EastEnders' Max Bowden breaks silence amid Shona McGarty 'romance' as ex prepares to give birth

Five years after playing the late Dame Barbara Windsor in BBC biopic Babs, Jaime Winstone has stepped into her shoes once again.The 37-year-old actress appears as a younger version of the icon’s most famous character, Peggy Mitchell, in a flashback episode of EastEnders and says, “It’s a real honour.” While her role in Babs covered Barbara’s childhood, early romances and rise to fame in the Carry On films in detail, Jaime felt like her “journey with Barbara” hadn’t really finished and revealed she even felt she had received a sign from the late soap favourite to accept her latest portrayal. “When I got offered the part, I thought, ‘God, is this something I should do? Am I risking getting typecast?’" says Jaime. "So I did actually have a little word with Barbara up above and I got my sign and I felt like it was written for me.

EastEnders star Maisie Smith has reported to having lost 'clumps' of her hair whilst filming for the Channel 4 armed forces reality series Celebrity SAS. Catching up with OK! and other press ahead of the premiere of the brand new series next week, the 21-year-old actress revealed how different the Jordanian desert was compared to her glitz and glam lifestyle in the UK.

When your dad is a presenter and your mum became a household name following her stints on reality TV, there’s no surprise that Bobby Brazier was going to follow in their showbiz footsteps.The 19-year-old is walking onto one of the UK’s biggest soaps next week as EastEnders' latest heartthrob Freddie Slater, and we can hardly wait. Especially after OK! got an invite down to Albert Square to chat to Bobby about his new role – plus a sneaky tour around the set! Here, Bobby – the son of Jeff Brazier, 43, and Jade Goody, who passed away in 2009, tells us all about what trouble Freddie will be bringing to the Square when he joins the show to look for his dad. Hi, Bobby! What’s the reaction been to the announcement that you were joining EastEnders? There’s been a lot of love and support, I’ve been very lucky.

Former EastEnders star Danniella Westbrook has been forced to visit hospital amid an unknown health scare following her recent reported split from her jailed fiancé. The actress, 48, who is best known for playing Sam Mitchell in the BBC soap, took to Instagram to share with her 102,000 followers that she was back in hospital. Danniella could be seen wearing a blue disposable face mask below her elaborate fluffy faux eyelashes.

Jaime Winstone has said playing a young Peggy Mitchell in a flashback episode of EastEnders will be an “amazing milestone” that “bookends” her journey with Dame Barbara Windsor. The matriarch of the Mitchell family was played by Dame Barbara for more than two decades after she joined the long-running soap in 1994 and became its biggest star, with her iconic catchphrase: "Get outta' my pub," when her character landlady of the Queen Vic. Dame Barbara died in December 2020 aged 83, after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease, which she was diagnosed with in 2014.

Former EastEnders icon Adam Woodyatt has reportedly landed a new role which will see him double his soap salary.The actor, who played Ian Beale in the BBC production, is set to star in the UK tour of My Fair Lady as Eliza Doolittle’s dustman dad Alfred.The part, which will see the 54 year old perform in 158 shows across nine months, is reportedly very well paid with Adam in line for a potential salary of £500,000. Each show will reportedly see the former EastEnders star earn £2,000 with added extras that could see him earn £3,500 a show depending on ticket sales. An industry insider told The Sun that at 70 per cent capacity he’ll get another £750, and another at 85 per cent.

The residents of Albert Square will say their final farewells to Dot Cotton in a special episode honouring the death of EastEnders stalwart June Brown, the BBC have said. Brown became a cultural fixture for her long-running turn as the inimitable Dot Branning – best known as Dot Cotton, the character’s previous married name – providing Walford with one of its best-loved and most memorable figures.The actress, who played the chain-smoking hypochondriac Dot for more than 30 years, died at her home on April 3 aged 95.

Rose Ayling-Ellis has announced a new TV project following her departure from BBC One soap EastEnders.The 27 year old actress, who recently shared a string of BTS snaps from her time on EastEnders, is set to front a new BBC documentary titled Signs For Change, which will focus on the daily challenges and barriers faced by deaf individuals. Strictly Come Dancing winner Rose will explore "positive movement for societal change" and inclusion for deaf individuals, while also using her own experiences pushing for change.

Max George has broken his silence on his romance with Maisie Smith as he got a huge new tattoo. The Wanted singer, 33, and former EastEnders actress, 21, who first met while both appearing on Strictly Come Dancing in 2020, were recently spotted packing on the PDA while out shopping in London.

EastEnders is set to air a special flashback episode in September, which will see the history of the iconic Mitchell family unearthed for the first time. The one-off episode will transport viewers back to the winter of 1979 as the Mitchells attempt to navigate through economic turmoil in Britain.

As this year’s Strictly hopefuls get ready to slip on their sequins and strut their stuff, it’s not surprising to hear that last year’s winner, Rose Ayling-Ellis, is feeling a tug at her heartstrings. “I really miss it,” the EastEnders actress, who was partnered with pro Giovanni Pernice, tells us.

EastEnders star Shona McGarty has jetted off to Ibiza with some of her closest female friends amid ongoing rumours of a romance between her and co-star Max Bowden. 30 year old Shona, who is best known for playing Whitney Dean in the BBC One soap, has taken to Instagram to document the girls’ holiday and has shared a series of videos and snaps of the trip since touching down in the party island earlier this week. Giving her 133,000 followers a glimpse inside the fun-filled holiday, Shona posed for a picture at the airport alongside her pals before taking a selfie that simply read: “In Ibiza baby”.

EastEnders star Jessie Wallace has hit out at an environmental protest group after they slashed the tyres on her car.The 50 year old actress, whose character Kat Slater is currently planning a wedding to Phil Mitchell in the BBC soap, took to Instagram to share her annoyance at the group for slashing the wheels on her Range Rover.The group, who call themselves the Tyre Extinguishers, left a lengthy message entitled “Attention – your gas guzzler kills" on the windscreen of her car, explaining the reasons behind their actions. The letter admitted that the star would be “angry” but stressed “it’s not you, it’s your car”.

Strictly Come Dancing star Rose Ayling-Ellis has teamed up with Mattel to unveil the first Barbie with behind-the-ear hearing aids.The deaf EastEnders actress and 2021 winner of the dance competition, who recently showed off her stunning new blonde hair colour, features in the Rose, Barbie & Friends campaign.The 27 year old is photographed alongside a cast of diverse models who reflect the new line of dolls, which includes the first Ken doll with vitiligo, one with a prosthetic limb and another with a wheelchair. Rose, who has been deaf since birth, said: "It’s so important for children to be able to see themselves represented in the toys they play with.

EastEnders stars Max Bowden and Shona McGarty appear to be an item after they went "Instagram official" just days before his pregnant ex is due to give birth.

EastEnders co-stars Shona McGarty and Max Bowden have been at the centre of plenty of romance rumours recently. Shona, 30, who plays Whitney Dean in the soap and 27 year old Max, who plays Ben Mitchell, were reportedly “inseparable” earlier this year and since then there’s been reports the pair are “smitten”. Over the weekend the duo fuelled romance rumours further when they joined pals to attend House & Classics Festival in Hertfordshire, with actress Shona sharing a series of photos and videos from the day.The pictures included the pair posing for a photo, with Max hooking his arm around Shona's shoulders as he held a cigarette while she cheekily stuck her tongue out.