars and fans, with Jacqueline Jossa, who played Lauren Branning, commenting: 'Congratulations on a fantastic 5 years!'
Rob Kazinsky, who portrayed Sean Slater, remarked that Max did 'an excellent job' with the role, adding 'Well done mate', while Tamzin Outhwaite, known for her role as Mel Owen, left some applause and heart emojis.
Max first took on the role of Ben in 2019, and experienced some intense storylines during that time, including his marriage to Callum Highway (Tony Clay), a devastating rape ordeal, and his recent battle with bulimia.
Last year, an EastEnders spokesperson confirmed Max’s departure to Metro.co.uk, stating: 'Max will be leaving EastEnders next year. We wish him all the best for the future.'
