Why everyone left Home and Away this year
Home and Away is known for its revolving door – while Summer Bay stalwarts like Alf Stewart, Irene Roberts and Marilyn Chambers have stuck around for decades, most of the other characters tend to leave after just a few years.
2023 has been no exception to the rule, as some familiar faces reached the end of the line. Additionally, some guest characters left once their storylines reached a natural conclusion.
Here, we look back at the most significant departures of the year so far and why each of the exits came about.
1. Kawakawa Fox-Reo (Nikau Parata)
Kawakawa Fox-Reo's decision to leave the role of Nikau Parata was first revealed in the media in November 2022. His final scenes aired on Australian screens in March 2023.
Kawakawa had played the role of Nikau for a three-year stint, which tends to be a standard contract period for most of the younger cast members.
Although Kawakawa didn't give an exit interview about his departure, reports suggested that he was ready to pursue new projects.
Kawakawa has also kept busy by travelling in recent months, including taking a trip to the UK.
2. Courtney Miller (Bella Nixon)
Courtney Miller originally left the role of Bella Nixon in 2022, but she came back as a guest cast member this year to be part of Nikau's farewell storyline.
There had always been unfinished business between Bella and Nikau after their sad split, so Courtney returned for a handful of episodes to tie up the loose ends and give the young couple their happy ending. This meant that it was always the plan for Bella's 2023 return to only be brief.
Discussing her 2022 exit, Courtney told New Zealand website Stuff: "It was my decision to go. I had definitely served out my acting contract. In fact, I actually stayed on another three months. I happily left – but with many, many tears."
On her brief 2023 return, she added: "I truly thought that when I left, I was saying goodbye. My return was weird because my storyline was still going on without me. She was talked about. She did still exist in that world, even though I, Courtney, didn't."
3. Sophie Dillman (Ziggy Astoni)
It was the end of an era for Summer Bay this year as the sole remaining member of the Astoni family bowed out. Sophie Dillman had played the role of Ziggy since 2017.
Sophie left at the same time as her real-life partner Patrick O'Connor, who played Ziggy's boyfriend Dean in the show.
She told Australia's TV Week magazine: "We have both done everything possible with our characters and it was time to start a new chapter.
"It's bittersweet and emotional, but we realise how lucky we are to have had such an incredible run."
4. Patrick O'Connor (Dean Thompson)
Patrick's character Dean chose to leave the Bay alongside Ziggy after hearing that his young son Jai would be moving to Far North Queensland. Dean didn't want to be so far away from his eldest child and was pleased when Ziggy suggested they should make the move themselves to be closer to him.
In real life, Patrick shared his own thoughts about leaving the role of Dean after five years.
He told TV Week: "It's a huge commitment and a massive chunk of my life. I felt I changed into six different people in the time we were there.
"There's a lot of growth both as an actor and a person. It's a great place to work, but I was ready [to move on]."
5. Jordi Webber (Kahu Parata)
Jordi Webber livened up the Parata house this year when his character Kahu paid a visit and caused trouble for his cousin Tane.
Viewers later discovered that Kahu wouldn't be sticking around, as he had to go back to New Zealand to face the music after his secrets were exposed to Tane.
Jordi was brought in as a guest cast member for this specific storyline, which aired for around a month.
Reflecting on the role, he told Stuff: "[The producers] wanted Kahu to be super free, super surfy and Māori and, at the time, I was travelling the east coast of Australia, living in a van.
"I fit the bill perfectly in terms of the energy and the person they wanted. That's how I ended up there."
He added: "It was like the role was written for me; that they were just waiting for me to come and slot in. I just had to turn up the charm, turn up the cheek.
"I've got plenty of cousins – as do most people from back home – like Kahu. It was quite easy to kind of channel that and I also definitely sprinkled some of my own my free, playful cheer in there."
6. Joshua Hewson (Andrew Lawrence)
Joshua Hewson's character Andrew Lawrence is still currently on air in the UK, but his final scenes screened in Australia in July.
Andrew had an eventful time in the Bay thanks to the terrifying actions of the Vita Nova cult, but it was always the plan for him to leave once the storyline was over.
Discussing his future plans, Joshua told Perth Now: "It would be my dream to go to Hollywood. I am trying to hit that as soon as possible.
"That's always been my No.1. Hit America straight away and the Hollywood movies."
Check out more of our Home and Away coverage:
- Home and Away reveals next stage of Felicity Newman's upsetting storyline
- Home and Away's Felicity Newman makes decision after shocking call
- Home and Away introduces a new enemy for Cash Newman
- Home and Away star Ray Meagher shares alternate career before soap fame
- Home and Away's Angelina Thomson shares romantic New York trip with boyfriend
Home and Away airs weekdays at 1.45pm on Channel 5 and 6pm on 5STAR. First-look screenings air at 6.30pm on 5STAR and the show also streams on My5.
In Australia, the show airs Mondays to Thursdays at 7pm on Channel 7 and streams on 7plus.
Selected classic episodes are available via Prime Video in the UK.
Read more Home and Away spoilers on our dedicated homepage.
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