New EastEnders spoilers have confirmed the fates of Max Branning (Jake Wood) and Zoe Slater (Michelle Ryan) following dramatic events in the latest episode. Max collapsed on his wedding day while clutching his chest, just as he appeared poised to call off his marriage to Cindy Beale (Michelle Collins) in favour of a potential future with Linda Carter (Kellie Bright). Meanwhile, Zoe suffered a fatal head injury after falling into rubble while stealing Charlie's cab, with upcoming scenes set to show her tragic death.
Max's collapse and the fallout
Max's collapse occurred during his wedding speech, moments after he had tied the knot with Cindy. The stress of his affair with Priya Nandra-Hart (Sophie Khan Levy) being exposed by Linda, who had declared her love for him the night before, appeared to take its toll. Linda had planned to reveal Max's infidelity to the wedding guests but ultimately did not go through with it, instead making clear that Max had missed his chance with her.
All guests rushed towards Max after his collapse, but his fate was already known to viewers thanks to a flash-forward episode earlier in the year, which confirmed he is alive come New Year's Day and set to marry again. However, the immediate concern is whether he has suffered a heart attack due to the stress of keeping his secrets, and who he will choose to be with when he wakes up.
Zoe's tragic end and Kat's shock
Elsewhere in Walford, Kat Slater (Jesse Wallace) was left in shock to discover that Zoe had made off with Charlie's stolen cab. The situation escalated when the seller arrived, and with Zoe facing prison, Kat and Alfie (Shane Richie) found the funds to pay him off. An argument erupted between Kat and Zoe just as Kat attempted to put on a brave face before Kim (Tameka Empson) and Howie's (Delroy Atkinson) wedding congregation arrived.
Zoe's head injury, sustained after a fall, will prove fatal, with upcoming scenes showing her death. The shockwaves from her demise will send ripples through Walford, particularly for Kat, who is set to find her body.
The Hawkins settle in and Kim's revelations
Meanwhile, the Hawkins family continued to settle into the Square, with Ned (Jamie Bamber) and Gemma (Patricia Potter) attempting to get acquainted with Phil (Steve McFadden) and Sharon (Letitia Dean). The moment was interrupted when Kim revealed all about Jodie (Anna Constable) and Ryder's (Felix Urr) behaviour at the community centre.
EastEnders airs these scenes on Wednesday, September 9 at 7:30pm on BBC One, or stream from 6am on BBC iPlayer. Fans can expect more shocks as the fallout from Max's collapse and Zoe's death unfolds.
