Max Branning (Jake Wood) finds himself in the middle of yet another sticky situation in EastEnders next week and, for potentially the first time ever, it’s not entirely of his own creation!

True to form, our Max has been a drama magnet since his return. He turned up as an uninvited guest to daughter Lauren (Jacqueline Jossa) and Peter Beale’s (Thomas Law) wedding, learning of his secret daughter with Linda Carter (Kellie Bright), spending Christmas day having a fight with brother Jack (Scott Maslen) and having sex with Cindy Beale (Michelle Collins) before putting the period at the end of the sentence by ruining grandson Jimmy’s christening.

When his last remaining ally, Linda, tried to offer him some support, he attempted to throw the lips on her, he was soundly rejected, leaving him completely alone, though their relationship has thawed in the passing months, with Linda truly believing that Max has the capacity to be a good man.

Is it hope? Is it delusion? Probably both, in fairness.

Next week sees Max step up for Linda, when she becomes concerned that her son, Ollie (Harry Farr), is being bullied again at school.

In order to give her some breathing space, Max offers to look after both Ollie and Annie (Lois Hawkins) and, while doing so, learns that his grandson, Louie Beale (Jake McNally), is behind Ollie’s torment.

He steps in and gives Louie a telling off, but stops short of telling Linda the truth behind what’s going on.

Though both Max and Linda are clearly excited about their rekindling flame, one person certainly isn’t: Linda’s mum, Elaine Peacock (Harriet Thorpe), who tells Max in no uncertain terms to stay away from her daughter.

While Linda continues to open up to Max about her worry over Ollie, she’s crestfallen to receive a call from the school, informing her that her son has been hit. Heading straight for Lauren and Peter, Max tears into them over their bullying son.

What he doesn’t count on, though, is the pricked-up ears of slightly creepy newcomer Bea Pollard (Ronni Ancona), who’s heard everything – including the part of the conversation where Max implores them not to tell Linda that he knows who’s behind the bullying.

When Linda plants a kiss on Max later that night, the two wake up the next morning utterly overjoyed at the step-forward in their relationship.

Little do they know, though, that across the Square, Bea spills all of the tea to Elaine: the identity of Ollie’s bully and that Max knew all about it.

With Elaine now in possession of a nuclear bomb, it’s a case of when and not if she drops it.