BBC EastEnders fans work out Ben Mitchell’s exit storyline in prison twist

Ben Mitchell’s exit storyline has been ‘revealed’ on EastEnders – as fans rumble how he’ll exit the show.

Ben is departing his role on the BBC soap, with the programme not yet having confirmed how he’ll leave. A spokeswoman for the show confirmed to the Mirror recently that Ben was leaving the soap with a statement which read: “Max will be leaving EastEnders next year. We wish him all the best for the future,” but an exit storyline has not yet been announced.

Now fans are convinced they’ve rumbled how Ben will exit and they’re sure it involves a stint in prison so that the character can make a return to the Square one day. Viewers have been taking to social media to discuss their theories.

One shared: “If Ben regenerates, it’s likely he’s still going to leave for a little while and then come back with a new (old? Still rooting for Harry to return) face. My bet is he goes down for Keanu’s murder and goes to prison.”

A second added: “I was thinking it’ll be something to do with Dean. As much as I don’t want him to be involved, maybe he knows about Christmas and Ben jumps in for Kathy’s sake and either kills or has him killed and gets caught. If he actually does know about Christmas and stole the weapon, death is the only way to shut him up safely. He’ll either blackmail or ruin Linda for sure.

“Your theory is much, much better. I bet you’re right on the money, I didn’t even think about Dean playing a part in this. Still, prison is definitely going to be Ben’s exist and then he’ll be let out a year later with a new face or morphs back into Harry Reid,” a third wrote.

Others mused: “I’m guessing Bens exit will be Johnny sleeping with either Ben or Callum and the fallout from that,” whilst a second added: “I mean Ben and Johnny are constantly flirting and making bedroom eyes at each other already so it’s only a matter of time.”

It was reported at the time that Ben will not be killed off as part of his exit storyline. A TV insider said: “Max has played Ben for the last four years and bosses decided his time on the show was up. There has been a lot of noise around him for a bit too long and that can take away from the drama on the show. He went in for a meeting as his contract was up for renewal next year. No one knew how it was going to go and following discussions it was decided that he would leave. Bosses have yet to plan his exit storyline but Ben is not a character that they would kill off as we’ve already seen in all the previous recasts.”