Ben Mitchell’s (Max Bowden) exit story kicks off in EastEnders this week – and his family are set to be in turmoil over the incident.

Viewers of the BBC soap have long wondered how the favourite would be written out of the show following news that he would be leaving broke at the end of December.

Since then, fans of the character and his on-screen hubby Callum Highway (Tony Clay), collectively known as Ballum, have hoped for them both to have a happy ending.

But that isn’t going to happen.

This week, Callum will feel put out to learn that Ben hasn’t organised any celebrations for his birthday.

After speaking with daughter Lexi Pearce (Isabella Brown) and a bit of classic Mitchell love advice from his old man Phil (Steve McFadden), he decides to host a surprise party at the Queen Vic – which ends in disaster when the police turn up looking to arrest him for a previous crime.

As an argument erupts at the family home, Lexi demands to know what’s going on with fears that she’s lose another parent just months after the death of her mum Lola (Danielle Harold) from a terminal brain tumour.

Desperate for a solution as Ben pleads his innocence, Phil calls in the big guns in the form of his lawyer Ritchie Scott (Sian Webber).

He then takes a call from Ben, who puts in a mysterious request which raises suspicion with his mum Kathy Cotton (Gillian Taylforth).

Kathy charges at Phil, demanding to know what he’s keeping from her.

Meanwhile, Jay Brown (Jamie Borthwick) takes Lexi to see her dad at the police station which ends badly when she breaks down in tears and storms out.

As Callum struggles to face his husband, he decides to use some of his inside contacts to see if he can get him released.

Will Ben make a bid for freedom or accept his fate?