Returning EastEnders star Max Bowden has addressed what some fans have deemed a ‘plot hole’ ahead of his comeback.

It was announced earlier this month that Max will reprise his role as Ben Mitchell for a very brief stint alongside Ricky Champ, who plays Stuart Highway, in the autumn.

A picture released by the BBC soap showed the characters stood alongside Callum Highway (Tony Clay) and Johnny Carter (Charlie Suff), attending the funeral of Highway patriarch Jonno.

If mourning his homophobic and estranged father wasn’t bad enough for Callum, he’s also going to have to come face to face with his husband Ben, who he recently cheated on.

Behind the scenes snaps have shown a tense confrontation at the graveside.

The plot has seemingly opened a huge can of worms, as it makes no logical sense for Ben to attend.

This is, of course, because he’s found himself behind bars for the last eighteen months – in America.

What happened to Ben in EastEnders?

Ben departed life in Albert Square in 2024. He was arrested for fraud and sent to prison in the USA.

It came shortly after the death of Lola Pearce (Danielle Harold), the mother of Ben’s daughter Lexi (Isabella Brown).

Ben went to prison because he was arrested for using someone’s credit card, and making a number of purchases while exploring treatment options for Lola – who had a brain tumour – in the States.

Apparently he’s on day release to attend Jonno’s funeral, and while we’re not experts on the American legal system, it’s incredibly unlikely that he’d be shipped to the other side of the world to mourn his father-in-law.

And don’t the fans know it!

Fans question how Ben’s return will work

‘That’s a bit of a stretch isn’t it?’ laughed Dan on X, and he wasn’t alone.

‘I’m sure American prison are going to fly their prisoners over seas for a funeral,’ agreed JDLeigh.

Jake Meyers chipped in a facepalm emoji to say: ‘As if they’d let Ben attend. Sure, fly him half way across the world for his father in laws funeral, sounds about right…’

@takethe_highway offered a more reasonable explanation, saying: ‘He’s probably been transferred to a UK prison.’

Max clears up the confusion

Max appeared on ITV daytime show This Morning yesterday alongside former Coronation Street actress Katie McGlynn to publicise their new roles in the West End’s Murder at Midnight.

The official synopsis for the play reads: ‘It’s New Year’s Eve in a quiet corner of Kent and a killer is in the house…

‘We meet Jonny “The Cyclops” – the notorious gangster, his glamorous wife, his trigger-happy sidekick, his mum—who’s seeing things, her very jittery carer, plus a vicar who’s hiding something and a nervous burglar dressed as a clown.

‘Throw in a suitcase full of cash, a stash of deadly weapons, and one infamous unsolved murder…What could possibly go wrong?’

The duo will be joined by Corrie royalty Susie Blake, who played Bev Unwin.

Hosts Rylan Clark and Josie Gibson were keen to delve back into soapland gossip, asking Max about his upcoming return.

‘He’s coming back as a doting husband,’ the star explained.

‘He’s managed to get a transfer from the US and he comes back for a brief stint which was lovely to film and see everybody.

‘He’s been a naughty boy. He’s essentially… he gets extradited on a day release and he comes back for Callum’s dad’s funeral!’

Thanks for clearing that up, Max!