Next week on Home and Away newest character gets Alf Stewart in trouble!

 Next week on Home and Away in the UK, as we meet new character Richie, he immediately gets Alf Stewart in trouble!

Roo’s (Georgie Parker) concerned for Alf (Ray Meagher) next week, after a series of missed reminders leaves him driving illegally—with a new police recruit catching him in the act.

At Summer Bay House, Marilyn (Emily Symons) is planning to treat the household to one of her tofu and vegetable stir-fries, but she needs her wok from a high kitchen shelf.

Alf fetches the stepladder from the laundry to retrieve it, only for Roo to immediately step in and offer to do it herself. She explains it’s a risk he doesn’t need to take, but Alf sees exactly what she’s getting at…

While he appreciates her concern, Alf stubbornly makes it clear that he’ll decide when he’s “too old” to be doing things—not her.

In the meantime, John (Shane Withington) has arrived with a stack of mail that had ended up at the surf club office. Alf insists he had taken it there intending to make a start on it if he had time, but Roo is already watching him more closely.

Her concern continues at the surf club, where she offers to help Alf organise a committee meeting and prepare his reports. Alf insists he has it under control, but back at the house, Roo again tries to get involved when he starts sorting through the mail.

She worries there could be overdue bills mixed in, while Alf is irritated by the pressure and points out that not everything needs to be handled on Roo’s timetable.

But Roo soon finds something more serious than a bill—a reminder for Alf’s medical assessment, which he needs in order to renew his driving licence.

The letter’s already a month old!

Angry that Roo has opened his mail, Alf insists there must be a mistake with the dates, but Roo spells out what it means—he’s missed the deadline and is no longer licensed to drive.

Rather than dealing with the issue immediately, Alf refuses to be pushed. He insists he’ll sort it out when he’s good and ready, as he makes a swift exit to check on a delivery at the bait shop.

Roo is left worried, especially as Alf has already driven all the way back from Martha’s without realising there was a problem.

At the diner, she shares her concerns with Marilyn, Leah (Ada Nicodemou) and Justin (James Stewart).

Justin is sure Alf would pass the assessment with flying colours, but Leah points out that eyesight and reaction times can change over time. For Roo, the immediate issue is clear enough—Alf legally should not be driving until the assessment is sorted.

Meanwhile, over at Yabbie Creek police station, David (Jeremy Lindsay Taylor) introduces Cash (Nicholas Cartwright) to a new recruit—Probationary Constable Richard “Richie” Brezniak (Rocco Forrester-Sach).

Richie’s only been out of the academy for a week and is eager to make a good impression. He immediately offers to help Cash with some reports, before asking if they can grab a beer so he can get some advice on how things work at Yabbie Creek.

At Salt, Cash gives Richie a brief rundown on David, explaining that the sergeant is strict but fair. When Cash takes a call from Eden (Stephanie Panozzo), Richie gets talking to Abigail (Hailey Pinto) behind the bar.

Realising she is Cash’s sister-in-law, Richie asks if there’s anything he should know about winning Cash over. Abby initially says that what Richie sees is what he gets with Cash, before deciding to have some fun.

She tells Richie that Cash loves pranks, and that getting him with a good one would earn instant respect.

The next morning, Roo again presses Alf about booking the medical appointment. Alf insists he does not need a test to confirm what he already knows, but Roo reminds him that it’s the law.

When she mentions that Leah and Justin have also been discussing it, Alf’s unimpressed that other people are now being brought into his business.

Over at Salt, Cash and Richie return on a coffee run, where Abby is dealing with the awkwardness of Mali (Kyle Shilling) moving on after their breakup.

With Mali nearby, Abby starts flirting with Richie. Cash sees exactly what she’s doing and quietly shuts it down, warning her not to drag Richie into her breakup games.

Abby follows Richie outside and apologises, admitting she only flirted to get back at Mali. Richie isn’t offended, and the moment leaves a clear spark between them.

Back at the station, David notices Cash’s impatience with the new recruit and decides to put them together on patrol, much to Cash’s frustration.

Cash’s mood only worsens when he sits down at his desk and a loud fart noise erupts from beneath him – Richie’s got him with a whoopee cushion prank!

Cash’s embarrassment grows when an amused David asks him if he needs to go home and change.

Richie explains that he heard Cash loved pranks, but Cash makes it clear that he heard wrong.

As they head out on traffic duty, Richie admits he was only trying to get into Cash’s good books, but Cash’s realisation that Abby put him up to the prank doesn’t soften his attitude.

As Richie starts to question him about Abby, Cash suggests he needs to concentrate on the job and keep his personal life separate.

The patrol then brings Richie’s first real test when the camera flags a car with expired registration.

Of course, it’s Alf.

Richie pulls him over and explains that the rego has lapsed.

Alf says it’s news to him, but when Cash asks to see his licence, Alf has to admit there’s another problem—that’s expired too!

Cash and Richie drive Alf’s car back to Summer Bay House, arriving just as Roo and Marilyn are trying to work out why he’s gone out again despite the licence issue.

Richie, still trying to do things by the book, points out that driving with an expired licence in an unregistered car is cause for concern.

Cash tries to smooth things over, but Roo is alarmed to learn that Alf has also let his rego lapse.

Alf admits it slipped his mind.

Cash suggests that, as it’s Alf’s first offence on both counts, they could let him off with a warning if he sorts everything out—but Alf refuses.

He’s broken the law, and he wants the fine. When Roo suggests that Cash is only trying to help, Alf snaps that he doesn’t need help.

After Justin sorts out the car’s registration, Roo tries to make things easier by setting reminders on Alf’s phone for bills, appointments and committee meetings.

However, Alf doesn’t take too kindly to that either, asking whether she’s also added a reminder for herself to keep her hands off his phone.

Later at the diner, Alf admits to Leah what’s really bothering him—Roo’s suddenly treating him like a silly old fool, and the last thing he wants is to become another problem she feels she has to fix.

Richie, meanwhile, returns to Salt and tells Abby that he followed her prank advice, only for it to go down badly with Cash. Abby is amused, whilst Richie gives her credit for managing to out-prank him.

Their connection continues to build, and Abby asks if he’s single. When Richie confirms he is, she asks him out.

Richie hesitates, mindful of Cash’s warning about mixing work and personal life, but he can’t resist and says yes.

Soon, Alf appears to have taken a step in the right direction by booking an appointment with his GP. Leah and Marilyn are relieved, whilst Alf remains irritated that everyone considers it their business.

David also gives Alf another chance to accept a warning instead of a fine, but Alf again refuses special treatment. He accepts that he did the wrong thing and wants the fine to stand.

But the next morning, Leah and Marilyn become worried when Alf arrives at the diner.

Has he already forgotten his GP appointment?

When he later crosses paths with David at the surf club, Alf confirms that he didn’t forget the appointment at all.

He cancelled it on purpose!

What’s going on with Alf?