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Jake Wood is "leaving for one year"; Wants to pursue other projects but claims he'll be back
Topic Started: 28 May 2015, 04:19 (15,255 Views)
ChrissieW
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http://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/eastenders-star-jake-wood-leaving-5775228

EastEnders star Jake Wood is leaving Albert Square - but only for a year

01:25, 28 MAY 2015
BY LOUISE SASSOON
Jake, who plays Walford heartthrob Max Branning, is taking time off to pursue other projects



EastEnders star Jake Wood has said he is leaving the BBC1 soap after almost a decade - but only for a year.

The heartthrob 42, who plays Walford heartthrob Max Branning , will return to Albert Square after taking some time off to to pursue other projects.

Jake told The Sun: "I've been at EastEnders for nine years and I feel the time is right to give Max a break.

"But it won't be for too long as I shall be back to see Max face another chapter of drama."

Jake, who has played lovable rogue Max since June 2006, earlier revealed to the Daily Mirror his character has had a tough year but it's been 'interesting'.

Karin arrives in Walford looking for Phil but instead takes an interest in Max. After agreeing on a business deal, it doesn’t take long for Max and Karin to share a passionate kiss but is all what it seems with her?Max gets it on with love interest Denis Van Outen.

He said: “Max has had an interesting year, he fell in love and then he lost the love of his life. He then lost the car lot and the Arches. He’s down on his luck at the moment and that is interesting to play when Max is not flying so high, desperate and drinking whisky.”

In the video above the actor, who plays the former used car salesman, talks about working with such a strong cast.

After having an affair with his daughter-in-law Stacey Max then went on to get involved with a police officer who was investigating Lucy Beale's death - before she was killed after being hit by a runaway car.

His latest love interest is glamorous blonde Karin, played by Albert Square newcomer Denise Van Outen

The EastEnders cast have reflected on a hard year of grafting on one of Britain's biggest soaps with key characters revealing what the 30th Anniversary celebrations were really like .
Edited by ChrissieW, 28 May 2015, 05:01.
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Mr Branning
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This sounds awfully similar to the 'breaks' Jo Joyner and Letitia Dean took. I really hope he does come back, though I guess it depends how well his other projects go. I know a lot of people think Max is a spent character but Jake is one of the show's best actors, he's a familiar face and he can turn his hand to pretty much anything. I still think there's a lot of scope for Max yet. I hate how many fantastic actors we're losing this year.

Plus, this is another relative of Carol's who is leaving, which is never a good thing if we want Lindsey to stay on.
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Jade
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I wake up to this news :( I have a horrible feeling we are going to lose Jake and Lindsay. Don't forget Liam is going too. Sonia and Whitney will be integrated with the Carters. To lose 2 of the best actors on the show is a damn shame. I am not sure its a year either. Jake has been in films and adverts in America. He doesn't need EE for the wage and he has other opportunity elsewhere. He isn't being used as A lit these days and maybe wants a challenge.
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Julia Smith "We decided to go for a realistic, fairly outspoken type of drama which could encompass stories about homosexuality, rape, unemployment, racial prejudice, etc., in a believable context. Above all, we wanted realism".

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ChrissieW
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If Jake, Jessie and Lindsey all leave this year I may cry. Serious loss of acting talent. Still, at least Denise Van Outen may be in advanced talks to join full-time, eh. ;)
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pugg
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Best news in years, perhaps he can take Linda Henry with him for a even longer break .
Both very much overrated and well passed their sell buy date. :p
If you always want what you can't have, what do you want when you can have anything?
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BigApe
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I've always kinda been a bit yay and nay about Max. On one hand it felt that Derek and Jack (who both had interesting back stories) were notched down so that Max could take centre stage.

On the other hand he has been a very integral character over the years and it would be a shame to lose him.
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WalfordE20
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I wonder where this leaves Abi when her relationship with Ben inevitably explodes, and also the supposedly-returning Lauren.

This is a huge loss for the show. Regardless of whether you love Max or hate him, Jake Wood is up there with Steve McFadden and Lyndsey Coulson as one of the show's best actors. She's another one I'm really starting to fear for now.

Disappointing news, but a break might be what Max needs. I wish Jake luck, and I hope he's back within a year.

