Home and Away

Home and Away actor Steve Peacocke will be seen alongside the likes of Dwayne Johnson, John Hurt and Rufus Sewell in a new movie from Brett Ratner.

Peacocke, who plays Brax in the Aussie soap, has nabbed himself a role in the new action movie Hercules: The Thracian Wars.

He will return to his Home and Away role after taking a couple of months off to film the movie.

He said: “This is an incredible opportunity for me to experience film on a massive scale, work with a world-class director, actors and two of the biggest studios in the world. I’m grateful Seven is allowing me time out to get a taste of that world.” Continue reading »

Former Home and Away actor Jay Laga’aia will be seen on stage in Auckland in the new season of Wicked.

The Kiwi actor, who plies his trade mainly in Australia, will play The Wizard of Oz in the Broadway musical when it comes to Auckland in September.

“To be able to come home with a show that is absolutely awe-inspiring is something that this prodigal son could only dream about,” Laga’aia said. “My biggest fear is not The Wizard but the amount of ticket requests from family and friends! Maybe Glinda or Elphaba could whip up a spell for me.” Continue reading »

Australia’s top TV prize has been handed out to the star of Offspring.

Asher Keddie claimed the Gold Logie prize for her role in the drama series at last night’s 2013 Logie Awards, which celebrate the best in Australian television.

Keddie triumphed over comedy due Hamish and Andy, Carrie Bickmore, Adam Hills and Steve Peacocke to win the award, which is given to the most popular personality on TV.

She also claimed the Most Popular Actress award ahead of Rebecca Gibney of Packed to the Rafters. Continue reading »

Home and Away actor Luke Mitchell has been cast in a new US pilot called Tomorrow People.

The actor, who has played Romeo Smith on the Aussie soap since 2009, joined the project at The CW network to play a character called John Young.

Tomorrow People is a remake of the British sci-fi series from the 1970s. It focusses on several young people who represent the next stage of human evolution in that they possess the ability to teleport and communicate with one another telepathically. Continue reading »

A Home and Away veteran is making a return to the soap as part of its 25th birthday celebrations.

Kate Ritchie, who played Sally Fletcher between 1988 and 2008, will return after five years to take part in a special story arc.

“It’s funny, because I’d never considered going back,’’ Ritchie told New Idea.

“It took me such a long time to pluck up the courage to leave Home and Away, that making a return visit was never on the agenda.” Continue reading »

5:30pm – Monday, January 28 on TV 3

As Home and Away continues its action-packed 2013 season, this week see the arrival of brother and sister duo, Spencer and Maddie, in Summer Bay. Home and Away screens Monday, January 28 th to Friday, February 1 st at 5:30pm on 3. Series star Lynne McGranger, who plays Irene Roberts, recently spoke about these Summer Bay newcomers, promising “intrigue” from their arrival.

“They arrive with a secret. That’s all I can tell you – that there’s a secret that is revealed within a couple of weeks,” McGranger says. “They’re both terrific actors.” “Andrew [who plays Spencer] is playing much younger than what he is – I think he’s about 23 and he’s playing 17. Kassandra is playing Maddie, and I think they’ll be a terrific addition to the Home and Away family with the intrigue and the secret they have.”

“Much later on down the track, their brother Chris turns up and there’s a bit of drama there, too,” McGranger continues.

The arrival of Spencer and Maddie comes after Home and Away producers promised to feature more fostering storylines and increase the number of scenes at Summer Bay High.

Asked whether Home and Away’s writers are trying to take the show back to its roots, McGranger says: “Oh, absolutely. I think there’s a few things that are important to the success of a show like Home and Away. I think the viewers like the stalwarts, they like the lynchpins – the Alfs, the Irenes, the Leahs… and of course, the Marilyns, the Roos and the Harveys.

“Those characters are important, but the young ones are the ones who, if you like, life happens to! They circle around the lynchpins, and I think the more young people you have on the show, the more opportunity there is for that kind of drama.” Make sure not to miss the arrival of this “drama” when we get our first introduction to Spencer and Maddie in Home and Away, screening Monday, January 28 th to Friday, February 1 st at 5:30pm on 3.

5:30pm – Monday, December 3 on TV 3

This week sees Home and Away wrap up its 2012 New Zealand season with fan favourite, Leah (Ada Nicodemou) temporary leaving Summer Bay in order to get away from her stalker. Home and Away screens Monday, December 3 rd to Friday, December 7 th at 5:30pm on 3. Ada Nicodemou is currently on maternity leave, which means her character, Leah PattersonBaker will this week make the decision to leave the Bay in a desperate bid to escape her stalker, Jamie (Hugo Johnstone-Burt), who has left her terrified by breaking into her home and scaring her son VJ.

“You should feel safe in your own home and not think that someone is breaking in, so this leads Leah to question what else he is capable of,” Nicodemou explains. “She doesn’t trust that Jamie isn’t going to do something and wants to be on the safe side.”

