Jake Wood to return to EastEnders in September

Jake Wood is set to return to ‘EastEnders’ in September.

The 43-year-old hunk turned his back on his bad boy womanising alter-ego Max Branning last October, following nine years on the BBC One soap, but he’s revealed he’s planning to reprise his well-loved role later this year.

Jake – who has two children with his wife Alison – said: "They’ve [the bosses have] given me this summer off as well because I want to be with the kids and then it’s September I’m pencilled in to go back [to the soap]."

However, the talented actor – who was crowned the UK’s top Weird Crush for the second year in a row earlier this week – has admitted he’ll have to binge-watch the last six months of the show as he hasn’t seen a single episode since his exit.

He said: "I haven’t watched an episode since I left. I’ll watch it on catch up. I’ll watch the last six month on catch up."

Jake broke hearts across the nation last year when he announced he was taking a 12-month hiatus from the show in order to recuperate and explore other career avenues.

Asked about his exit, he told Kugan Cassius on his iFL TV YouTube channel: "I went up and saw them [the producers] and said I was knackered and wanted a bit of time out. I needed a good break. I’ve done nine years without a break."

Meanwhile, fans last saw Max leaving Albert Square six months ago in a police car after he was wrongly convicted of the brutal murder of young businesswoman Lucy Beale (Hetti Bywater).

And, although his name will be cleared when Lucy’s twisted younger brother Bobby is revealed as the real murderer, Jake has teased there’s a new set of dramas in store for Max when he trots back into Walford in September.