It's another massive week in EastEnders for Max Branning, as the grieving dad finds himself banned from attending Abi's funeral. In an act of punishment for his part in his daughter's tragic death, Max's estranged family make it clear in no uncertain terms that he won't be welcome at the service.
Whilst Max's miserable existence might be one massive complicated mess, we've all been enjoying the last few weeks of watching Jake Wood do what he does best – delivering one flawless performance after another.
In celebration of his greatness, here are 12 facts about the man behind Max...
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1. He's a true Londoner
Jake, full name Jake Dylan Wood, was born in Westminster on July 12 1972, which makes him a proper Londoner, just like a certain Max Branning. Young Jake caught the acting bug early and honed his craft at the Anna Scher Drama School in Islington.
Other alumni from the same school include Jake's past and present 'Enders co-stars Natalie Cassidy (aka Sonia), Gillian Taylforth (Kathy), Martin Kemp (Steve Owen) and Patsy Palmer (Bianca). It's clearly the place to train if you want to be a future Walford resident.
2. He was also in Only Fools and Horses AND Red Dwarf
That's not one, not two but three classic British TV institutions ticked off.
One of Jake's very first TV appearances was a bit part in the 1989 Christmas special of legendary British comedy series Only Fools and Horses. In the episode, titled 'The Jolly Boys Outing', Jake plays an unnamed assistant working at Rodney Trotter's father-in-law's firm, who manages to move the data on Rodder's computer over to his.
It might be a bit of a blink-and-you'll-miss-it performance, but there's no mistaking that ginger mop! The old eps are still replayed on TV from time to time, so keep your eyes peeled.
However, his turn as Kill Crazy in Red Dwarf is still our favourite...
3. He's in some absolutely iconic adverts
Ask anyone of a certain age: "Remember that classic Yellow Pages advert?" and they'll say: "JR Hartley?" So you say: "No, not that one." But if you ask them for the second most classic Yellow Pages advert, they're sure to say: "French polishers?" Yes, you say, that's the one Max from EastEnders is in.
"Who are you?" "Who are you?" "Who's she?"
And don't even get us started on this student-days Super Noodles advert...
4. He was the voice of a gecko
While we're on adverts, what's the link between Jake and the American car insurance company Geico? It's not instantly obvious, and for those of you who don't already know, the actor used to be the voice of their matter-of-fact mascot, The Gecko.
Jake provided the Geico Gecko's cheeky Cockney accent for a whole decade, before being axed from the role in 2015 amid rumours of a pay dispute between him and his US employer.
A new voice now features in the commercials, and Jake's supporters were quick to voice their disapproval over the change, calling for him to be reinstated as their favourite reptile!
5. He's a big Arsenal supporter
Max might be Walford's biggest player, but in real life, Jake is a fan of a whole team of players – the Arsenal football team, to be precise. Long-time Gunners fan Jake takes his passion very seriously, and recently went on the Talksport radio station to discuss why he believes Arsenal haven't been able to win the Premier League title in more than 10 years.
And like the majority of his fellow supporters, Jake also enjoys a bit of healthy rivalry with North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur. When recently questioned by a fan on Twitter how he makes crying look so realistic on-screen, the star's tongue-in-cheek reply was: "I imagine if I were a Spurs supporter." Oh, banter, banter!
6. He's no pushover on Twitter
If you're already following Jake on Twitter (and for those of you who aren't, his account is @mrjakedwood), you'll know that he's earning a reputation for being the king of the comebacks. Watch out, James Blunt, your crown may be slipping!
The actor isn't averse to blocking trolls, and then sending them tweets to inform them of his decision, issuing witty reminders that EastEnders is all make believe to any viewers taking the soap a little too seriously. Of course, as previously mentioned, he also uses his account as a platform to occasionally rib Spurs supporters. His Twitter page is one of the funniest things you'll read all 2018, honest.
7. He can go the distance
We all know what Max's favourite physical past time is, but even with that much stamina, we bet he's never run a half marathon. Jake has. More than once. In 2007, he took part in the BUPA Great North Run, completing the 13.1-mile course in an impressive 1 hour and 59 minutes – he's quick on his feet!
