Richie tips Max to be Kat's lover

EastEnders star Shane Richie has tipped Max Branning as his favourite to be Kat Moon's secret lover.

The actor plays Kat's husband Alfie, who is left reeling after she finally confesses she is in love with another man, and is furious when Kat refuses to reveal who she has been having an affair with.

Viewers have been left in suspense for months as Kat, played by Jessie Wallace, has been seen calling, texting, and sneaking off to meet another man. But even the soap's cast have not been told who her secret lover is.

Shane told The Daily Star: "They're filming different endings, but I think it's Max. You can't trust him!"

Derek Branning, his younger brothers Max and Jack, and Kat's former fling Michael Moon are among the men in the running to be revealed as Kat's secret lover when the 'Guess Who?' plot finally comes to a peak.

A poll of viewers conducted on the BBC soap's website in July voted smooth-talking Jack, played by Scott Maslen, the favourite, with 34 per cent.

Queen Vic chef Ray, played by Chucky Venn, came in second with 30 per cent, but was ruled out of the storyline last month.

Max Branning, played by Jake Wood, came bottom of the poll with just 12 per cent of the vote.

Max is currently preparing to remarry his ex-wife Tanya.

But Jake said previously: "Max and Tanya are potentially getting remarried, they're planning for that at the moment so we've got to wait and see, and obviously the Kat reveal I think will be some time before Christmas, so it should be a good Christmas, it'll be a Branning Christmas I think."