THERE are three massive clues that EastEnders stars Max Bowden and Danielle Harold were secretly dating before their bitter split.
It was revealed today how Danielle and Max, who played Lola Pearce and Ben Mitchell on the BBC soap, had been a relationship.
The actress reportedly had a secret romance with her EastEnders co-star[/caption]
Max and Danielle have now unfollowed each other on social media[/caption]
Even though they have now split, their relationship has only just come to light.
Suspicion was sparked after they unfollowed each other on Instagram last week.
A source told Daily Mail: “Danielle and Max dated for a number of years.
“Of course, it was known among the EastEnders cast and everyone thought they were sweet together.
“Their relationship hasn’t ended on the best terms, and they have even unfollowed each other on Instagram.
“There are a lot of emotions after they were friends, colleagues, and romantically involved for such a long time.”
Now three big clues have come to light which proved they were secretly dating.
GUSHING TRIBUTES
After Danielle‘s EastEnders character Lola Pearce passed away, Max was first to pay tribute to her acting.
The actor took to social media to post a sweet message to her.
Sharing a series of snaps of them together, the Ben Mitchell actor wrote: “Our girl. What you have achieved in the last twelve months is extraordinary.
“My whole EastEnders “journey” started with you, and what a ride it’s been.
“Watching you work so closely everyday has been inspiring, but hasn’t quite topped being your friend. You’ve been there for all of us when we’ve needed a friend, and for that I can only thank you.”
NIGHTS OUT
The pair often enjoyed boozy nights out together.
One evening saw them getting close at the Inside Soap Awards in 2023.
The two stars were seen quaffing champagne and letting their hair down at the annual ceremony.
The pair took part in Celebrity Antiques Roadshow[/caption]
TV JOBS TOGETHER
After leaving EastEnders the pair took part in Celebrity Antiques Roadshow together.
The actors teamed up to hunt for hidden treasures in a special episode of the much-loved show.
Danielle and Max were seen cracking jokes as they took a trip round the Cotswolds.
The pair’s characters had an emotional time on EastEnders[/caption]
LIFE ON ALBERT SQUARE
Meanwhile, on the show, the pair acted frequently alongside each other, with their characters sharing a child together.
Even after leaving the soap, they had appeared on screen together for an episode of Celebrity Antiques Road Trip, coinciding with EastEnders 40th anniversary.
While chatting to co-host Ishy Khan, former I’m A Celeb star Danielle spoke about her former co-star and best friend and praised: “We’re really close, really close.
“It’s nice to do something fun. With EastEnders, our storylines are really heavy and really sad.”
The couple featured heavily together on EastEnders as Max and Lola[/caption]
Max added: “We did some really dark and beautiful storylines together so we’ve spent a lot of time in each other’s pockets, which is why we’re so comfortable with each other.”
Danielle, who joined the soap in 2011, left the soap in 2023 after a devastating brain tumour storyline that saw Lola die, but continued to have sporadic appearances via videos her character left behind.
Max joined the soap in 2019 as the sixth actor to play Ben on the Square, and left the show as well in 2024.
In the soap, he was written out after being extradited to America after being caught out in a credit card fraud.
He had previously been in the States in a bid to find medical care Lola needed to stop her from dying.
His exit was swift, with characters revealing he had left during a chat in the café, saying he had pleaded guilty to the charges against him.
Max had previously dated Shona McGarty, who plays Whitney on EastEnders, but the pair split after just six months in 2022.
He has a son, Reginald, from a past relationship with insurance exec Roisin Buckle, but the pair split in 2022.
EastEnders facts and figures
THE beloved British soap has been captivating audiences for decades.
EastEnders follows the lives of the residents of Walford as they navigate love, loss, family drama, and community struggles.
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