We take a look at what’s in store when Home and Away returns to UK screens in early 2025 – do Leah and Justin break up, has Perri really has killed his father, and which new couple are set for romance?
Home and Away returns to UK screens on Monday 6th January 2025, and we pick up from the events of a dramatic season finale, which saw Justin (James Stewart) stuck at a remote house with Claudia (Rachael Carpani), and Tane (Ethan Browne) discovering that Perri (Cantona Stewart) had killed his father Carl (Matthew Holmes).
With UK viewers roughly two months behind their Australian counterparts, we know what’s coming up on Channel 5 over January, February and even early March. Here are the key highlights from early next year:
Perri goes into hiding
When we return to Tane and Perri’s Saxon Avenue house, Tane has had no option but to call the police to report Carl’s death, and Rose (Kirsty Marillier) and her colleague are soon on the scene.
Tane explains that Perri was only acting in self-defence against a father with a history of abuse, but when he goes to get Perri from his room, the teen has disappeared, which only serves to make him look guilty.
Rose suspects that Tane is hiding Perri, but Tane is quick to point out that he was the one who called the cops in the first place.
Perri soon runs into Theo (Matt Evans), who suffered a similarly abusive childhood so knows the pain Perri has been through, and Theo agrees to hide him at Summer Bay Auto.
It’s not long before a manhunt is launched, and Perri’s face is plastered all over the news. Realising that Perri hiding away is only making the situation worse, Theo brings Tane to the garage, where Tane manages to convince Perri to hand himself in.
Will Perri face charges for his father’s death?
Leah fears the worst of Justin
With Justin stuck at the remote woodland cabin after Claudia threw his keys a matter of meters into the ether, he’s forced to spend a night sleeping in his car, after refusing to go back inside with his semi-captor.
Back in Summer Bay, Leah (Ada Nicodemou) fears the worst after her conversation with Claudia’s husband, who believes Claudia and Justin are having an affair. That night, she has a nightmare vision of the pair giving in to temptation in his ute.
In reality, Justin wants nothing more to do with Claudia. The following morning, he decides to head home on foot, and when he finally gets some signal, he calls Leah straight away.
He tells her that he’ll explain everything once he gets home, but Leah tells him not to bother, she won’t be there, and hangs up.
By the time he gets back to the bay, he finds his house deserted, and Leah’s belongings gone. Leah has headed to Summer Bay House, where she announces to Alf (Ray Meagher) and Marilyn (Emily Symons) that she’s left Justin!
By the time he gets back to the bay, he finds his house deserted, and Leah’s belongings gone. Leah has headed to Summer Bay House, where she announces to Alf (Ray Meagher) and Marilyn (Emily Symons) that she’s left Justin!
Justin is forced to call on Claudia to convince Leah that nothing happened between them. However, while Leah finally comes to her senses, Justin is less willing to forgive, angry that Leah would so easily think he’d be unfaithful.
Will the pair’s relationship survive?
Perri goes on trial
Despite Perri claiming that his dad must have hit his head in their struggle, the autopsy report reveals that there was water in Carl’s lungs, implying that he had drowned and making it appear that Perri himself was responsible.
Perri is charged with murder, despite Rose knowing that Carl’s abusive past meant it was likely he was acting in self-defence, and the teen spends weeks preparing for his trial.
When Perri took his dad to court earlier in the year, after pressing charges for years of abuse, the judge found his dad not guilty. So, heading into this new trial, he has no confidence that anyone is going to believe him this time around.
On the eve of the trial, Tane is forced to talk Perri out of running away, as he tries to reassure him that everything will be okay.
In the courtroom, things aren’t looking good, as the prosecutor (Paul Goddard) makes Tane confirm that he never saw Carl lay a hand on his son. The prosecution lawyer also tries to argue that Tane’s decision to teach him martial arts was actually arming him with the skills he needed to end his father’s life.
“Tell me, Mr Parata, is it possible that you taught Perri Hayes just a little too well?” he asks.
In a break in proceedings, Perri’s lawyer Jane (Charlotte Friels) gets an urgent text and rushes off. When proceedings resume, she calls in a surprise witness – Perri’s mum, Kaia (Akina Edmonds)!
Perri spent years believing his mum to be dead, but, as Kaia takes the stand, she verifies Perri’s story of the years of abuse Carl subjected him to.
The magistrate – played by former EastEnders actress Hannah Waterman – finds Perri not guilty, but any happiness he would have felt is replaced by anger – why did his mum let him believe she was dead for so many years?
Kaia explains that she had no choice; Carl threatened to kill Perri if she didn’t leave. She’d assumed that her son was living a happy life, and had even briefly returned to watch one of his football games, so had believed that she’d made the right decision.
