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Behind The Scenes: Home And Away’s Current Cast

Meet the current cast of beloved Aussie soap, Home and Away!

It’s been more than 30 years (and seasons!) since well-loved soap Home and Away started airing, and it’s still going strong! It’s taken us on quite a ride, tackling everything from teenage pregnancy, natural disasters, and even cancer. And of course, it’s introduced us to a wonderful cast of characters that have come and gone over the years.

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Get to know the current cast of characters and the actors who play them in this article!

RELATED: Home and Away finale shock: Bay rocked by deadly siege

How It All Began

Home and Away first aired in 1988 on the Seven Network. It was originally titled Refuge, and it was made to compete with Neighbours, another popular Aussie soap. 

Throughout the years, characters and actors have come and gone, with the exception of Alf Stewart, who is played by Ray Meagher. Lots of big-name Aussie actors were able to jumpstart their careers as Home and Away cast members, including Chris Hemsworth (Kim Hyde, 2004), Brenton Thwaites (Stu Henderson, 2011), and Tammin Sursok (Dani Sutherland, 2000).

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Home And Away Now: The Current Cast Of Characters

Alf Stewart

Played by: Ray Meagher

First appearance: 1988

Alf Stewart is the only original characters who’s still on the show, garnering Ray Meagher a Guinness World Record for longest-serving actor in an Australian serial. Having been around for so long, Alf has certainly made his mark in Australian pop culture – he was the subject of a parody in 2010.

Ray Meagher has thoroughly enjoyed playing Alf all these years and it looks like he won’t be going anytime soon – he signed a three-year contract with the show in 2018. But Ray doesn’t limit himself to the beloved soap: he was part of the musical Priscilla, Queen of the Desert in 2010 as Bob, and he reprised the role in 2018.

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Alt Stewart, acted by Ray Meagher, walking along the beach while talking on his phone
(Credit: Getty) (Credit: Getty)

Martha Stewart

Played by: Belinda Giblin (2018 onwards); Alison Mulvaney (1989)

First appearance: 1989

Martha Stewart is Alf’s first wife who supposedly died before the show’s start, and was introduced through flashbacks. She’s the mother of Roo Stewart, and it turns out that she had left all those years ago due to her borderline personality disorder.

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Belinda Giblin has actually appeared on Home and Away twice before she took on the role of Martha – she was Cynthia Ross in 1991, and Catherine Clements in 1998. It seems that Ray Meagher liked working with her, as he was the one who suggested her as Martha!

Belinda Giblin at the opening night of Saturday Night Fever
(Credit: Getty) (Credit: Getty)

Roo Stewart

Played by: Georgie Parker (2010 onwards); Justine Clarke (1988-1989)

First appearance: 1988

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Rounding up the Stewart family is Roo, a girl with a rebellious streak. She is the first character to face an issue which was seen as risque for television back then: teenage pregnancy. Roo’s character had a very colourful run on the show, so much so that even fans would boo then-actress Justine Clarke out in public!

Unfortunately, Justine Clarke quit the role in 1989, which led to the character being written out. When the character was brought back in 2010, Justine was unable to reprise her role, which led to the recasting of the role to Georgie Parker.

Georgie Parker in the black dresses at the 6th AACTA Awards
(Credit: Getty) (Credit: Getty)

Marilyn Chambers

Played by: Emily Symons

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First appearance: 1989

Hairdresser Marilyn joined the cast, not as a resident of Summer Bay, but of nearby Yabbie Creek. She’s the “ditzy chick-next-door” and she went on to become one of the shows most iconic characters.

Emily Symons was nominated for Best Actress for her portrayal of Marilyn Chambers during the 1999 Inside Soap Awards. She was active for a while in the United Kingdom, where she had moved after her marriage, appearing in Emmerdale and Dancing on Ice.

Emily Symons on the set of Emmerdale
(Credit: Getty) (Credit: Getty)
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Irene Roberts

Played by: Lynne McGranger (1993 onwards); Jacqy Phillips (1991-1992)

First appearance: 1991

Irene started out as an alcoholic mother who needed to be cared for, until she eventually turned her life around and became the one who cared for others. Her character has been through plenty – from alcoholism to cancer to stalkers and so on – but through it all she remains someone that you can depend on.

Lynne McGranger is the longest-serving actress on the show, having been Irene since the 90s. Like Ray, she’s openly spoken about how much she loves working on the show.

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A close up portrait of Lynne McGranger, Home & Away actor
(Credit: Getty) (Credit: Getty)

Leah Patterson

Played by: Ada Nicodemou

First appearance: 2000

Leah Patterson is Summer Bay’s resident lovebird. Having been on the show since 2000, Leah has become one of the most familiar and defining characters of the series.

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Ada Nicodemou started out with only a six-month contract on the show, and she received an extension before her episodes even aired! Despite already having been on teen show Heartbreak High’s main cast for around four years already, Ada chose to stay with Home and Away, having fallen in love with the show and its cast.

Ada Nicodemou at a FAMILY Fundraising Event
(Credit: Getty) (Credit: Getty)

John Palmer

Played by: Shane Withington

First appearance: 2009

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John Palmer has done quite a number of things: he’s run for council, become a Surf Life Saver, and even managed the Juice Bar. One of the shows most significant moments was John’s wedding to Marilyn in 2015, which was considered by many to be one of the best TV weddings that year.

Shane Withington has appeared in a number of films and shows outside of Home and Away. He’s also done a lot of voiceover work.

Other Current Main Characters As Of 2019

Tori Morgan, a doctor played by Penny McNamee since 2016

Justin Morgan, a mechanic played by James Stewart since 2016

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Ziggy Astoni, a mechanic apprentice played by Sophie Dillman since 2017

Ben Astoni, a builder played by Rohan Nichol since 2017

Maggie Astoni, a principal played by Kestie Morassi since 2017

Robbo Shaw, a handyman played by Jake Ryan since 2017

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Ryder Jackson, a student played by Lukas Radovich since 2017

Willow Harris,  a trainer played by Sarah Roberts since 2017

Jasmine Delaney, a nurse played by Sam Frost since 2017

Dean Thompson, an auto assistant played by Patrick O’Connor since 2018

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Colby Thorne, a police officer played by Tim Franklin since 2018

Bella Nixon, a student played by Courtney Miller since 2018

Mackenzie Booth, a restaurant owner played by Emily Weir since 2019

Alex Neilson, a doctor played by Zoe Ventoura since 2019

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What’s Next For Home And Away

The show has certainly made it clear that they aren’t against bringing characters (and their actors!) back! While we can never quite tell the next twist that Home and Away has in store, here are a few characters that we hope they’d give a second chance:

Kyle Braxton, played by Nic Westaway. He was last seen being sent to prison, so there’s a chance we can still see him again!

Raffy Morrison, played by Olivia Deeble. She was last seen leaving for a medical trial, making her another contender for a comeback!

Drew Curtis, played by Bob Morely. He was last seen leaving Summer Bay, going off to live in the city – so perhaps he can find himself returning one day.

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RELATED: Home and Away: Justin’s nightmare over Leah

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