EastEnders reveals Ben Mitchell crime amid his arrest in early BBC iPlayer release

The BBC One soap is kicking off Ben’s exit storyline following news that actor Max Bowden is being written out of the soap.

The new week has started with Callum Highway (Tony Clay) being wished a happy birthday by his family, including stepdaughter Lexi Pearce (Isabella Brown).

However, Callum seemed disappointed when it was clear that his husband Ben hadn’t planned anything for his birthday, earning some criticism from Lexi and her other stepdad Jay Brown (Jamie Borthwick) when Callum was out of earshot.

Ben then got to work planning a surprise birthday party for Callum in the Queen Victoria pub, despite a lack of encouragement from father Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden).

Eventually, Ben’s half-hearted effort ended in some happiness for Callum in the pub but it was all cut short when the police entered.

DC Harry Crawford (Calum Finlay) entered and interrupted the party and revealed that an international warrant was out for Ben’s arrest.

As Ben remained baffled, the police officer confirmed that Ben was facing charges of fraud committed during his visit to the US last year.

Fans will recall that Ben was absent during Lola’s death last year as he had been manically seeking a miracle treatment for her in America. However, it seems his determination may have backfired.

Ben asked the police if they could deal with this away from Callum’s party outside but his loved ones followed.

Out in the Square, as the Mitchells were upset at the events, Ben’s mother Kathy Cotton (Gillian Taylforth) saw the commotion and asked Ben just what was going on.

A panicked Ben looked at his mum in horror as the episode ended.

As the week continues on Tuesday, Ben will be seen protesting his innocence at the police station as his loved ones scramble to figure out what is going on, with Phil turning to trusted lawyer Ritchie Scott (Sîan Webber) and Lexi demanding answers.

As Ben makes a request over the phone to Phil, Wednesday’s episode will see Jay and Lexi pay a visit to Ben at the station but it doesn’t go well and Lexi storms out.

Meanwhile, Callum will be refusing to see Ben amid his latest legal dramas but Phil does his best to try and bring the two back together. However, it’s Phil’s behaviour that gets Kathy suspicious. Just what is her ex-husband up to?

Finally, on Thursday, Callum finally appears to be pulling strings to help his husband out - but what will Ben’s fate be?

Read more:

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EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

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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