Valerie, a new character in Home and Away, will be introduced as part of Leah Patterson’s continuous narrative about her recovery.
Leah was abducted by a cult, and after spending time at a mental health clinic to assist her recover from the trauma, she went back to her hometown of Summer Bay, where she has since struggled to rebuild her life.
Leah is back in the Bay, staying with friends Marilyn and Alf, in scenes that will run this week in Australia (March for fans in the UK). She fears that returning to live with her fiancé Justin Morgan could set off another psychotic episode, the same one that led her to stab him before.
But even though Justin is trying to be patient, he worries that Leah is slipping away because of their new living situation, which runs the risk of further straining their relationship.
Leah, who is having a hard time adjusting to her new life, goes outside to get some fresh air and runs across Valerie (Courtney Clarke), with whom she had been close friends while staying at the clinic.
Knowing that Leah needs someone who can relate to her mental state, Valerie has travelled to the Bay with the intention of helping her. Valerie is aware of Leah’s turbulence and troubles back home.
Justin enthusiastically accepts Valerie’s offer to dinner and goes over to the diner later that evening. Valerie persuades Leah to set up the dinner. Will Leah, though, show up for their meeting?
Regarding the plot and Valerie’s presence in the Bay, Ada Nicodemou told TV WEEK that Valerie will be able to comfort Leah in a way that “others can’t.”
About Valerie’s entrance, Leah said, “She really relies on her for support in a way others can’t because she was her roommate and best friend in the clinic.”
The star of Paper Dolls, Clarke, commented that Valerie’s role “intrigued” her, saying to TV WEEK that Valerie “dresses in a very strong way and certainly isn’t of the Summer Bay mentality.”
“I was quite intrigued by her and thought she would be a great challenge to play.”
