Their chemistry is sizzling on and off-set.
Summer Bay has long been a breeding ground for Home and Away stars to find romance.
Among the Home and Away stars that surprised fans by dating behind the scenes were Bec Hewitt (née Cartwright) and Beau Brady, Luke Mitchell and Rebecca Breeds, Chris Hemsworth and Isabel Lucas, and married couple James Stewart and Sarah Roberts.
One of our all-time favourite couples is Sophie Dillman and Patrick O’Connor, who play loved-up co-stars.
Sophie and Patrick, on the other hand, genuinely met before ever setting foot in the made-up tiny town, unlike many of their fellow lovers.
“We actually knew each other at uni – we went to acting school together years ago,” Sophie, 29, told The Morning Show in March 2021.
“We were friends back then, but because we were in different years, we didn’t really see one another. However, we eventually connected on the show. And it just so happened that our characters met on the show.”
The heartbreaking breakup scenes between Sophie’s on-screen characters Ziggy and Dean, played by Sophie and her real-life partner Patrick, were broadcast in September 2020.
While many fans were struggling with their breakup, Sophie claims that they were able to keep their personal lives apart from the fictional plot.
Since we are both actors by trade, she said, “we wanted to perform the finest work we could and we were incredibly proud of accomplishing that.”
The duo, who were both born in Queensland, currently resides in Sydney and has a long history of close set collaboration.
Although it’s simple to picture TV celebrities leading glamorous lives, Sophie claims that her favourite dates with Patrick are shockingly low-key.
“I adore meals made from scratch. Coming home to a dinner my partner has prepared is one of my favourite things in the world after a particularly demanding day at work “Early in 2022, Sophie spoke with Now To Love.
“He’s a very good cook. We’ve had some great meals together.”
She even confessed that – like all couples – they have their moments, especially when it comes to things like long drives in the car together. But they try to be on their best behaviour for one another.
“Patty and I are really lucky, we’ve done a fair few road trips together and we seem to do alright. I don’t think we’ve ever had any really major fights,” she laughed.
The fun they share spills over into their social life and the couple are never afraid to share lighthearted selfies with their followers.
