Grant Barnes
| Company type | Television series |
|---|---|
| Industry | Television soap opera |
| Founded | January 17, 1988 |
| Headquarters | Australia |
Home and Away is a long-running Australian soap opera that premiered on the Seven Network on 17 January 1988. This segment details the characters who were introduced during 2014, all under the guidance of executive producer Lucy Addario. The show's 27th season began airing on 27 January 2014. In February, the series welcomed Sean Green and Denny Miller. Following that, Linda Somerset appeared in April, Sophie Taylor in June, Martin Ashford arrived in October, and Neive Devlin (portrayed by Jolene Anderson) made her debut in November.
Sean Green
Sean Green, played by Khan Chittenden, made his first appearance on 6 February 2014. His introduction was announced in TV Week. Sean's storyline connects closely to the complicated history of the established character Andy Barrett (Tai Hara). Upon arriving in Summer Bay, Sean vandalizes the gym where Andy is employed, resulting in Andy being wrongly accused. Sean pressures Andy to change his police statement related to a joint criminal incident and threatens Andy’s brother, Josh (Jackson Gallagher), along with Josh’s girlfriend Maddy Osborne (Kassandra Clementi).
Sean later takes Maddy hostage but releases her when confronted by Kyle Braxton (Nic Westaway). Kyle attempts to pay Sean off, but Sean refuses and attacks him instead. Kyle fights back and subdues Sean. Injured, Sean seeks assistance at the home of Irene Roberts (Lynne McGranger), where he menaces Irene and others with a knife. When Sean tries to hold Sasha Bezmel (Demi Harman) hostage, he is overpowered by Chris Harrington (Johnny Ruffo) and knocked unconscious. Spencer Harrington (Andrew James Morley) performs CPR until paramedics arrive to take Sean to hospital.
Denny Miller
Denise "Denny" Miller, portrayed by Jessica Grace Smith, was introduced on 12 February 2014. Her casting was revealed on 28 January 2014. Smith landed the role in 2013 shortly before intending to relocate to Los Angeles, calling the chance "an actor's dream." Denny is depicted as a tomboyish character who is candid and straightforward. Smith described Denny as "not your typical girl" and noted that she would be working alongside Alf Stewart (Ray Meagher) at the bait shop.
Linda Somerset
Linda Somerset, brought to life by Hannah Britland, first appeared on screen on 1 April 2014. Britland appeared in five to six episodes during a storyline involving several main characters traveling to London. She described Linda as distinctly British, hailing from Preston, and mentioned that playing this role helped her improve her Australian accent. Linda engages in a brief holiday romance with Casey Braxton (Lincoln Younes), with Younes commenting they "hit it off immediately" and found her enjoyable company.
Within the plot, Linda meets Casey while in London; they spend time together and share a short-lived romantic connection. After Casey returns home to Australia, they keep in touch through video calls but eventually decide not to pursue a relationship due to his family obligations.
Sophie Taylor
Sophie Taylor, brought to life by Bridgette Sneddon, made her first appearance on 3 June 2014. The announcement of Sneddon's casting came on 7 December 2013, after she secured the role following an audition encouraged by her agent and partner, Steve Peacocke, who portrays Darryl Braxton on the series. Production commenced in December 2013, and Sophie’s storyline concluded in early February 2015 when Sneddon filmed her final scenes late in 2014. Her performance garnered the 2015 TV Week and Soap Extra #OMGAward for Best Villain.
Sophie was introduced as a character connected to Summer Bay, designed to stir dramatic conflict. It was revealed that she was Nate Cooper's (Kyle Pryor) estranged spouse, returning with a new job and lingering emotions for Nate. This narrative arc was crafted to significantly influence the show's plot and captivate viewers.
Martin Ashford
Martin "Ash" Ashford, portrayed by George Mason, debuted on 27 October 2014. A Woman's Day journalist highlighted that Mason would introduce a "dynamic storyline" to the series. Ash arrives in Summer Bay with the goal of locating Darryl Braxton. Mason characterized Ash as laid-back, humorous, and lighthearted but driven by a deep yearning for family connection. Despite a troubled background that paints him as somewhat of a rogue, Ash possesses a genuinely kind nature.
Neive Devlin
Neive Devlin, played by Jolene Anderson, was first seen on 12 November 2014. Anderson's three-month guest stint was revealed on 22 June 2014. She described Neive as "a woman navigating a male-dominated environment," whose entrance disrupts an existing relationship. Anderson found Neive to be "an entertaining character" with a direct and candid demeanor unlike any role she had undertaken previously.
Neive is a record label owner and producer. After viewing Phoebe Nicholson’s music video, she travels to Summer Bay to hear Phoebe perform live and offers her a recording contract. When Phoebe’s boyfriend Kyle Braxton attempts to negotiate terms, Neive initially declines but ultimately consents to Phoebe’s conditions, impressed by her determination.
