MAX Bowden has signed up for his first TV job since leaving EastEnders.
The actor, 29, who played Ben Mitchell in the BBC soap, will star in the latest series of Celebrity Antiques Road Trip with his former co-star Danielle Harold.
The pair were all smiles as they posed for a snap together while filming for the BBC show.
A fan account shared the picture on their Instagram with the caption: “Danielle and max bowden reunion 
.”
Just last week the two were spotted a small town in Gloucestershire called Tetbury with presenter Ishy Khan.
They worked very closely with each other during their stint on EastEnders as their characters share a daughter called Lexi.
But Max’s alter-ego Ben, who is married to Callum Highway, is currently in prison after committing fraud in the US last year.
Meanwhile Danielle, who played Lola Pearce on the show, left the programme last year when her character passed away from terminal cancer.
Back in December 2023, The Sun on Sunday exclusively revealed how Max had been axed from EastEnders after a showdown with bosses.
A TV insider said at the time: “Max has played Ben for the last four years and bosses decided his time on the show was up.
“There has been a lot of noise around him for a bit too long and that can take away from the drama on the show.
“He went in for a meeting as his contract was up for renewal next year.
“No one knew how it was going to go and following discussions it was decided that he would leave.
“Bosses have yet to plan his exit storyline but Ben is not a character that they would kill off as we’ve already seen in all the previous recasts.”
Max recently shared a message about ‘failing loudly’ after his soap exit.
His final scenes as Ben Mitchell aired at the beginning of April, after the character was arrested on an international warrant after his trip to America last year.
After his exit from the BBC soap, Max took to Instagram to share a powerful quote about making mistakes and trying again.
The quote said: “No one knows what they are doing. Not even the ones with degrees, big job titles or people on your vision board.
“Everyone is just trying loudly, failing loudly, and trying again. And so should you.”
Max shared an emotional post on Instagram about his exit from EastEnders after his final scenes aired.
He wrote: “Well guys It’s that time! It’s been one hell of a ride! Thanks for taking Ben to your hearts and allowing my version into your lives.
“I had an amazing five years at @bbceastenders and learnt a hell of a lot about myself and the craft I love so dearly; it got me through some very hard personal times and I will be forever grateful!
“I really will never be able to thank everybody for the support enough, because the fans of the show are so passionate, caring, and invested and it enables us as actors to want to keep going and always be better; so I really do from the bottom of my heart appreciate every single person who has sent any sort of positivity my way over the last five years – I love you all.
“Ben Mitchell 6.0 over and out. Goodbye EE! I’ll miss you all.”
Max’s new show has been revealed as he will star in a brand-new stage production of Birdsong, Sebastian Faulks’s epic story of love and loss.
Max joined EastEnders in 2019 after taking on the role of Ben from Harry Reid.
Prior to that, Joshua Pascoe played Ben between 2010 and 2012, and Charlie Jones between 2006 and 2012.
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THE beloved British soap has been captivating audiences for decades.
EastEnders follows the lives of the residents of Walford as they navigate love, loss, family drama, and community struggles.
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