Shona McGarty and Max Bowden of EastEnders hold hands during a kebab truck outing

EastEnders stars Shona McGarty and Max Bowden are all single and are believed to have developed a close relationship before forming an off-screen relationship and were spotted stepping out for takeout in Hertfordshire

EastEnders stars Shona McGarty and Max Bowden were spotted holding hands during a romantic ride on a kebab truck.

The soap stars who play Whitney Dean and Ben Mitchell are said to have “become close” after Ben split from his pregnant girlfriend this year.

The pair were seen holding hands at a takeout store in Hertfordshire, where one viewer told The Sun: “They look a lot like a couple.”

Max, 27, who is the sixth actor to play the character of Ben Mitchell in the BBC drama, was also pictured leaving the Shona’s Welwyn Garden City home recently.

A source told Sun on Sunday: ‘They spend as much time together as they can. Most evenings or mornings, Max is seen going in and out of Shona’s house. He wears the same clothes most days.’ ‘

Meanwhile, Max’s ex-girlfriend insurance executive Roisin Buckle, who is expecting a baby boy, has vowed that they will co-parent their child together, despite the split.

Shona remains single after splitting from her electrician fiance Ryan Harris in January.

And though her dating days may be behind her once again, fans of her soap star character were quick to praise her sexy transition from human turned Whitney into none other than musical icon Britney.

The 30-year-old on-screen market trader appeared on stage and performed Britney Spears’ hit hit Toxic and even dressed up as an American pop star.

With her long athletic blonde hair and blue flight attendant uniform in Britney’s Toxic music video, she looks like a world away from the dark-haired woman we see fashionable floating on Bridge Street. .

Sharing about the shot during filming, she posted: “This is so much fun..” Another is raising her hand in front of the camera, which she writes: Whitney spears…”

Fans flocked to her makeover on the Instagram post with nothing more than an addition to her new look.

One person posted: “That hair color looks great, it really suits you. X”

Another added: “I just can’t fathom how amazing this is.”

And on Twitter, one fan said: “Wow, check out Whitney Spears”. A second chimed in: “It’s Whitney Spears @ShonaBM wow she’s amazing to be Britney Spears for tonight’s #EastEnders x”.

“Whitney sings Britney Spears yasss I’m here for it #EastEnders @ShonaBM girl your voice,” one impressed viewer wrote.