EastEnders: Max Branning is arrested for Lucy Beale's murder in shock cliffhanger

This time last week, we had Ben Mitchell being bundled into the back of a police car. Now, it's Max Branning being put firmly in the frame for the killing following damning testimony from his daughter Abi.

As DI Keeble tonight arrested Max on suspicion of Lucy's murder, DS Bryant was looking on smugly too - both totally unaware that they've brought the wrong man to book and that the pint-sized homicidal maniac Bobby Beale is still at large.

Earlier in the episode, Max did finally reveal his whereabouts on that fateful Good Friday evening when Lucy was killed. And, of course, he wasn't anywhere near the jewellery box that did for Lucy.

Max told Carol that he'd been out walking Tramp the dog when he saw Lucy with former principal suspect Jake Stone outside his flat on George Street.

Jake was drunk, but when Max aided Lucy to get himself inside the flat, he turned belligerent and ended up accidentally striking Lucy. Despite then going home, Max later went back out to check on Lucy - with whom he'd been having an affair - only to not find her home.

And after seeing a light on at the Beales' house, Max decided not to call in. Unfortunately for him, this now fails to give him an alibi for the approximate time of Lucy's death.

So with the weight of evidence increasing, is Max going to get banged up for a crime he didn't commit? Or is Ben still a viable suspect in the eyes of the law? One thing's for certain - those cells at Walford nick are getting terribly crowded...

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