EastEnders actor Max Bowden has reportedly split from actress Tori Allen-Martin after their six-month romance ‘fizzled out.’
The 30-year-old, who plays Ben Mitchell on the BBC soap, struck up a relationship with Tori while the pair worked together on stage in the musical Midnight Cowboy.
Insiders say they were ‘inseparable’ during the show’s run but have since gone their separate ways as Max prepares for a return to Albert Square.
A source told The Sun: ‘Max and Tori were inseparable while working together and that’s when their romance blossomed. But since working on separate projects the relationship fizzled out. They tried to make it work but with Max now about to go on a theatre tour it Murder at Midnight they decided to call time on their relationship. It was fun while it lasted.’
Metro have contacted representatives of Max Bowden for comment.
Who is Tori Allen-Martin?
Tori may be best known to TV audiences for her role in the BBC sitcom Here We Go, where she stars as Cherry alongside Alison Steadman and Katherine Parkinson.
She’s also a singer and writer, carving out a strong career on stage and screen, with Midnight Cowboy being her latest big project.
The break-up comes as Bowden prepares to step back into the shoes of Ben Mitchell.
He’s set for a brief comeback, with his character granted temporary release from prison to attend a funeral. The guest stint is his first return to EastEnders since 2023, when he was axed after four years in the role.
Max made his Walford debut in 2019, becoming the sixth actor to take on the part of Ben. His version of the character quickly became a central figure, tackling gritty storylines including Ben’s hearing loss, his romance with Callum Highway, and his entanglements in Phil Mitchell’s murky world.
Despite proving a hit with viewers, his exit was surrounded by reports of off-screen tension.
Warnings from bosses
When Max’s contract wasn’t renewed in 2023, The Sun on Sunday reported that bosses had grown concerned about his behaviour outside of work.
A TV insider told The Sun: ‘Max was called in for a chat by executives. He is an extremely talented actor and was always a real pro on set. However, there were concerns that his partying lifestyle away from the set could start to prove a distraction.’
Even so, producers have clearly kept the door open. New boss Ben Wadey is understood to have pushed for Max’s return, hoping to bring back familiar faces to strengthen the show’s line-up.
According to The Sun: ‘Ben had a list of characters he wanted to bring back and Ben Mitchell was one. It’s taken a little while to sort out but Max will be back filming on Albert Square later this year.’
That short stint could even pave the way for a full-time comeback.
But since his EastEnders exit, Max has been doing plenty of acting. One of those projects is a theatre tour of Murder at Midnight, which kicks off later this year. It was reportedly the reason he and Tori decided to call it quits.
Bowden’s personal news arrives during a turbulent time for the EastEnders cast.
Jamie Borthwick, who had played Jay Brown for nearly two decades, was sensationally axed from the soap after using a slur while backstage on Strictly Come Dancing.
The 31-year-old actor was suspended earlier this year when a video of the incident circulated online. Although some speculated he might return, the BBC confirmed he would not be coming back.
A BBC Studios spokesperson said: ‘We can confirm that Jamie Borthwick will not be returning to EastEnders. We do not comment on individual matters.’
Jamie later issued an apology: ‘I want to apologise sincerely and wholeheartedly for the words I used in the video showing my reaction to making it through Blackpool week on Strictly. I am deeply sorry for any offence and upset my words and actions have caused. It is no excuse, but I did not fully understand the derogatory term I used and its meaning.’
While Jamie’s career at the soap has come to an end, Max’s appears to be on steadier ground.
His upcoming projects suggest he’s focused on work, with his EastEnders cameo and stage tour lined up for the coming months.
And although his relationship with Tori has come to an end, both are thought to be concentrating on their careers.
For fans of EastEnders, Max’s return will be eagerly watched to see if his brief reappearance sparks something longer-term. Ben Mitchell remains one of Walford’s most complex characters, and Bowden’s portrayal has often been hailed by fan’s as one of the strongest in recent years.
For now, though, the actor is stepping back into the Square single, and ready to start his next chapter.
