Home and Away Spoilers – Leah drives new arrival Zane out of town

 Next week on Home and Away in the UK, Leah and Alf’s reluctance to accept new arrival Zane leads to him skipping town. Can Maz find him before he misses his parole check-in?

Zane (Angus McColl) made a surprise arrival in Summer Bay last week, shortly after being released on parole following ten years behind bars.

It transpired that during his sentence, he’d spent just over a year exchanging letters with Marilyn (Emily Symons) through a prison pen pal scheme.

Her support encouraged him to work towards his release, with Marilyn repeatedly assuring Zane that she believed in him and would be there for him.

With his return home having caused issues for his mum in the community, Zane decided he needed a fresh start and so turned to his pen pal.

Marilyn warmly welcomed him, initially believing that he’d simply come to visit. Only later did Zane reveal that he intended to settle in Summer Bay, admitting he had used her address as his residence to satisfy his parole conditions.

Determined not to abandon him, and knowing he could be put back in prison if he was found to have given false information on his paperwork, Marilyn got around the issue by arranging for Zane to stay in one of the caravans.

Alf (Ray Meagher) was immediately concerned when he discovered that the newcomer had served a decade behind bars, but Zane promised to work at earning his trust.

Next week, Zane makes himself useful at the coffee cart whilst searching for a job. Maz proudly tells Leah (Ada Nicodemou) how helpful he’s been, although the question of what sent him down in the first place still hangs over them.

Hoping to learn the truth, Alf invites Zane to dinner at Salt. He intends to speak to him alone, but a protective Marilyn insists on joining them.

When Alf begins pressing Zane about his past, Marilyn objects and assures him that he doesn’t have to answer. However, Zane decides that they deserve to know what happened.

Zane has already explained to David (Jeremy Lindsay Taylor) that growing up with a violent alcoholic father led him to avoid home and turn to theft for money, although he accepted that this was no excuse.

He goes on to tell Alf and Marilyn that he broke into one home, unaware that the family were home.

He panicked when the owner confronted him and swung his baseball bat towards a movement in the corner of his eye, only to find he’d struck the man’s young daughter.

She nearly died and has been left with lasting damage, and Zane admits that he’ll never forgive himself.

The following morning, Zane approaches Marilyn expecting her to end their friendship.

Although his confession was difficult to hear, she insists that he’s served his time and deserves a second chance, before revealing that she’s asked Leah to consider giving him a job.

lf remains unconvinced and advises Leah against employing Zane. When Leah seeks David’s opinion, he agrees that Zane deserves a clean slate but urges her to be careful.

Leah insists that there are neither enough hours nor money to employ Zane, but Marilyn points out how busy the diner and coffee cart are and offers him half her own shifts. 

Despite arguing that she can’t replace an experienced worker with a café novice, Leah eventually agrees to give him a supervised trial.

Meanwhile, Zane tries to clear the air with Alf, offering to help out around the surf club, only to be told that admitting the truth isn’t enough to win his trust.

Mali (Kyle Shilling) witnesses the cold exchange and asks Zane to help him move some surfboards, before sympathising with his struggle to gain acceptance.

When Alf later asks him to monitor Zane at the caravan park, Mali refuses, insisting that he deserves a chance to prove himself.

Zane is thrilled when Marilyn tells him about the trial shift and vows not to let either woman down. Having watched Maz at work, he quickly begins learning the ropes at the coffee cart and confidently takes his first order.

Although Marilyn is supposed to be the one supervising Zane, Leah’s soon on the scene and begins scrutinising his every move. Finding Zane serving a customer and handling money, she orders him to stop and restricts him to clearing tables and restocking the coffee cart.

Maz points out that other trial workers have always been allowed to handle money, but Leah insists that Zane’s lack of experience makes him different.

When Zane later hands over the wrong takeaway order, he immediately apologises, only for Leah to respond sharply. Marilyn urges her to give him a genuine chance, frustrated that she seems to be waiting for him to fail.

Leah’s attitude becomes even clearer when Marilyn gives a hungry Zane a burger that would otherwise go to waste, thanks to a duplicate order going through. Spotting him eating it, Leah instantly assumes that Zane made another mistake.

Marilyn’s quick to point out that Zane had nothing to do with it—the extra burger was only cooked because Leah had neglected to spike the original docket.

Marilyn calls her out for automatically blaming him, and pleads with her to stop treating Zane as though he’s bound to do something wrong.

Forced to acknowledge her own mistake, Leah offers Zane a second trial shift. He gratefully accepts, but then overhears her admitting to Marilyn that she only agreed to the original trial as a favour—and hopes she won’t regret it.

The next morning, Leah’s in the middle of complaining about Zane being an hour late when a sullen Marilyn shows up.

She reveals that Zane’s left a goodbye letter under her door and that his caravan is empty, with the key still in the door.

Marilyn immediately turns on Leah and Alf, declaring that they’ve failed Zane and blaming them for driving him away.

Justin (James Stewart) reads the letter aloud, in which Zane explains that he doesn’t want to cause trouble or come between Marilyn and her friends, so he’s decided to leave Summer Bay.

