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.’

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

In 2023, bosses reportedly dropped Max over concerns about his off-screen behaviour.

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 pushed for Max’s return to strengthen the show with familiar faces.

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

For now, though, the actor is stepping back into the Square single, and ready to start his next chapter.