It’s the soap that a hundred Hollywood hotties have introduced (pause to send thanks). Over the years, Home and Away, the ultimate student watching, has given us some of the craziest stories ever portrayed in soap, countless surfer guys to fawn over, and role models for life in the grandparents you wish you had – Alf, Donald, Irene. However, if you consider yourself a true fan, there are a few things you should really know.

1. Most definitely, Summer Bay is haunted.

Ghostly reappearances of some deceased characters have occurred, including Ailsa and Tom. Bobby has to be the most unforgettable spirit, however, appearing daily on Ailsa’s refrigerator to remind her of how much she loved Alf. Truly sweet.

2. No experience acting? Oh, no problem!

When Isabel Lucas was cast in 2003 as Tasha, her acting experience was, to say the least, limited. So Tasha was written as a girl who spoke only Pig Latin, to make sure the demands on her were minimal. Lucas has since made the move to Hollywood and to this day he continues to speak English.

3. Alf’s still standing, Flamin ‘Nora.

Oh, you just don’t want to give him a huge hug. Alf, played by Ray Meagher, debuted way back in 1988 in the pilot episode of the series and is the only surviving member of the original cast. His first wife died, his second wife murdered her father, he was shocked by two children he had never met before and he managed to survive a brain tumor, among many many other things. Quite the lead pack, huh?

4. Home and Away makes stars in movies

It’s a good bet that you stayed at The Caravan Park once and enjoyed a burger at the Summer Bay Diner if you’re an Aussie and working in Hollywood. In the early days of their on-camera careers, Naomi Watts, Julian McMahon, Isla Fisher, and the late great Heath Ledger all starred in the soap.

5. No porn stars are rendered by Home and Away


Old bad Sally. The actress who played Sally Fletcher for an impressive twenty years, Kate Richie, has long been dogged (sorry) by reports that she stars on an online sex tape that is widely available. It was also rumored, falsely, that she had starred in pornographic movies for a short time. Richie has never talked about the sex tape publicly.

6. Home and Away makes couples in real life


The new real-life pair from the set of the soap, tying the knot this year, is Sophie Dillman and Patrick O’Connor. Let’s hope that their married life will be is much less dramatic for them than marriages seem to be for their characters.

7. Some very divisive storylines were seen in Summer Bay

When the subject of rape was tackled, the fledgling soap was just a few weeks on air, quite a surprising storyline from a 1988 show that premiered at 6.30 pm, and has never shied away from shocking storylines over the twenty-five years since Home and Away. Teen pregnancy, abortion, surrogacy, bullying, domestic violence, gambling, racism, rape, drug addiction, and alcoholism, robbery, fire, imprisonment, sexuality, suicide, bigotry, murder, incest, child abduction, child neglect, and mental illness are often totally ludicrous, but sometimes very brave indeed… in the collection of storylines.

8. It only remains because it canceled Neighbours

Rival Aussie soap Neighbours, the network behind Home and Away, was originally produced by Seven. Canceled in 1985, it was eventually picked up and became incredibly popular by another network, so Seven’s production manager decided that he wanted another soap, albeit something quite different from Neighbours.

9. Originally, it was called Refuge

Originally, the plot for the show was inspired by the true story of the response of a New South Wales community to proposals to create a foster home for kids from The City’ (more on this later). So in almost every Irish household, the theme tune we know and love could never have soundtracked at 6.30 on weekday nights. Talking about.

10. The cast has won the beach key

The cast won the Australian equivalent of Bono being given the Freedom of Dublin-the key to Palm Beach, where the soap is filmed, to celebrate the 21st anniversary of the soap in 2009. The secret to Palm Beach or the right on St. Stephen’s Green to let your sheep graze? Sorry, Bono, this is where you missed out.

11. Millions of people are watching.

About 1 and 1.4 million Australians tune into the shenanigans in the Bay every night, while a quarter-million Irish people do the same thing.

12. A visit is now essential for every Irish person in Oz.

You’d think we’d seen a few cameos now that half of our youth population has upped sticks and migrated Down Under; the odd ginger in the Surf Club, a few deadly pale bodies on the beach-but no. Alternatively, we only get endless streams of profound Facebook taken in front of a beach that could be Summer Bay. On the one pleasant day of the year, it might just as easily be Lahinch, but we are giving them the benefit of the doubt.

13. Europe likes the Bay of Summer

In addition to being screened in Australia and New Zealand, in Ireland, the UK, Norway, Lithuania, Greece, Estonia, France, and Belgium, the goings-on in Home and Away are transmitted. It’s just named Summer Bay in France, though. One still remains.

14. In several Irish homes, THIS occurs

Superfans of the soap had it on the games shelf in the early 90s. Consider us jealous if you ever do so. Who sunk a boat for Alf? Who in the church smashed the windows? To get hints and show your friends are INNOCENT, work your way around the board!

15. Summer Bay is a REALLY dangerous place to live.

There are at least three casualties a year on average, and very few of them are from natural causes. Charlie was the three deaths in 2000; car crash, Ken; crushed under a car and Alicia; plunged off a cliff. 2006 was a very difficult year when Robbie turned off his life support, Graham died, Josh was fired, Elaine, Eve, and Tracy all died from the accidents. they suffered when the barn exploded and Emily passed away from cancer.