Home and Away newcomer Rick Donald has opened up about his arrival on the soap and what it means for Martha Stewart's big new storyline.

In scenes yet to air in Australia and the UK, Martha (Belinda Giblin) will confide in Irene Roberts (Lynne McGranger) about how she has a secret son named Kieran (Donald) who Alf doesn't know about.

Australian viewers have already seen Martha receive a note from Kieran, and she's admitted that mother and son have a difficult relationship and that she feels cautious about introducing him to the Stewart family.


Ahead of his first scenes, which air in Australia next week and in the UK early next year, Donald has now teased fans what they can expect.

"There's a lot of layers to the character of Kieran," he told New Idea magazine. "He's not just a bad boy. He is struggling with some mental health issues and he has some addiction problems. He is largely just a human being with flaws and a bit of a terrible past.

"He's trying to turn it all around, so that was pretty exciting for me – the fact that there is a real three-dimensional character in Kieran."

Ahead of his first scenes, which air in Australia next week and in the UK early next year, Donald has now teased fans what they can expect.

"There's a lot of layers to the character of Kieran," he told New Idea magazine. "He's not just a bad boy. He is struggling with some mental health issues and he has some addiction problems. He is largely just a human being with flaws and a bit of a terrible past.

"He's trying to turn it all around, so that was pretty exciting for me – the fact that there is a real three-dimensional character in Kieran."

He continued: "Safe to say, I knew Kieran was going to come in and be a bit of a tornado in the Stewart household.

"He turns up when he was told not to, and is very keen to put things right with his mum."

Home and Away airs weekdays at 1.15pm and 6pm on Channel 5 (UK) and Mondays to Thursdays at 7pm on Channel 7 (Australia).