I'm guessing we now know who's falsely arrested for killing Lucy....
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Sey
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Shane and Jake both gone in the space of a few months Devastating. If Steve or Adam go, I think that might be it for the show.
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Queen Florence Serene
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ChrissieW
28 May 2015, 04:35
If Jake, Jessie and Lindsey all leave this year I may cry. Serious loss of acting talent. Still, at least Denise Van Outen may be in advanced talks to join full-time, eh. ;)
:D :D :D :P :P :D :D :D :D :D

Thank God for Denise Van Outen! ;)
Don't be lazy destiny needs some proactive nudges
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Londongirl89
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Sey
28 May 2015, 07:10
Shane and Jake both gone in the space of a few months Devastating. If Steve or Adam go, I think that might be it for the show.
Adam would never leave the show.
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TellyAddict
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According to DS he has already signed a contract securing his return to the show next year, http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s2/eastenders/news/a649619/jake-wood-is-taking-a-year-off-eastenders-to-pursue-other-projects.html

In which case I hope this is a very quick year. It's a shame that Max is going off for a while when he's at a really dark and interesting place right now, but I wish Jake all the best in whatever he's planning to do.

Also, the quotes from DTC pretty much confirm to me who our wrongful arrest in the Lucy case is.
Edited by TellyAddict, 28 May 2015, 08:01.
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DirtyDen
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DirtyDen(ise)
This is a positive move IMO, give his character a break and bring him back fresh and renewed.

He has signed already to return, so that's a positive step.

It worries me slightly that so many main characters are doing pants this year! I hope the storylines are such that it isn't just another Christmas Carter show!
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Jamie Fowler
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With all these major characters going or taking breaks, you'd hope the likes of Jay and Lola would start getting more screen time but no, the Carters will fill the gaps no doubt
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D28
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Jake, Jessie, Shane, June Brown, Ann Mitchell all on breaks from the show. Really hope Lindsey Coulson doesn't follow suit.

Jake says he's taking an extended break after the summer so I guess Jake will be leaving late summer/early autumn.
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Queen Florence Serene
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D28
28 May 2015, 09:46
Jake, Jessie, Shane, June Brown, Ann Mitchell all on breaks from the show. Really hope Lindsey Coulson doesn't follow suit.

Jake says he's taking an extended break after the summer so I guess Jake will be leaving late summer/early autumn.
I feel more sure by the day that Lindsey Coulson is leaving soon. Will be a major blow to the show.

I find it interesting that in the year /months after previous special anniversaries in 2005 and 2010 that quite a lot of big characters or names left the show also.
Don't be lazy destiny needs some proactive nudges
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Mrs Peel
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First of all, no one's said anything about Lindsay Coulson leaving, not even Lindsay Coulson. Secondly, the BBC, itself, is touting that Wood is only taking a year off and has signed a contract for the ensuing year.

I'm calling it: Max is the innocent person arrested, tried and imprisoned for Lucy's murder. The Beales will keep quiet, bullied into tacit submission by Jane. Then, almost a year on, enter Lauren - who better to do a reveal than Lauren? - shouting the odds about Max's innocence, and with Ian's grandchild in tow. Remember Lauren sussed that someone in the Beale household killed Lucy, and she thought it was Jane. Peter would have told her the score, and she'll come back to free Max.

That'll be when the shit will hit the fan about Bobby and Jane.
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Shaz1022
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Gutted that the show is losing another actor who can actually act .
Edited by Shaz1022, 28 May 2015, 11:37.
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Dave Sullivan
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I think some of us are being a little bit too pessimistic. Jake Wood has committed nine solid years of his life to EastEnders which is a considerable period for most working actors. If he wants to do other things I think he's earned the right to do so, and in all fairness as a character Max probably needs a break. The fact that a fresh contract has already been signed for next year shows Wood is committed to the show and TPTB are committed to Max Branning as a character too.

And as for the characters 'filling the gaps' for a small number of exiting cast I think we will see a fair few lesser used cast members taking centre stage which is already happening and is also a good thing as the show is meant to be an ensemble piece and that's starting to show in stronger terms than last year.
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Shamelessness
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Obviously I'll miss Max but I think a break could do him the world of good - he'll be put on remand for Lucy's murder and get freed a year later after being found not guilty. It's reassuring that he's already signed a contract securing his return, so we're not in Kalfie-limbo, and it's definitely not a Sonia and Martin/Sharon "break".
Edited by Shamelessness, 28 May 2015, 13:42.
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Snoopy
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I'm disappointed because I mostly find Max extremely watchable and Jake's performances are a massive part of that. Having said that though, seeing the plot that had potential with Phil come down to 'Max sleeps with a woman' was frustrating and I wonder if the character having a break might be a good thing in the long run. Glad to read he's signed a contract to secure his return.

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