EastEnders confirms Max Bowden exit from role as Ben Mitchell in 2024
Bowden is the fourth actor to portray Ben as a regular character in the soap.
Actor Max Bowden is to depart his role as Ben Mitchell in EastEnders in 2024.
The actor took over the role of Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) and Kathy Cotton's (Gillian Taylforth) son in 2019 and was met with acclaim and became a fan-favourite following his pairing with Callum Highway, played by Tony Clay.
Bowden is the fourth actor to portray Ben as a regular character in the soap, following in the footsteps of Charlie Jones, Joshua Pascoe, and Harry Reid.
The Sun first reported that Bowden was being written out of the soap in the Spring and that the character was unlikely to be killed off.
A spokesperson for EastEnders confirmed to RadioTimes.com on Saturday 30th December 2023: "Max will be leaving EastEnders next year. We wish him all the best for the future."
Since Bowden took over the role of Ben Mitchell in EastEnders in 2019, his storylines have included the character's descent into criminality, his romance with Callum, his rivalries with Keanu Taylor (Danny Walters) and Martin Fowler (James Bye), familial discord with father Phil, being shot by Hunter Owen (Charlie Winter), experiencing partial hearing loss, being the victim of a homophobic attack, being raped by Lewis Butler (portrayed by Aidan O'Callaghan), losing his daughter Lexi's mother Lola Pearce-Brown (Danielle Harold), and suffering from bulimia nervosa.
It remains to be seen how Ben will depart the soap and how his relationship with Callum will be dealt with. Will Callum leave with Ben or will their love story reach a tragic conclusion?
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EastEnders airs Monday to Friday on BBC One and BBC iPlayer this week.
Visit our dedicated EastEnders page for all the latest news, interviews and spoilers. If you're looking for more to watch, check out our TV Guide and Streaming Guide.
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Lewis Knight is the Trends Editor for Radio Times, covering trending titles from TV, Film and more. He previously worked at The Mirror in TV, Film, and Showbiz coverage alongside work on SEO. Alongside his past work in advertising, he possesses a BSc in Psychology and an MA in Film Studies.