Perri pushes his mum away, and it takes some time for him to forgive her, but he eventually decides to leave with her to New Zealand, leading to an emotional goodbye for Perri and Tane.
Harper and Tane grow closer
After Perri’s departure, Tane can finally focus his attention on Harper (Jessica Redmayne). He was struggling to juggle the pair’s needs, as Harper looked to him for support with her pregnancy, while Perri needed Tane’s reassurance as he prepared for his court case.
Without Perri around to distract him, Tane conveniently decides that he now has feelings for Harper after all, and the two begin dating. Yet with Tane having always dreamt of having a baby, it’s only a matter of weeks before Harper realises that their unborn child is all they ever talk about – is Tane only with her because of the pregnancy?
Dana (Ally Harris) tells Harper to set Tane the challenge of going 24 hours without talking about the baby, and after a few false starts, they finally begin to get to know one another properly.
However, some life-changing baby news is just around the corner…
Bree betrays Levi
The final week of UK episodes saw Alf suffer a heart scare after collapsing outside the Surf Club.
Bree (Juliet Godwin), who has been struggling after not being able to save Felicity (Jacqui Purvis) earlier in the year, froze when it came to administering the life-saving drugs, and it was on Levi (Tristan Gorey) to step in and save Alf’s life.
After Marilyn made it clear that Bree was at fault, Levi confronted his colleague and told her that her hesitation could have cost Alf his life, and as a result he’d have to report her.
When her disciplinary hearing arrives, Bree turns the tables, claiming that it’s Levi who has issues with control and that he swept in and took over Alf’s case, before spreading rumours that she’s negligent.
She describes him as an “egotist who muscles in on everything and everyone,” also referencing the time that Levi interfered when she was treating Remi (Adam Rowland) after his accident.
Levi then finds himself suspended, while Bree decides to ask for some time off work before the board have a chance to discipline her further.
Will she see sense before she ruins Levi’s career?
Leah and Justin are caught out
After Justin and Leah forgive each other for Justin’s lies about Claudia and Leah’s belief that he was cheating about her, they decide to embark on a getaway together to rekindle their romance.
However, things get a bit too steamy as they head to the hotel pool to find it deserted. Caught up in the moment, they decide to go for a bit of skinny dipping, oblivious to the security camera pointed in their direction.
As an announcement rings out on the tannoy reminding guests that skinny dipping is not allowed, the pair realise that they’ve been caught in the act! How will they talk their way out of this one?
Eden gets to know Abby’s counsellor
Levi finally manages to convince Abigail (Hailey Pinto) to begin seeing a counsellor, to help her get to the bottom of why she turned to drugs in the first place.
Things get off to an awkward start, but friendly counsellor Tim Russell (George Pullar) finally makes some progress with Abby, and she agrees to go back for another session.
Yet while Tim may be making a good impression on Abby, he’s making an even better impression on her sister Eden (Stephanie Panozzo).
When Tim turns up at the Lyrik house shortly after Eden has said an emotional goodbye to Cash (more on that below), they end up sharing a kiss!
Expect major fireworks when Abigail finds out that her sister – who she has always believed abandoned her during their teenage years – is now in a secret relationship with her counsellor!
Cash prepares to say goodbye
Cash (Nicholsa Cartwright) nearly left Summer Bay shortly after Felicity’s death, when he decided to move to the country to live with his and Flick’s foster father Gary (Peter Phelps). Gary eventually talked him out of it, but now it seems like he’s ready to say goodbye once again.
In late January, after Mangrove River police station is shut down – the cops finally giving up in their battle against the River Boys – Cash reveals that the only place he can get transferred to is a small country town.
Small country policing was always Cash’s dream, so he decides to embrace the opportunity and leave Summer Bay behind. However, after saying goodbye to ex-fiancée Eden, it’s Levi who convinces him to remain in the bay.
When Cash later asks Eden if they can be friends, his suggestion is understandably rebuffed. Levi tells Cash to give it some time as Eden is going through some stuff, but when Cash later heads over to the Lyrik share house to check things are okay, he’s shocked to spot her and Tim kissing in the back garden!
Dana and John’s friendship takes a tumble
Dana completed her lifeguard training earlier in the year, and has been working alongside John (Shane Withington) ever since. In early February, Dana asks John if she’s ready to drive his beloved Cam-Am buggy, but John turns her down.
When Dana realises that all of the male lifeguards have driven the Can-Am, and that she’s the only one who hasn’t, she jumps to the wrong conclusion and accuses JP of sexism.
An upset John retorts by explaining that he’s sent her multiple emails about completing her training to drive the off-road vehicle, but that she hasn’t read any of them.
Dana realises that she was the one at fault and apologises to John, but John is offended that Dana would accuse him of sexism, especially considering he thought they were friends.
He ends their friendship on the spot, and changes the rota so that he and Dana no longer have to work together.
Is Dana and John’s friendship over for good?
Remi comes into money
We briefly met Remi’s parents Graham (Brian Meegan) and Nicola (Kate Raison) earlier this year, and Bree was shocked to discover just how lavish their lifestyle was.
Their massive house came complete with its own staff, and the wedding anniversary party that they held was beyond anything Bree could have imagined.
While Remi may have rich parents with connections to the music industry, he decided from a young age that he wanted to make his own way in the world – and a couple of decades later, he’s the guitarist in a disbanded band, having to resort to working as a session musician to pay his rent.
In mid-February, his life looks set to change forever when he discovers that a trust fund set up by his grandmother has matured and he’s about to receive the money – all $5 million of it!
Bree is understandably confused when Remi is distraught at the idea of becoming a millionaire overnight, and he initially wants nothing to do with the money.
After taking a couple of hours to think it over, he invites Bree, Lyrik and Justin to a lavish party of his own, where he reveals that he wants them to all decide together how to spend the money.
He also wants to get Lyrik back together, his newfound wealth meaning that they can play for pleasure without having to worry about where their next paycheque is coming from. Lyrik are officially back together!
Romance for Abigail
The new year sees Abigail bag herself a job at the board shop, and it’s not long before her new boss Mali (Kyle Shilling) realises that he’s developing a crush on her – yet, there’s a problem. Abby has developed a crush of her own, but on Theo.
In a spur-of-the-moment decision, Mali nearly jeopardises things for Abby when he tells Theo that her new counsellor Tim is actually her boyfriend. The truth soon comes out, and Theo and Abigail agree to go on a date together.
However, on the morning of the date, Justin discovers Abby’s history of drug use. With Theo having gone down a dark path after meeting Valerie (Courtney Clarke) earlier in the year, Justin feels like he needs to fill Theo in on his date’s history.
Theo reluctantly calls the date off, explaining to Abigail that he can’t risk relapsing. Then, in early March, Abigail decides to organise the Gala Day for Manta Ray Boards after Mali decides to cancel it (more on that later).
Blown away by Abigail’s kind act, Mali leans in for a kiss, and Abigail reciprocates. It seems a new relationship is set to hit Summer Bay in 2025!
Xander says goodbye
Xander (Luke Van Os) first arrived in Summer Bay in May 2022, and in late February 2025, it’s his time to say goodbye.
Recent months have seen him enrol on a business course, as he revealed that he had a newfound ambition to start a business of his very own.
Part of the course requires him to complete an internship, and he explains to Mackenzie (Emily Weir) that he’d neglected to find one, and needs some urgent help sorting a placement.
Mac hits up her business contacts, and soon finds him a 6-week internship in Melbourne – the only problem is, it starts in a matter of days. Not wanting to miss out on the opportunity, Xander packs his bags and says goodbye to Summer Bay.
Before he goes, he and Dana exchange their first ‘I love yous‘, as he assures her that long distance won’t be a problem – it’ll be over before they know it, and Dana can come and visit him at weekends.
Despite its low-key nature, Xander’s departure is expected to be a permanent exit for his character, as Luke Van Os is believed to have finished filming and is currently travelling abroad.
Shortly after Xander leaves, Dana plans a weekend trip to Melbourne, but Xander is forced to cancel it, leaving Dana fearing that they won’t be able to make the distance work after all.
Cash digs for dirt on Tim
Cash ended his relationship with then-fiancée Eden shortly after laying Felicity to rest, claiming that everyone he loved ended up dead, and that he didn’t want Eden to suffer the same fate.
Yet as soon as he discovers that his former fiancée is dating Tim, he diverts all his energy into digging for dirt on her new boyfriend. He starts spying on the Lyrik share house and even breaks into Tim’s car in search of anything to incriminate him.
Turning to Tim’s social media profiles, Cash spots a photo of Tim and an unknown woman wearing a wedding ring. He thinks he’s struck gold, until a call to the woman in question reveals that she’s Tim’s sister, not some secret wife he’s cheating on with Eden.
After learning that Tim was Abigail’s counsellor, he looks up reviews on his work profile, and comes across a ‘Nerida Mullins’, who has left a review describing Tim as ‘Best Counsellor Ever ❤️❤️❤️’.
Cash gets in touch with Nerida, who claims that she was a former client of Tim’s, but that they began dating, and Tim asked her to keep their relationship a secret from his bosses.
