The final episode of this year’s season of Home and Away is about to air in Australia. With only two months till we return to Summer Bay, we take a look at everything we know about the year ahead.
The programme draws to a close with a massive season finale that sees Ryder buried alive, Theo knocked out, and an unexpected murder. It is now on hiatus until late January or early February next year, when it will most likely return to Australian screens.
The majority of these spoilers came from fans spotting filming, snippets from actors’ social media, and press images. While we believe everything is correct, the programme has only confirmed a few things.
What happens to Chloe?
In the final minutes of the year, the epic battle between Chloe (Sam Barrett), Mia (Anna Sampson), and Matthew (James Sweeny) will keep us on the tip of our seats, with the ramifications expected to stretch well into 2022.
“What emerges from this event is a snowball effect,” Sam told The West Australian regarding the conclusion. It’s a significant turning point in Chloe’s life.
“Everything will eventually come back to this, and what occurs, so it’s a significant deal.” And, yes, it’s a little shocking.”
It’s unclear what will happen between the three in the last minutes, but Chloe and Mia appear to be staying in Summer Bay far into 2022, as seen by the next batch of teasers, implying that they will avoid jail time.
As for Matthew’s fate, well, James Sweeny hasn’t been spotted filming at Sydney’s Palm Beach, the real-life home of Summer Bay, over the past few months, suggesting that he may well be gone once and for all.
Does Ryder survive?
Ryder (Lukas Radovich) is panicked and gasping for air when he discovers himself buried alive in the season finale, while his companion in crime Theo (Matt Evans) fights for his life.
Over the last few months, the two have been participating in more risky exploits in order to out-compete each other and impress Chloe (Sam Barrett).
It began quietly enough, with a chilli-eating challenge, before gradually picking up steam. Soon after, their films went viral on social media, and the viral sensations had to get creative in order to keep their finicky followers entertained with new challenges.
Their most recent battle was the deadliest yet, putting both of their lives in jeopardy.
Ryder was buried in a box in the earth for the challenge, with a phone camera recording his emotions and live streaming them to their fans.
Things take a drastic turn when Theo manages to knock himself out, leaving a terrified Ryder yelling for help. Will anyone be able to locate him before the oxygen supply runs out?
It’s a race against time for the lads’ survival as we return to Summer Bay in early 2022.
Thankfully, both appear to be on their way to full recovery, and someone must find a way to save Ryder in time. Bella’s actress Courtney Miller recently shared a sample of a screenplay on Instagram, confirming that Ryder will be on the show until at least the middle of next year.
She shared a fragment of the screenplay for Episode 7780, which was shot on October 22nd. Bella, Nikau (Kawkawa Fox-Reo), and Ryder are shown playing poker, with visible bits indicating that something has been “converted into a poker table,” and that someone’s “hands are stacking up.”
Bella appears to be struggling with the game, asking “Why am I doing it…?” while Ryder appears to be assuring her that practice is the key to improvement.
She folds soon after, but it appears she didn’t realise she had a strong hand, as Ryder inquires, “[What did you do]…that for?” You’d a…”
A hand-written note a the top of the script reads “Chloe didn’t / doesn’t show for her surprise”.
There’s no visible mention of Theo in the script, but Matt Evans posted to Instagram in late October as he filmed a driving scene alongside Sam Barrett, and, as one of the newest additions to the show’s regular cast, we’re not expecting him to meet his untimely demise just yet.
Jasmine takes a break
In early November, Sam Frost, who plays Jasmine, took to Instagram to announce that she would be off-screens in early 2022 due to a medical procedure.
Sam, the former winner of The Bachelor Australia, became engaged in controversy in October 2021 when she announced that she had not been vaccinated in an Instagram video. After receiving a lot of anger, she took down her social media accounts and only put them back up a few weeks later.
Seven Productions, the studio behind Home and Away, declared shortly after that they had resolved “to only engage fully vaccinated individuals.”
This sparked concern among the press and fans that Sam’s stint on the soap might be coming to an end. Sam took to Instagram again a few days later, announcing that she would be getting vaccinated after a medical operation and would be writing off the show for the time being:
’m not leaving Home & Away
I’ve got a medical procedure booked in for January. So I won’t be fully vaxxed until mid-late February.
I will be written out temporarily, Jazzy is going on an off-screen adventure for a few weeks… but I’ll be back ❤️
My bosses are amazing, we’ve been in open communication for months. Very grateful we were able to make a plan that works for everyone
It’s not yet known how Jasmine will be temporarily written out. However, with Tori (Penny McNamee) and Christian’s (Ditch Davey) recent departure to London, taking baby Grace with them, our bets are her jumping on a flight to visit them for a couple of weeks.
Xander’s arrival
It was recently announced that Luke Van Os is joining the cast of Home and Away as ‘Xander’.
