EastEnders’ Max Branning (Jake Wood) and Cindy Beale (Michelle Collins) have a lot in common.

Deeply manipulative, a propensity to let their hormones to drive them into untoward situations, families who can hardly bare their selfish ways, both have even tried to off Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt).

Though, that last point could apply to most of Walford.

Despite having never met, Cindy bore a deep-rooted hatred for Max, with him being responsible for the death of her eldest son, Steven (Aaron Sidwell).

At a loose end on Christmas Day, Max found himself intoxicating and wandering the Square, before finding Cindy, also having been shunned by her (well, their) family, sat alone at the Albert.

As the two enjoyed a drink, it was a shock to absolutely nobody when lips locked, clothes were hastily torn off and they engaged in a bit of ‘depressed and lonely’ loving.

With the Beales and Brannings so intrinsically linked, there was no way Cindy wouldn’t find out, and with the Beales and Brannings so intrinsically liked in Soapland, she was certain to find out at the worst possible time.

And she did, at her grandson, Lauren and Peter’s (Jacqueline Jossa and Thomas Law) son’s christening. As Penny Branning (Kitty Castledine) put it, Cindy had found some ginger nuts in her Christmas stocking.

The two only found themselves allied once again (this time, fully clothed) when they realised they shared a mutual enemy: Jasmine Fisher (Indeyarna Donaldson-Holness), who Max wanted to keep away from his son, Oscar Branning (Pierre Counihan-Moullier), and Cindy wanted to get revenge on for gravely injuring her.

Next week sees them remain in each others orbit, as Cindy manipulates Max after he point blank refuses to help Lauren buy the car lot.

Upon learning that it’s being sold, Lauren tries to barter a bank loan, but is rejected. With Ian’s suggestion that she ask her dad ringing in her ears, she approaches Max, but is rejected once again.

While Lauren sulks and is mocked by both Cindy and Oscar, Cindy decides to play both sides of the fence and takes the opportunity to poke at Max as well, seemingly manipulating him into rethinking his decision.

With Max busting a U-ey and deciding to invest in the business, Lauren is utterly elated, though it becomes incredibly apparent through individual conversations with Peter and Jack (Scott Maslen) that the father-daughter duo both have incredibly different, and opposing, ideas on how the car lot will be run.