Cash goes to Eden with his newfound knowledge, and while Eden is angry at Cash for getting involved, she fears that he’s telling the truth. When Eden confronts Tim and asks him outright if he’s ever dated a patient, he denies it, but Eden struggles to believe him, considering Cash has never lied to her in the past.
Cash convinces Nerida and Abigail to report Tim to his bosses for his repeated ethical issues, and Tim is suspended. Yet shortly after, Abigail begins to doubt Nerida’s version of events, and when she tries to get more details out of her, Nerida’s story begins to fall apart.
Cash realises that he’s made a massive mistake when Nerida doesn’t deny fabricating her story, as she warns him to “tell your ex to watch her back, I’d hate for her to get in the way.”
Meanwhile, in the Australian Season Finale, Remi splashes the cash as he organises for the newly reformed Lyrik – along with Bree, Justin and Tim – to rehearse at a mansion house on an island resort. Back in Summer Bay, Cash heads to the Lyrik sharehouse to find it’s been trashed, and he realises that Nerida could be dangerous.
He makes his way to Lyrik’s island retreat, where he tries to warn Tim of the danger he and Eden are in. However, by this point Tim is fed up of Cash’s constant interference, and the two end up in a slanging match, which is witnessed by Remi.
The following morning, a groggy Cash awakens to find Tim lying next to him, unconscious and covered in blood. At that moment, Justin comes around the corner to find Cash standing over Tim’s lifeless body.
Aussie viewers are currently on their festive break, and will find out Tim’s fate when the show returns on Monday 13th January 2025. UK viewers will see the scenes in early March.
Kirby’s confidence is in freefall
Kirby (Angelina Thomson) ramps up her efforts to grow Manta Ray Boards by hosting a Gala Day. She and Mali spend weeks planning the big event, with Kirby commissioning a photoshoot for use on their promotional materials.
As the photographer arrives, Kirby is a natural in front of the camera, but Mali struggles to relax.
However, it’s Kirby who faces the biggest shock when the new posters arrive. She realises that her image has been altered, with the agency whitening her skin and making her thinner.
Mali calls the agency, who explain that their changes would better appeal to their target demographic, which leaves Kirby heartbroken.
Mali pulls the event and scraps the posters, but the agency’s words have a profound effect on Kirby, and she begins shying away from photographs, and shouts at one of her surf students as they try to record the session.
The Bait Shop is under threat
After 16 years in a small unit beside the Pier Diner, Alf’s trusty Bait Shop comes under threat when the landlord decides to hike the rent at the end of the current tenancy.
Alf has no luck negotiating with the ruthless realtor, and with low profit margins on fishing tackle, he decides that the time has come to shut up shop.
Roo (Georgie Parker) has returned from her cruise, and she refuses to let her dad enjoy semi-retirement, deciding to fight on his behalf. She writes a heartfelt letter to the Coastal News, bestowing the benefits of Alf and the Bait Shop on the community, hoping that it’ll help convince the landlord to have a change of heart.
After a talking to from John and some words of encouragement from Mali, Alf eventually decides that there’s still life in his business, and begins looking for its new home elsewhere in the bay.
After realising how expensive real estate has become, he decides that an old storage shed on the site of the Caravan Park would be the perfect place. Yet Roo believes he deserves better, and starts looking into new sheds. When she realises that they cost some $30,000, she decides against it.
Remi offers to pay for it as a way to say sorry for Bree nearly killing Alf, but Roo turns him down – she’s got a better idea: Justin can build one from scratch instead!
In true Summer Bay style, she decides to keep her decision from Alf… so now she, Leah, Maz and Justin face the task of building Alf a new shed on his caravan park without him realising. Easy!
Harper’s baby is in danger
With Harper and Tane all loved up, Dana is feeling a little left out, especially with Xander out of the picture. So, when Harper’s next scan comes around, she asks Tane if he’d skip it and let Dana attend instead, and he’s more than happy to oblige.
However, when Harper and Dana meet with the sonographer, there’s a shock when she leaves the room to double-check something with the doctor. When Dr Shaw (Mandy Bishop) returns, she brings bad news – there’s some shadowing on the baby’s lung.
She brings in Levi, who explains that the baby has a small cyst on its lung. It’s putting pressure on their organs, which could result in heart failure if they don’t fix the issue.
In the Australian Season Finale, Harper prepared for surgery after Levi explained that the cyst was still growing. However, Levi was hiding his fears about the operation, having never carried it out before – with the fact it was on a friend’s baby adding to his stress levels.
UK viewers will find out whether Harper and her unborn baby survive the operation in early March 2025.
Home and Away returns to UK screens on Monday 6th January. It returns to Australian screens one week later, on Monday 15th January 2025.
For more about what’s coming up on Aussie screens next year, and on UK screens later in the year, read our 2025 Spoilers article.
