This week on Soap Scoop, Laura-Jayne Tyler is joined by EastEnders star Max Bowden to talk about his brand-new play Murder at Midnight, returning to Walford as Ben Mitchell, and the future of Ballum. We also dive into the latest Coronation Street drama as Becky’s return continues to test Carla and Lisa’s relationship, while over in Emmerdale, Charity and Ross secretly run a DNA test to discover if he’s the father of her baby. Expect exclusive insights, big laughs, and plenty of passionate soap debate. 💬 Join the conversation in the comments and let us know your theories! Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the bell so you never miss an episode. ⏱️ Chapters 0:00 – Intro: What’s coming up on this week’s Soap Scoop 0:42 – Max Bowden joins the podcast 1:18 – Murder at Midnight: Max’s new comedy-thriller play 2:35 – Working with Katie McGlynn, Susie Blake & Jason Durr 3:24 – Max on whodunnits and EastEnders secrets 4:09 – Life after Walford: Max’s busy theatre career 4:49 – Surprise return to EastEnders: Ben Mitchell is back 5:30 – Ballum reunion tease: Ben & Callum kiss 5:54 – Max reacts to Callum cheating with Johnny 6:43 – Lessons from Ben’s downfall: crime doesn’t pay! 7:03 – Was Max ready to let go of Ben? 8:04 – Stepping back into Ben’s shoes after two years 8:34 – Working with Tony Clay again 9:02 – Ballum fans’ amazing support across the UK 9:40 – What’s next after Murder at Midnight? 10:10 – Would Max return to EastEnders again long-term? 11:00 – Why live theatre still excites Max 11:21 – Where to get tickets for Murder at Midnight 12:08 – Chloe & LJ debate Ballum’s reunion 12:49 – Sharon vs Zoe: iconic EastEnders rivalry reignites 13:36 – Could Dennis Rickman be the father of Zoe’s twins? 15:07 – Why EastEnders’ 2000s icons returning is a big win 15:38 – Swarla drama in Corrie: Carla vs Becky begins 16:45 – Becky moves closer to Lisa & Carla’s home 18:27 – Carla’s brutal words to Becky: “Better off dead” 19:13 – Can Swarla survive? Wedding on the horizon? 21:20 – Emmerdale: Ross & Charity run a secret DNA test 22:51 – Why Ross + Charity make soap gold 23:27 – Could Mack return to find Charity pregnant with Ross’s baby? 24:10 – Soap nostalgia: Bad Girls flashback 24:44 – Wrap-up & fan call to action https://www.facebook.com/insidesoap https://www.instagram.com/insidesoapmagazine https://www.tiktok.com/insidesoapmag https://www.x.com/insidesoapmag   Inside Soap is Britain’s only soap magazine, bringing readers every story, every secret, every week from shows such as such as Coronation Street, EastEnders, Emmerdale, Hollyoaks, Casualty and Neighbours. Grab a copy of the mag on Tuesdays, and head to www.digitalspy.com/soaps. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices