”All his frustration and hatred comes out.”
The shocking truth about Dimitri’s past lands with a thump – literally – this week when Theo aims a flying punch at his estranged father.
Dimitri (Salvatore Coco) arrives in Summer Bay with one objective in mind: to take Theo (Matt Evans) home in dramatic scenes from Home And Away.
Theo’s aunt Leah (Ada Nicodemou) planned the surprise visit in the hopes of mending fences between father and son.
“Theo was a victim of both physical and mental manipulation from a young age.” (Image: Seven)
But she doesn’t know the grim reasons for their estrangement – Dimitri has a history of abuse and, when his aggression became too much for Theo, the teen fled to the Bay.
Will he tell his aunt the truth?
“From a young age, Theo was a victim of both physical and emotional exploitation,” Matt, 25, tells TV WEEK. “When he was 14, he began to be physically abused. When his father did not get his way, he became enraged.”
Dimitri assures Leah that he is there to make up for his mistakes, but his actions imply otherwise. He tells Theo to pack his belongings before accusing Leah of interfering with his family’s affairs.
Leah and Justin are perplexed and wanting to know the truth. (Image: Seven)
He also implies that she was the reason Theo’s mother asked him for a divorce.
Later, Dimitri meets John (Shane Withington) at the Surf Club, the only person Theo has confided in about his father. Leah and Justin (James Stewart) are perplexed by their tense encounter and want to know the truth.
Dimitri presses John for information, suspecting he knows more than he’s letting on. When asked about Theo’s time in the Bay, John is friendly, although he does make a not-so-subtle reference to his problematic upbringing.
When John brings up Theo’s community service, Dimitri snaps.
After spending the night with Chloe, Theo is temporarily preoccupied (Sam Barrett). He offers they go out on a date, giddy with anticipation, but is taken aback when she appears uninterested and says their time together was a mistake.
Theo, hurt and perplexed by the encounter, chooses to walk off his frustrations on the beach when he sees Dimitri conversing with Justin and Leah. His rage erupts, and he attacks his father, striking him.
“This [Chloe’s rejection] is a massive part of Theo punching his father,” Matt explains.
“All his frustration and hatred comes out when he gets used by Chloe, as he really had feelings for her. It tips him over the edge.”
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