Christmas spirit is in abundance when TV WEEK spends the day having fun with the Home and Away cast. We get in the mood with music, football tackles, and lots of summertime fun.
But the impending family reunion is Sophie Dillman and Patrick O’Connor’s best present, according to them. The real-life couple, who both hail from Queensland and relocated to Sydney for their positions in H&A, says that although it can occasionally be challenging, it never feels like time has passed.
Patrick, who portrays River Boy Dean Thompson, remarks, “It’s such a lovely time to be able to spend time with family around Christmas – lots of food, presents, and fun.” Hopefully this year’s rain keeps off.
Ziggy Astoni’s actress Sophie adds that she frequently scrambles at the last minute before the break.
I’ll be honest: I dislike the notion that everyone must scramble to catch up before Christmas. It’s a challenging and pricey time. However, seeing everyone is amazing,” she says with a giggle.
H&A supporters were overjoyed this season when Dean and Ziggy, who are also a couple, confirmed there was a baby on the way. Sophie appreciated getting to play it out on television even if she isn’t quite ready for kids yet.
It can be intimidating to get it right, but Sophie and Patrick feel confident since they have each other’s trust.
We are always there for each other and we can ask anything of each other, Sophie explains.
Patrick furthers, “I think a lot of people will be able to connect to Dean and Ziggy’s perspective on having their first kid. Being a part of their humorous and lighthearted approach to having a baby on the way has been fun.
Despite being significantly different from their characters, Sophie and Patrick claim to have learned a lot from them.
Sophie asserts, “Paddy is obviously not a criminal, and I’m way too impatient to be a mechanic.”
I greatly respect Ziggy and Dean’s passion, dedication, and joy in the little things. I’m attempting to embrace more of those traits about myself.
Off-screen, the couple’s year has been equally hectic as they both turned 30 and travelled to Qatar for a Middle Eastern adventure.
After Qatar, Paddy recalls, “we went to the Seychelles.” “What more could you want for than to sit on the beach, go snorkelling, and sip an Aperol Spritz?”
According to Patrick, 2023 may be the couple’s best year yet. While Sophie is anticipating her sister’s impending wedding, Patrick wishes for a gentler tempo.
I’ll try to slow down a little “He claims.
“It has been a very hectic few years. Hopefully, it will be a period when you concentrate more on being in the now and taking pleasure in life’s better things.