Additional Characters
| Date(s) | Character | Actor | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17 March – 29 July, 1–2 February 2017 |
Harley Braxton | Multiple infants Isaac Brown (2017) Zayden Brown (2017) |
Harley is the son of Heath Braxton (Dan Ewing) and Jess Lockwood (Georgia Chara), delivered by Heath and Nate Cooper (Kyle Pryor) on Summer Bay’s beach. After Jess's death, Heath returns with Harley to Summer Bay. Heath’s wife, Bianca (Lisa Gormley), initially finds bonding difficult but grows close to him following family challenges and Harley’s illness. The family relocates to the city but comes back to Summer Bay in 2017 with Harley before leaving again together. |
| 27 March–23 October, 25 August 2016 – 21 March 2017 |
Eloise "Elly" Page | Darcey Wilson | Eloise is the younger sister of Matt Page (Alec Snow). Following their father’s return to prison, Eloise enters foster care but later runs away to Summer Bay seeking refuge with Matt and Roo Stewart. She faces challenges due to dyslexia but improves through tutoring from Evelyn MacGuire. Elly forms friendships with Raffy Morrison and supports Matt and Evie as they become her guardians before they all leave together after a symbolic wedding. |
| 1 April | Walkerby | Nick Grimshaw | The walkerby encounters Heath Braxton (Dan Ewing) and Darryl Braxton (Steve Peacocke), leading to tense confrontations. |
| UK Celebrity | Eliza Doolittle | Ricky Sharpe (Bonnie Sveen) acts as official photographer for Doolittle during her promotional tour. | |
| Security Guard | Derek Lea | The Security Guard intervenes to prevent Darryl Braxton (Steve Peacocke) from approaching Ricky during a photoshoot; Brax responds aggressively. | |
| 2–3 April | Dr Matthews | Huw Higginson | Dr Matthews provides medical care for Darryl Braxton after a car crash and seizure, ordering an MRI and coordinating treatment alongside Nurse Tennyson. |
| Nurse Tennyson | Danielle King | Nurse Tennyson assists in stabilizing Brax following cardiac arrest and updates his brother Casey on his status. | |
| 2 April | Poisoned Diner | Ryan Bennett | After consuming Chris Harrington's mushroom risotto, this diner collapses and deteriorates rapidly while hospitalized. |
| 10 April | Docs Worker | Cheryl Ward | The Docs Worker places Eloise Page into care after her father's imprisonment. |
| 8 May–10 June | Mark Nicholson | Steve Rodgers | Mark, Phoebe Nicholson’s father and lawyer, investigates Kyle Braxton's background and offers Kyle $50,000 to end his relationship with Phoebe; Kyle declines. |
| 8 July–25 August | Mitch Todd | Matthew Pearce | Mitch bullies Oscar MacGuire during community service hours. |
| 18 August–7 November | Cody Dalton | Aaron Glenane | Cody intimidates Casey Braxton and Denny Miller over Andy Barrett’s whereabouts; he kidnaps Josh Barrett and Evelyn MacGuire demanding ransom before fleeing. |
| 18–19 August | Jim Stone | John Harding | Member of Cody Dalton’s group involved in threatening Casey and abducting Josh Barrett and Evelyn MacGuire. |
| 18 August | Boris Struik | Nathan Waring | |
| 25 September–21 October | Tyson Lee | Ben Bennett | Tyson is a bully at Summer Bay High who targets VJ Patterson, culminating in VJ’s kidnapping; Tyson denies involvement but is arrested and expelled. |
| 9–30 October | Gray Page | Craig Ball | After completing rehab, Gray visits his son Matt Page in Summer Bay, causing concern due to his negative influence on Matt's girlfriend Sasha Bezmel. |
| 23–28 October | Keith Pots | Drayton Morley | Keith encounters Spencer Harrington at the Surf Club; after Keith attempts assaulting Spencer, Spencer is charged with assault but later provides a police statement clarifying events. |
| 23 October | Magistrate Gail McCarthy | Sarah Woods | Gail finalizes Jett James' adoption by Marilyn Chambers and John Palmer. |
| 12–13 November | Monique Wu | Grace Palmer | Monique attends parties hosted by Chris Harrington; she briefly dates Spencer Harrington. |
| 28 November–16 March 2015 | Sam Kennedy | Wade Briggs | Sam works as a barman who murders Dean Sanderson; his confession exonerates Darryl Braxton from wrongful murder charges. |
| 28 November–1 December | Dean Sanderson | Kevin Kiernan-Molloy | Dean is pursued by Darryl Braxton and Martin Ashford over his missing girlfriend Billie; he is killed by Sam Kennedy after being caught digging up stolen goods. |
| 10 December–2 February 2015 | Grant Barnes | Adam Gray | Grant serves as assistant to Neive Devlin; he drugs Phoebe Nicholson at a record launch under Neive’s instructions; assaults Andy Barrett and Martin Ashford but is dismissed after being stopped. |
External links
- Cast and characters on the official Australian Home and Away site
- Cast and characters on the official UK Home and Away platform
- Cast and characters listed at the Internet Movie Database