Jake clearly loved being part of the annual charity event, so much so that he went back for more the following year, this time running to raise funds for Marie Curie. It's double the distance, but could the London Marathon be calling next?
8. He's got snake hips to rival JT
It's hardly a secret that Jake took part in the 12th series of Strictly Come Dancing in 2014, but did you know he shimmied his way to the top of the leader board three times during that season? The star's mesmerising American Smooth won praise from the hard-to-please judges, and his on-the-money Salsa to 'Mambo No. 5' has gone down in Strictly history. How he and partner Janette Manrara achieved that scary-looking sequence at that end we'll never know!
Snaky Jakey (as he was dubbed due to those gyrating hips) might have been voted out in semi-finals week, but he was a winner in our eyes. Here's that spectacular Salsa for you to marvel at once more...
9. He recently renewed his wedding vows
Family man Jake has been hitched to his wife Alison Murray for 16 years, and the happy couple decided to reaffirm their love last autumn by throwing their own mini Glastonbury. During the celebration, which was held in a field in Hertfordshire 23 years to the day they first met, Jake and Alison exchanged vows while watched by their children Amber, 12, and Buster, 9.
Among their 220 guests, were Jake's closest 'Enders co-stars and his Strictly mates – including Frankie Bridge and Alison Hammond, who thrilled everyone with a special rendition of 'Mustang Sally'. The festival goers danced the night away, before glamping in on-site tepee-style tents. Sounds like a right good knees-up!
10. He's made Max smell seriously good
After playing the bad Branning of Walford for nearly 12 years, it must be second nature to Jake coming into work each day and stepping into Max's troubled shoes. But even the most experienced of actors need a little help getting into character.
Jake's trick is to spray on a few squirts of an aftershave that he's made 'Max's', and just by adding that finishing touch, he suddenly transforms into his alter ego. So if you're ever lucky enough to meet Jake when he's leaving the EastEnders set at the end of the day, you might get a whiff of Max's mystery scent. It must smell good given all the ladies he's seduced!
11. He's a three-time Weird Crush winner
Who else can say they've been crowned the nation's 'Weirdest Crush' for the past three years? Jake was voted the winner by the readers of Heat magazine in 2015, 2016 and 2017, beating the likes of Jeremy Clarkson, Ed Sheeran, and Rylan Clark-Neal.
After learning he'd scooped the hat-trick last year, Jake said: "To win one was amazing, two was unbelievable, and I think I'm going to have to go have a lie down for a bit with this one." He also joked that he "won't be resting on his laurels", and hopes to claim the prize again in 2018. Get your votes in guys, Jake's counting on you!
12. He organises celebrity boxing matches
During his year-long hiatus from EastEnders, Jake teamed up with Sky Sports pundit Spencer Oliver for a charity boxing match called 'Boxing with the Stars' in October 2016. The occasion was such a knockout success (FYI, Jake's match ended in a draw), that Jake and Spencer have since repeated the event every few months, enlisting stars such as Lewis Bloor and Love Island winner Nathan Massey.
All the money raised from ticket sales for the fights in 2017 was donated to the Isabel Hospice, a charity close to Jake's heart, and there's plenty more action lined up for this year too. Jake and Spencer also have their own podcast called Pound for Pound, available to download on iTunes, if you fancy a listen.
13. He has fans in high places
It's been nine years since they worked together, but super-talented Jake clearly made a lasting impression on former co-star Robert Kazinsky (aka Sean Slater). The actor, who has gone on to make a name for himself Stateside with lead roles in True Blood and Second Chance, holds Jake in very high esteem.
Rob praised his former colleague, revealing: "I've worked with Oscar winners and Golden Globe winners, but the best actor I've ever worked with is still Jake Wood." Flattered Jake responded by thanking Rob for the compliment, saying: "It's nice to hear stuff like that," and remarking how proud he was of him cracking Hollywood. We love a good bromance!
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