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Max Cunningham is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Ben Sheriff from 1995 to 1997, and Matt Littler from 1997 to 2008. He first appeared on 13 November 1995, and Littler took over the role in September 1997. In 2008, Max was the second longest running character in Hollyoaks, after Tony Hutchinson (Nick Pickard). In May 2008, it was announced that Littler had decided to leave the show and would depart in July 2008.
Clare called the social services and told them Max was hurting Tom, and also told Tom that he was the cause of his parents and Grace's deaths and if he spoke to Max, Max would die. Clare, who had built up many enemies in Hollyoaks, was pushed over a balcony at The Loft and was left for dead. Max and OB were two of the suspects, however Max's name was soon cleared. Max made a visit to a recovering Clare at her home and threatened her, telling her if she did not tell the social services she made Max's abuse of Tom up, he would kill her. Clare then agreed. Clare was forced out of Hollyoaks, however kidnapped Katy Fox. Max, Warren Fox and Justin Burton followed Clare to save her. A high speed car chase led to Clare and Katy plummeting over a quarry into water below. Warren and Justin jumped in to save Katy. Max then leapt in to save Clare, even though she had repeatedly tried to kill him. Under the water, Max tried to save Clare who was pulled away by the current and apparently drowned. Back in Hollyoaks, Max had a heart to heart with Steph Cunningham, who told Max it was not his fault Clare had died.
On their wedding day, Niall, still angry and upset over his break-up with Steph, raced off in his car, unknowingly towards Tom. Max saw this and pushed Tom out of the way, however Niall ended up running him over. Max died in OB's arms with Steph and Tom also present. Max's final appearance was the month following his death. While OB was leaving for a new life in America, he turned around and saw Max standing outside Drive 'n' Buy.
OB tells Max that his stepmother Helen Cunningham is having an affair with Tony Hutchinson. Max is angered by Helen and Tony's actions towards his father so he warns them if they continue, he will tell Gordon. Helen and Tony continue their affair so Max tells a devastated Gordon. Helen then leaves Gordon for Tony and prepares to leave. During a journey together, Gordon and Helen are involved in a car accident when Gordon suffers a heart attack at the wheel of the car. Their son Tom Cunningham is not injured, but Gordon and Helen die, leaving Max as Tom's legal guardian. Max's stepsister Mandy Richardson and OB supports Max. After Tom burns down the house after playing with firecrackers, the social services arrive. Max tells Mandy he thinks Tom should be put into care, which Tom overhears. Tom then runs away from home and is found at his parents grave. Max, OB and Tom then move into the flat next to Mandy and her fiancé Tony.
Tony makes OB and Max managers of The Loft after the pair work hard to show him they are responsible. Tony eventually gives The Loft to them as a Christmas present. Max and OB's first major decision for the club is to hire an events organiser, Clare Devine. Both Max and OB immediately fall for Clare. After an ultimatum, Clare chooses Max. Max and Clare's relationship begins well and Max asks her to move in with him, OB and Tom. OB's girlfriend Mel Burton catches Clare having an affair with Sean Kennedy and tries to tell Max. Due to her alcoholism, no one believes Mel except OB, causing a drift between Max and OB. Max and Clare get engaged. OB tries to make Max see Clare's true self, however is unsuccessful. At their wedding, OB bursts in begging Max to rethink his engagement. Max hits him and vows never to speak to him again. After the wedding, Max tells her he wants to start a family. Clare fakes being pregnant and also a miscarriage and tells Max she cannot have children. After finding Clare and Warren Fox taking cocaine, Max decides to join them and takes some as well. This causes a heart attack which leads to Max having to go on medication. Clare begins to tamper with this medication in order to bring on a second heart attack. During a Christmas break at an isolated cottage, Max finds the tampered medication and realises the truth. On seeing Tom supposedly in an icy lake, Max jumps in after him, however Clare has tricked him and refuses to help. OB arrives, punches Clare, saves Max and struggles to revive him. Luckily, he does. Max apologises to OB over not believing him. After Clare threatens him, Max signs The Loft over to Clare. With their friendship back on track, Max and OB open a juice bar called MOBS.
Clare is pushed over the balcony of The Loft and Max becomes one of five named suspects for her attempted murder. Tony and Dom Reilly give Max their alibi for the night. Clare returns from hospital and tells social services Max is hurting Tom. Max breaks into Clare's flat and threatens to kill her if she does not tell them she made everything up, which she does. Clare signs The Loft over to Warren Fox and is forced out of Hollyoaks. She also discovers Justin Burton pushed her over The Loft balcony. In revenge, Clare kidnaps Katy Fox. Warren, Justin and Max set off to find her. After a dangerous car chase, Clare's car goes over a quarry into water below. Warren and Justin jump in after Katy while Max attempts to save Clare. Clare is dragged underwater by a current and apparently drowns, however is revealed to have survived. Max tells Steph Dean of his guilt over letting Clare die and have a heart to heart, in which they appear to grow close.
Steph begins helping Max look after Tom. The pair begin to fall for each other. After several failed attempts, Max finally tells Steph his true feelings and they begin a relationship. With Max spending more time with Steph, OB begins to feel left out. OB befriends Simon Crosby, who apparently turns out to be a paedophile. Max and Jake Dean attack Simon's home with other residents. Innocent Simon tries to commit suicide, however survives. After Max discovers Simon was innocent, he apologises to OB, who is disgusted, although they later made up. OB decides to leave for London with girlfriend Summer Shaw. Max and Tom bare OB a sad farewell as he leaves. Max decides to propose to Steph, which she accepts. Max and Steph's engagement is short-lived when they split up and she seeks comfort in Niall Rafferty. Niall falls in love with Steph, who then gets back together with Max. With the wedding back on, Max's mother Angela, sister Cindy Cunningham, niece Holly Cunningham, stepsister Mandy and also OB return for his wedding, except for his older sister Jude, who cannot attend to the wedding due to being wanted by the police ten years earlier, and Steph father Johnno. After a perfect wedding, distraught Niall speeds off in his car. Max sees him driving unknowingly towards Tom and rushes to him, pushing him out of the way in time. Max is hit by Niall's car. Max is held by OB and Tom as he bleeds. Steph rushes to his side as he dies.
Virgin Media profiled Max and O.B's double act, stating: "This pair have fallen out more times than you can shake a stick at. Both mischievous, they are a bit of a double act but have grown more serious in recent times." In response to Gordon and Helen being killed off in their car crash storyline, Inside Soap's Sam Soap thought it was "great" and wished that producers had also killed off the entire Cunningham family because of their "grumpy faces". His colleague Lucy Lather disagreed, adding Hollyoaks "wouldn't be the same without Mandy and Max."
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