Marilyn searches around the bay, hoping to find Zane and change his mind. However, neither she, Justin nor Mali can locate him.

When Justin wonders whether leaving his registered address could breach Zane’s parole, Marilyn fears that he could be returned to prison.

Alf finds her in tears on Flat Beach, where she admits that she feels like she’s failed to keep her promise to believe in Zane and be there for him.

Back at the diner, Leah insists that she never wanted Zane to leave, but Marilyn accuses her of wanting him to fail and waiting for him to make a mistake.

Declaring that Leah has got exactly what she wanted, Marilyn quits her job and walks out!

Can Leah repair their friendship—and has Zane really left Summer Bay for good?

Home and Away is available to stream from 6am weekdays, with double bill episodes airing from 6pm on 5Star.

EastEnders confirms Penny's fate amid terrifying scenes in early iPlayer release

 Penny is rushed to hospital tonight.

EastEnders' Penny Branning has a terrifying hospital dash in today's episode after she coughs up blood. Penny is eight months pregnant, and her partner Vinny Panesar has been trying his hardest to give her all the help she needs.

However, Vinny doesn't know that he may not be the baby's biological father as Penny also slept with Harry, her best friend Gina's boyfriend, around the same time.

Earlier this week, Vinny took Penny to an antenatal class and revealed he had also set up a rota to help with her post-partum care.

But Penny has been left frustrated by Vinny's efforts, wanting to prove she's capable of taking care of herself and her unborn baby. Plus, she has been preoccupied with the grand opening of her new shop.

In recent days, Penny has also been experiencing swelling in her leg, which she has put down to a normal element of pregnancy.

Today is the opening of Penny's shop and she wakes to Vinny already up and ready to leave, having made her breakfast.

Vinny asks about Penny's leg and says she should consider going to the doctor, but Penny is adamant that she isn't experiencing anything unusual.

But after Vinny leaves, Penny falls while trying to get into to her wheelchair and is left on the floor feeling dejected. After Penny calls Vinny, Suki arrives to find her on the floor and helps her into her chair.

Suki tells Penny that she's being selfish by not allowing Vinny and others to help her, warning that if she pushes him away she'll regret it.

Later, Penny is on her way to the shop opening but Max and Priya spot her appearing to struggle. When Max goes over to help her, she coughs up blood and he immediately calls an ambulance.

Meanwhile, Vinny and Penny's dad Jack are waiting for her at the store, until Jack gets a phone call from Max saying she's been rushed to hospital.

At the hospital, Penny is diagnosed with a pulmonary embolism, which was the cause of the pain in her leg. The doctor warns Penny that she needs to take care of herself.

Thankfully, the clot was caught it in time and both Penny and baby are going to be okay.

Later, Penny apologises to Vinny, saying she's had people all her life telling her what's best for her body, meaning she finds it hard to let people in.

The couple then agreed that they would do things together and help each other.

Home and away Monday 24th August 8774 Promo

 

Home and Away 8773 Episode 20th August 2026

 

Home and Away is bringing back legendary character Brax - and he's not alone

 Stephen Peacocke is back as Brax!

Home and Away star Stephen Peacocke will reprise his role as Darryl "Brax" Braxton, and he'll return with another fan favourite in tow.

The actor, who left the soap over a decade ago, has signed on for a major Home and Away event in 2026, and he'll be joined by Bonnie Sveen, aka Erica "Ricky" Sharpe.

Back in 2016, both Peacocke and Sveen bid adieu to the show, with their characters Brax and Ricky driving off into the sunset with their son Casey after establishing an iconic on-screen romance. Now, with the pair confirmed to return, fans will finally learn what the TV couple has been up to since leaving Summer Bay.

While details are currently limited, the landmark Home and Away event will be made in partnership with Tourism Western Australia.

Promising "high-stakes drama and emotional payoffs set against a stunning backdrop of WA's rugged outback", the special episodes are expected to air on 5 next year, with filming taking place across Western Australia this October.

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In the meantime, 5 and Tourism Western Australia have also launched a competition, which will give one UK winner and their guest a chance to visit West Australia's Coral Coast in October, spending 8 nights in the Dream State and going behind the scenes on the Home and Away set.

As he prepares to reprise his role, Peacocke said: "I'll always be grateful to Home and Away for being the launchpad to my career, and I've got a sincere appreciation for the fans who've followed my work since.

When the producers asked if I'd revisit Brax, it felt like a fun opportunity – and one I think the audience will really enjoy. Filming in spectacular outback Western Australia is the icing on the cake, and we can't wait to welcome one lucky UK fan and their guest onto set with us."

Meanwhile, Bonnie Sveen noted: "Bringing Ricky back wasn't something I'd ever expected, so I'm beyond thrilled to reunite with Steve and old friends at Home and Away. Exploring where Ricky and Brax are now, 10 years on, will make for a very special and compelling storyline – and I can't wait for our WA filming adventure.

EastEnders appears to confirm Ian Beale's fate in new behind-the-scenes snaps

 It looks like he won't have nothing left for long.