Chris Hemsworth, who played Kim Hyde on Home and Away from 2004 to 2007, before moving to Hollywood, is Luke’s cousin.
While nothing is known about Xander’s new role, the press statement announcing his casting defined him as “a mysterious figure who arrives in the Bay in search of answers.”
While it might apply to many newcomers to Summer Bay, it’s also been suggested that he’s a cousin of one of the town’s most popular residents — but who?
Luke can be seen recording a number of sequences with Nicholas Cartwright (Cash) and Sam Frost (Jasmine), as well as fellow newbie Kirsty Marillier, in paparazzi images obtained by Wash at Sydney’s Palm Beach (Rose). To see them, scroll through the Instagram photographs above.
Jasmine, like recent newcomers Cash and Felicity, went through the foster care system as a child (Jacqui Purvis). Could the new figure be one of Cash and Jasmine’s long-lost relatives, given that Xander seemed to be becoming closer to them?
Luke’s initial scenes were shot in mid-October, thus we can expect him to make his debut in early 2022.
Rose’s Arrival:
Hot on the heels of Xander is fellow new arrival Rose. Played by Kirsty Marillier, she’s also set to appear on Australian screens in early 2022.
We know even less about her character than we do about Xander, but it seems the newcomers will stick together. A scene filmed within the last few months saw Xander and Jasmine walking along the beach deep in conversation, with Cash and Rose following closely behind.
Lusty Logan?
Since getting together earlier this year, Mackenzie (Emily Weir) and Logan (Harley Bonner) have become one of the bay’s hottest couples. However, paparazzi photographs from Palm Beach show star Harley Bonner filming kissing sequences with another woman, putting their happiness in jeopardy!
Melissa Bonne plays Neve Spicer, the mysterious woman. We have no idea who she is, whether she’s a long-lost relative of Logan’s or a newbie to the seaside town, but we don’t expect Mac to be thrilled when the newcomer begins kissing her boyfriend.
The shots of Harley locking lips with another woman came just days after he was last spotted getting intimate with Emily Weir, who plays Mac, suggesting that both women will be objects of his affection at the same time.
Is he cheating on poor Mac, or is Home and Away about to take a leaf out of Neighbours’ book and explore a polyamorous relationship? Only time will tell.
Cash and Jasmine stay together
It may not be the juiciest of spoilers, but considering Jasmine’s recent spell of bad luck in the love department, it’s worth a mention.
The pair were spotted filming romantic scenes together in mid-October, suggesting that they’ll be together well into 2022.
Will Cash finally provide Jasmine’s “happily ever after”?
Does Summer Bay say goodbye?
A cast member released an Instagram video of a scene being recorded in the Paratas’ garden in October, which Sam Frost later reposted.
As extras and cast members stood around, James Stewart (Justin), Sam Frost (Jasmine), Shane Withington (John), and Nicholas Cartwright (Cash) appeared to be taking a break from filming.
Since the video was posted, social media has gone crazy, with many assuming they’re filming awake due to the gloomy attire. If that’s the case, it begs the issue of which Summer Bay favourite will be retiring next year.
The fact it was filmed in the Parata garden narrows down the potential departees quite significantly.
Kawakawa Fox-Reo has since been seen filming in recent months and was also mentioned in the script that Courtney Miller (Bella) posted to Instagram at a later date. While scenes are often filmed out of order, meaning this isn’t a guarantee that they weren’t filming Nikau’s wake, it makes the odds much slimmer.
Anna Sampson (Mia), Kawakawa Fox-Reo (Nikau), Ethan Browne (Tane), and Courtney Miller (Bella) were all photographed on-site during a Home and Away Location Tour in early November, indicating that they will all be seen on screen far into the new year.
Then there’s Ari. Rob Kipa-Williams hasn’t been seen filming outdoor sequences by fans or paparazzi in months, and he hasn’t uploaded any behind-the-scenes films on social media, which he used to do frequently.
While it’s still just rumour, fans are becoming sure that we’ll be saying our goodbyes to Ari in 2022.
Will Mia and Ari make it down the aisle?
It wouldn’t be Home and Away if we didn’t get a good wedding at some point in the year.
The 2020 season saw Alf (Ray Meagher) marry Martha (Belinda Giblin) for the second time after they spent 30 years apart. Then, just a few months ago, we said goodbye to Tori and Christian after their intimate wedding in the Morgans’ garden.
Will next year be the turn of Ari and Mia? As with Alf and Martha, the two endured a long time apart, after Ari spent a decade behind bars. They’re now back together and more in love than ever, and the final week saw Ari propose, and Mia accepts.
However, with the Paratas’ future in the balance after the dramatic showdown in the final minutes, will the loved up pair manage to make it down the aisle?
