Jake Wood rakes in over £1m in a year after leaving EastEnders – and it’s NOT through TV

EASTENDERS actor Jake Wood has raked in an impressive £1m after quitting the BBC One soap.

Jake, who played Albert Square favourite Max Branning for 15 years, left the soap in 2021 to pursue other projects.

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The TV star has since launched a popular podcast series, starred in West End thriller 2:22: A Ghost Story and landed money spinning panto roles.

Figures for his Murray & Wood Company for 2022 show cash reserves of more than £200,000 and and a Corporation Tax bill of £169,151 - meaning his earnings for that year were around the £1m mark.

But he won’t be toasting his success with champers as he’s been sober for 20 years.

Jake said at New Year: “I am 20 years sober tonight. So proud of myself and for anyone out there on a similar journey.

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"If you are struggling there is help out there, please reach out and believe me if I did it you can too. Sending you all love & strength and a happy and healthy 2024.”

He’s set to be taking to the stage again for the upcoming theatre show Hell’s Bells, which is also directed by the EastEnders star.

Actress Louisa Clein, who played the villainous Maya Stepney on Emmerdale, is also involved in the star-studded lineup.

Last year he told The Sun he had no immediate plans for a return to Walford.

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He said: "I've been acting since I was 10 years old so now all I want to do is stuff that excites me.

"I don't feel I have to prove anything and I don't want to be working for workings' sake.

"Whether my next move is a Netflix project or a big film, who knows."

Jake has been a long-running face in Albert Square after debuting in the show in 2006 but departed at the beginning of last year.

Max's last major storyline saw him get involved with Linda Carter which resulted in a violent face-off with her husband Mick.

Max fathered a child with Linda who he is still yet to meet.

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