Ziggy and Dean’s looming departure from Home and Away has been officially confirmed after months of rumours.
Fans of the television series Home and Away got to see some intriguing filming in late 2017 at Sydney’s Palm Beach, which serves as the real-life Summer Bay and the location for many of the show’s exterior shots.
They saw Ziggy (Sophie Dillman), Dean (Patrick O’Connor), and, presumably, their infant going away in Ziggy’s car, which was stuffed with all of their possessions, including their prized framed Coastal News front cover from when they won the Summer Bay surf competition.
After more than five years on the show, the characters were rumoured to be leaving after the scenes, and this information was officially confirmed in an interview with the actors in this week’s TV Week.
Together with the rest of the Astoni family, Sophie Dillman debuted as Ziggy in the 2017 season of the show.
The family, comprised of mother Maggie (Kestie Morassi), father Ben (Rohan Nicol), and children Ziggy and Coco (Anna Cocquerel), was the first newcomer to Summer Bay since the Sutherlands back in 2000.
Early in 2018, Dean appeared as the head of the River Boys, who had been requested by Ash (George Mason) to assist him in finding Robbo (Jake Ryan).
Dean and Ziggy didn’t start dating until about the middle of 2019, but they are now leaving together as a real-life couple.
The choice, according to Sophie, was “very difficult,” but since “we both did everything with our characters, it was time to start a new chapter,” she tells TV Week.
It’s emotional and heartbreaking, but we recognise how fortunate we are to have had such an amazing run.
“I felt I evolved into six different persons in the time [Sophie and I] were there,” Patrick says of his five years as Dean. Both as a performer and a person, there has been significant growth. Although it’s a fantastic place to work, I was prepared to go on.
The pair has left not only Summer Bay but also Australia behind.
Through Paddy’s Instagram, fans of the show have been following Sophie and Paddie as they tour Mykonos, London, Italy, and Qatar in recent months. After their tour of Europe, they returned to Australia and were spotted reuniting with their former co-stars Emily Weir (Mackenzie) and Lukas Radovich (Ryder) for Lukas’s birthday.
Their most recent interview, however, raises the possibility that they intend to return to Europe.
According to TV Week, the couple want to make London their home and use it as a base while travelling throughout Europe.
Every month, we’re travelling to a new location, explains Sophie.
The two were in Scotland last week before travelling to Ireland. Since filming their final sequences, they have both debuted new styles.
They’re undecided about whether they’ll go back to acting.
Paddy affirms, “We absolutely want to keep acting.” “[Home and Away] confirmed it for us. However, we’re also content to pause.
Sophie recognises how difficult it may be to land a consistent acting position and how fortunate they have been to have consistent work on Home and Away for such a long time.
Finding an acting role is difficult, she claims, because only a small minority of actors are considered to be above the poverty level. “We hope we can keep doing it, even though it may not be simple. That’s the dream,”
Moreover, they both had positive things to say about the programme that has served as their home for the previous five or so years.
Patrick told the magazine, “I was a little overcome on the last day since Home and Away has been such a significant part of my life. Sophie concurred, saying, “It’s been the best part of my life. Everyone that was involved made it possible for us to perform at the highest level. I feel really honoured.
Additionally, they haven’t ruled out a future return to the programme.
Never say never, advises Patrick. Who can predict what the future may hold?
The specific departure date of the characters is still unknown, although it is anticipated to occur soon.
Could Dean’s lovely family be torn apart, speculate spoilers for this Thursday’s episode? While on Monday, “Dean’s family comes first for Ziggy.”
Could the demise of the beloved characters be on the horizon as a result of these spoilers?
There are more departures nearby besides theirs. It’s also anticipated that Nikau (Kawakwa Fox-Reo) may depart Summer Bay soon, possibly in the coming week.
Recently, Bella (Courtney Miller) visited Ziggy, Dean, and their little daughter Izzy after travelling back from New York.
Bella has also used the chance to reconnect with Nikau, who abruptly broke things off with her over the phone a year ago in an effort to shield her from the bikie gang that was in town seeking retribution against his family.
Despite Bella’s claims to the contrary, she quickly realised that she still had feelings for Nik and that there was still a spark between the two of them.
It is widely anticipated that Nikau will go with Bella this week or the next and move to New York with her now that Kawakawa Fox-exit Reo’s from the show has been confirmed.
Do you think Dean and Ziggy will follow suit?
