If there’s one man in Walford who can leave chaos in his wake with just a single look, it’s Max Branning. His reputation as a serial heartbreaker, schemer, and lover has defined much of EastEnders’ most gripping storylines. From whirlwind affairs to devastating betrayals, Max’s tangled web of romances has left scars across the Square that will never quite heal. But behind every stolen kiss and shattered promise lies a man forever chasing redemption, even as temptation pulls him down darker paths. Let’s take a walk through the many lovers of Max Branning — a journey filled with heartbreak, lust, manipulation, and tragedy.

Zoe Slater: Secrets, Lies, and the Price of Love

Max’s involvement with Zoe Slater was anything but simple. Their connection burned with passion but was plagued by secrets and desperation. Zoe, haunted by the loss of her son, was desperate to track him down, chasing false leads and shady contacts. When she begged Max for help, he stepped in with money and promises, believing he could save her. But Zoe’s desperation took a dangerous turn — blackmail, threats, and shady deals. Max soon realized their affair was leading them into a darker world, one where money and desire clashed with survival. Their relationship wasn’t built on love, but on need — and when Zoe turned her fury on Max, vowing she never needed him at all, it left him broken but still chained to his destructive patterns.

Tanya Branning: The Wife Who Knew Too Much

Of course, Tanya was Max’s anchor, the woman he married and betrayed more times than anyone can count. Tanya’s love for Max burned fiercely, but his infidelity was always the poison in their marriage. Their relationship was passionate, volatile, and heartbreaking — an endless cycle of promises and betrayals. Max begged for “just one more chance,” swearing he could change, while Tanya’s strength grew every time he disappointed her. Their marriage, riddled with affairs and lies, collapsed under the weight of his unfaithfulness. Yet Tanya remains one of the most significant women in Max’s life — the one who knew him best, and the one he could never truly hold onto.

Stacey Slater: The Affair That Shocked the Square

Perhaps Max’s most infamous affair was with Stacey Slater, his own son Bradley’s partner. Their chemistry was undeniable, but their betrayal was explosive, tearing families apart and creating one of EastEnders’ most unforgettable scandals. The affair was exposed in front of the entire Branning and Slater clans during Christmas — an iconic moment that cemented Max’s reputation as Walford’s ultimate heartbreaker. The fallout destroyed his relationship with Bradley and left Stacey struggling with guilt and pain. Though years have passed, that betrayal still casts a long shadow over Max’s legacy.

Gemma: The Mistress Who Wanted More

While Tanya and Stacey brought high drama, Max’s fling with Gemma highlighted his inability to stop living dangerously. Gemma was a mistress who reveled in the thrill of secrecy. She promised to “be the perfect mistress,” always waiting for Max’s call, always ready to feed his addiction to risk. But Max, torn between his family and his hunger for excitement, tried to break it off. Gemma, however, knew him too well — warning that he could never stay faithful. She wasn’t wrong. With Max, temptation always found a way back into his life.

Linda Carter: A Dangerous Obsession

Linda Carter and Max’s brief but intense connection was another chapter of destructive passion. Max confessed his love for Linda, insisting they could build a “proper little family” together. But Linda, devoted to Mick, couldn’t give in fully to Max’s advances. Her rejection drove him further into obsession, blurring the line between love and manipulation. It was another example of Max’s inability to respect boundaries when his heart and ego collided.

Rainie Cross: Marriage of Convenience, Marriage of Chaos

In one of his strangest chapters, Max entered into a “business deal” marriage with Rainie Cross. On the surface, it was a cold, calculated arrangement designed to prove Max’s stability so he could win custody of his granddaughter, Abi. But the partnership quickly spiraled into manipulation and venomous fights. Max cruelly reminded Rainie of her past struggles, calling her a “crackhead loser” and using her vulnerabilities against her. Their union wasn’t about love — it was about survival. And yet, even in its toxicity, Max and Rainie’s marriage revealed his desperation to hold onto family, even if it meant destroying someone else’s life.

Rachel Branning: The First Heartbreak

Long before Tanya, Stacey, and the rest, there was Rachel, Max’s first wife and the mother of Bradley. Their marriage crumbled under the weight of Max’s betrayals, leaving Rachel to raise Bradley alone. When Max resurfaced, old wounds reopened. Rachel confronted him with years of pain — missed birthdays, broken promises, and abandonment. For Rachel, Max was the man who walked away and shut the door on their family. Though Max tried to charm her with compliments and regrets, Rachel was unmoved. She embodied the truth of Max Branning: a man who always left destruction behind.

Endless Entanglements and Dangerous Deals

Beyond his many lovers, Max was constantly pulled into schemes and shady dealings that made his love life even more explosive. From dodgy car sales linked to drug smuggling, to betrayals involving Phil Mitchell and the law closing in, Max always managed to be knee-deep in trouble. And through it all, women remained both his greatest weakness and his most dangerous weapon. Whether seducing for love, revenge, or manipulation, Max used relationships as stepping stones — but each one cost him dearly.

The Legacy of Max Branning’s Lovers

From Zoe to Tanya, Stacey to Rainie, Rachel to Linda, Max Branning’s love life has been one long trail of passion, pain, and devastation. He is a man who yearns for family but destroys every chance he gets. A man who insists he can change but always falls back into temptation. His lovers saw him at his most charming and his most cruel. Some tried to save him, others tried to destroy him, and many simply walked away, scarred forever.

What makes Max’s story so compelling is that, despite everything, he remains human. His lovers expose the contradictions at his core: the man who wants love but can’t stay faithful, the man who wants family but tears it apart, the man who swears he’ll change but never truly does.

And so, the legend of Max Branning continues — one affair, one betrayal, one desperate plea for redemption at a time. Because in Walford, love is never simple, and for Max, it has always been the most dangerous game of all.