“She fears for her life and VJ’s life,” the actress continues. “She sees no other option but to pack up and leave town. She’s made a lot of friends in the Bay and they’ve become like family to her. Leah will miss the Bay, just like the Bay will miss her.” Discussing whether Leah will be returning to Home and Away, Nicodemou says she is “looking forward to returning” when the time is right, but plans have yet to be confirmed. “It would be lovely to come back to a big storyline and sink my teeth into acting again.” Until that time, make sure not to miss your opportunity to say goodbye to Leah when Home and Away wraps up its 2012 season on Friday, December 7 th at 5:30pm on 3.

5:30pm – Monday, November 19 on TV 3

Following his brief romantic encounter with Leah (Leah Patterson-Bake), this week sees Summer Bay newcomer, Jamie Sharpe (Hugo Johnstone-Burt) showing his true colours when he trashes the Diner in Home and Away, screening Monday, November 19 th at Friday, November 23 rd at 5:30pm on 3. Viewers have recently seen Leah take a romantic interest in newcomer Jamie, but his overeager attitude towards the potential relationship left her concerned. Leah agreed to give Jamie another chance when he apologised for taking her son VJ out on a jet-ski without her permission, but he continued to cross the line by behaving in a fatherly manner towards the youngster.

Now, after Leah has rejects Jamie once again, he will completely loose control and trash the Diner.

“When Leah says ‘no’ for the final time, he kind of goes a bit crazy,” Hugo Johnstone-Burt says about his character’s outburst.

A concerned Liam (Axle Whitehead) later does some digging into Jamie’s erratic behaviour, which leads him to a disturbing discovery.

“He had taken a photo of Leah and VJ off the fridge and photoshopped himself into the middle. I don’t think you can get creepier than that,” Johnstone-Burt explains.

“She is in danger from this guy who is forever hanging around her house and letting himself in,” the actor adds. Make sure not to miss this all this when Home and Away screens on Monday, November 19 th at Friday, November 23 rd at 5:30pm on 3.

5:30pm – Monday, November 26 on TV 3

It’s the week of Casey’s (Lincoln Younes) murder trial when Home and Away screens Monday, November 26 th at Friday, November 30 th at 5:30pm on 3. Casey recently shot his father, Danny, as an armed robbery attempt went horribly wrong, with Danny later passing away in hospital as a result of the incident.

Now Casey heads to court with the knowledge that he could be facing a long prison sentence.

“He’s very scared and he knows that if the trial doesn’t go well, he’ll end up in jail,” Lincoln Younes explains. “He’s already experienced juvie and had a pretty horrible time in there, so he’s worried that it will be worse in a real prison.”

“He’s expecting the worst, with a small hope that something good will happen to him.” Unfortunately for Casey, he finds it difficult to provide a clear account of the impossible situation he found himself in on the day of the shooting.

“The lawyer is questioning why he made a fatal shot at Danny rather than just a shot to the foot. Why did he shoot him in a place where he would die?”

“All these questions are being raised – and Casey doesn’t have the answers,” Younes adds. So will anyone be able to save Casey, older brother Brax (Steve Peacocke) perhaps? Find out when Home and Away screens Monday, November 26 th at Friday, November 30 th at 5:30pm on 3.

5:30pm – Monday, November 12 on TV 3

Following her one night stand with Casey, this week’s unmissable Home and Away sees Sasha (Demi Harman) revealing that she may be pregnant. Home and Away screens Monday, November 12 th to Friday, November 16 th at 5:30pm on 3. Sasha’s discovery leaves the young Summer Bay resident in turmoil, as she feels unable to confide in Casey, knowing that he doesn’t have strong feelings for her.

“I was reading the storyline and I was like, ‘Oh my gosh!’ I was extremely sad about the pregnancy. It’s a terrible thing to happen to a 16-year-old. It would be so shocking,” Demi Harman explains.

“I wouldn’t have known what to do [at that age]. I probably still wouldn’t know what to do.” As Casey has a lot on his mind following the recent shooting drama involving his father, the storyline sees Sasha turn to counsellor Natalie Davison (Catherine Mack) for support.

“Sasha has a genuine trust with Natalie,” Harman explains. “Sasha’s mum died in a car crash before she moved to the Bay, so she thinks of Natalie as a mother figure.”

“Sasha’s main worry is having to talk to Casey about the pregnancy. It’s so awkward for her, because their night together was a very ‘in the moment’ thing and it didn’t mean as much to him as it did for Sasha.”

“Sasha understands that Casey is in a really bad headspace at this point – he’s got the court case coming up because he killed his father, so she goes to Natalie.”

So how will Casey, not to mention Sasha’s father handle the news? Find out when Home and Away screens on Monday, November 12 th to Friday, November 16 th at 5:30pm on 3.