EastEnders star Max Bowden’s new role is revealed as his final scenes as Ben Mitchell are set to air this week

Max Bowden’s new role has been revealed as his final scenes as Ben Mitchell in the BBC soap air this week.

The actor, 29, who plays Phil Mitchell’s mechanic son, will leave Albert Square and return to his old stomping grounds: the theatre.

Max’s character Ben will star in Birdsong in November and will leave Walford after serving a six-year prison sentence.

Viewers were stunned this week when police arrested Ben on an international arrest warrant.

Despite insisting he was innocent and even having the confidence to tell an officer they would apologize to him later, Ben realized he had done something terrible.

When Attorney Ritchie showed up at the station, it became very clear that his past antics in the US had finally caught up with him.

He was charged in connection with his trip to America last year where he tried to get the dying Lola Pearce into a drugs trial but was unsuccessful.

Ben’s credit cards were frozen, but instead of going to the police, he stole someone else’s and spent thousands of dollars on hotels, car rentals and a business class flight home.

Desperate, he begged Ritchie to help him, but she told him he could face up to six years in prison.

She went to tell the Mitchell family what Ben had done when news filtered through that Ben was guilty of a serious crime.

Lexi got into an argument between Callum, Phil and Jay and was forced to take control of the situation before Jay asked her to leave with Honey.

“Jay, I’m a Mitchell,” she said before turning to Ritchie and telling her, “We’re not paying you to be quiet.”

The lawyer told them all, “Credit card fraud in America. He has a bail hearing tomorrow. The evidence against him is quite strong.”

After the explosive episodes and ahead of his final EastEnders scene, Max took to Instagram to say goodbye to the set and the crazy square.

He thanked his soap fans for accepting his version of Ben via an Instagram post on Tuesday.

With his portrait photo he wrote: ‘It was a great ride! Thank you for taking Ben to your heart and allowing my version into your life.

‘I’ve had five wonderful years at @bbceastenders and have learned so much about myself and the profession I love; it helped me through some very difficult personal times and I will be forever grateful!

“I will truly never be able to thank everyone enough for the support because the fans of the show are so passionate, caring and invested and it allows us as actors to want to keep going and always be better; so i really appreciate from the bottom of my heart every single person who has sent any kind of positivity my way over the last five years – i love you all.

‘Ben Mitchell 6.0. Over and out. See you soon EE! I will miss you all. X’

Viewers flocked to his comment box to share their admiration for the role and say goodbye.

One wrote: ‘This man should never have left his role as Ben Mitchell. Best actor Eastenders has ever had!!!’

‘Well done brother! Well done. You destroyed it xxx you can see from the outside!!!! X’

‘The best Ben Mitchell there ever was!’

‘Congratulations on 5 fantastic years!! Xx’

‘Best Ben Mitchell ever!!!! you icon brother’

“Too bad you’re going and you’ve been great. Good luck with your next adventure’

‘You are to Ben Mitchell what David Tennant is to Dr Who. . . The best version.’

‘Not the same without you. Thank you for portraying such a complex character. Ben Mitchell has become such an iconic queer character because of you. Good luck.’

‘You are the best of the best. An exciting new chapter for you is literally about to unfold. You’re just brilliant!’

After leaving the set after five years of drama, Max returns to an old role.

He will join Birdsong’s 30th anniversary tour and perform Jack Firebrace – Sebastian Faulks’ epic tale of love and loss – when it returns to the stage in 2024.

The critically acclaimed show, adapted by Rachel Wagstaff and directed by Alastair Whatley, tells the story of one man’s journey through an all-consuming love affair and into the horrors of the First World War.

Max said: “I am so excited to be working with Original Theater again on a project that is close to my heart. Birdsong highlights the tragedy of war, yet the beauty of humanity through strong relationships under extreme circumstances, and I can’t wait to bring Jack Firebrace to life under their guidance.”

“I am so excited to be working with Original Theater again on a project that is close to my heart,” said Max.

“Birdsong highlights the tragedy of war, yet the beauty of humanity through strong relationships under extreme circumstances, and I can’t wait to bring Jack Firebrace to life under their guidance.”

Max previously starred in Birdsong’s 2016 tour, where he originally played the role of Tipper.

Director Alastair Whatley said of Bowden rejoining the cast: “Max joined us to play the character Tipper, a young soldier, on the 2016 tour of Birdsong and now returns, the best part of a decade later , back to play the beautiful role. by Jack Firebrace.

“I can’t wait to get back into the rehearsal room with Max to discover one of Sebastian’s most unforgettable characters.”

In pre-war France, an Englishman, Stephen Wraysford, begins a dangerous affair with Isabelle Azaire that turns their world upside down.

As war breaks out over the idyll of his previous life, Stephen must lead his men through the carnage of the Battle of the Somme.

Faced with the unprecedented horror of war, Stephen clings to the memory of Isabelle as his world explodes around him.

Birdsong opens at Salisbury Playhouse on September 6 before visiting Leeds, Cambridge, Richmond, Liverpool, Nottingham, Cheltenham, Guildford, Chichester, Norwich, Malvern and Bath.