EastEnders' long-suffering fan-favourite Ian Beale is currently doing time in prison, and he hasn't been having a great time of it due to Gray Atkins wanting his own unhealthy slice of revenge.

Though the arc involving Gray looks to have been sorted for now, it remains to be seen how Ian will fare behind bars. That is unless you've spotted some behind-the-scenes photos, which indicate that he could be out of jail soon.

The photos were taken by Alice Haig, who plays Vicki Fowler on the BBC soap. She posted some snaps on Instagram Stories, with co-stars Stephen Aaron-Sipple, Letitia Dean and Laura Doddington all being pictured in the café.

Tellingly, Adam Woodyatt, the actor who plays Ian, was also in the photos. With the soap filming about eight weeks in advance, it looks like Ian could be back in Albert Square as soon as October if these photos are anything to go by.

We already knew that Ian would be back in the thick of it in the early part of 2027, as he was involved in the drama from the flash-forward episode that aired on New Year's Day earlier this year.

In that episode, he served as Max Branning's best man (begrudgingly), although we still don't know exactly who it is that the infamous womaniser is set to wed. He's currently engaged to Ian's ex-wife Cindy, but a lot could happen before then.

Elsewhere, it's all change for the Slater family in the upcoming months, as Zoe's funeral has just been filmed. Rob Kazinsky, meanwhile, has also been confirmed for a permanent return as Sean, almost 20 years after he was in Walford full-time.

"I wanted to do it for the fans that have supported me in every role since I left the Square but, mostly, I wanted to do it for me," he said of his return. "I'm home, and I can't wait to bring a new level of heartfelt chaos to Albert Square in the way only Sean Slater can."

Home and Away reveal "massive cliffhanger" for beloved characters

 

Home and Away stars Tristan Gorey and Emily Weir have teased the future of their characters Levi Fowler and Mackenzie Booth, stating that an upcoming cliffhanger could leave Levi's life hanging in the balance.

It's been quite a year for Mackenzie and Levi – after enduring two miscarriages in their fertility journey, Levi's life was put at risk when he fell down a cliffside in episodes that aired in the UK this week.

Speaking exclusively to Inside Soap, Tristan and Emily hinted at more to come for the couple – and Em revealed who she'd love to see play Mackenzie's mum, should the character ever be introduced.

There is a massive cliffhanger on the horizon for a few of our beloved characters, Levi included," Tristan teased. "The stakes are high, it could be the end of the road for Levi, but I guess you will have to tune in."

I’m always saying to the bosses, 'Can we meet Mac’s mum?'" Emily added. "My dream casting would be Tina Arena, can we make that happen? That would be wild!"

Emily and Tristan are nominated for multiple Inside Soap Awards this year, including Best Actor and Actress, Best Storyline and Best Showstopper for their portrayal of Mackenzie and Levi's fertility journey.

It’s special that our story has meant so much to a lot of people," said Tristan. "I had someone pull me up in public and say, 'I went through IVF, and the stories you guys are doing right now are just so relatable'. She was able to see her husband in Levi when he was going through it."

"There’s still so much internalised shame around fertility, even though it’s such a common story, and the response we’ve had has been really beautiful," Emily chimed in. "It’s so fulfilling when you tell a story and someone out there feels less alone because of it."

EastEnders confirms when Nicola's family officially arrive in new advanced spoilers

 EastEnders has confirmed when Nicola Mitchell will be reunited with her family after the new characters just made their Walford debut, with viewers having to wait a little while longer before the big scenes air.

Although their first visit to the Square was brief, we know that Nicola's sisters, Gemma and Jodie, and their mum Rose will return to the East End with Gemma's husband Ned, their son Ryder and an adorable dog in tow.

Their first visit brought about a difficult conversation for Nicola, who was forced to admit to partner George Knight that she was the reason her abusive father had died, and that Rose has never properly forgiven her.

It seems that the Hawkins family will now stay in Walford a little longer, as a synopsis for an upcoming episode teases that they will make "their presence known in Albert Square", and that Nicola will offer "an olive branch".

Elsewhere, Walford is buzzing with excitement as a double wedding is in the air, though it remains to be seen if these will go ahead as planned given the various twists that are expected to come.

Advanced spoilers for the BBC soap have teased the Hawkins will return to Walford at the end of the month, and you can read the full teasers below.

Monday 31 August - 7.30pm

Nicola gets a shock when the Hawkinses arrive in Walford. Wedding fever sweeps Walford ahead of Cindy and Kim's big days. And Priya wrestles with her guilt.

Tuesday 1 September - 7.30pm

The Hawkinses make their presence known in Albert Square. Ravi pushes Priya for information about what happened whilst he was away.

Wednesday 2 September - 7.30pm

Nicola has a change of heart and offers an olive branch. Ravi's suspicions make him determined to find the truth. A power cut threatens Linda's event at the community centre.

Thursday 3 September - 7.30pm

The men of Walford gather in Harry's Barn for Max and Howie's stag party. Linda is forced to decide between her head and her heart. And Max attempts to talk his way out of a situation, but will it be enough?