Everything we know about Brax and Ricky’s Home and Away return
Brax and Ricky are set for a return to Home and Away in 2026 – and here’s everything we know about what’s in store.
10 years after the pair were last on the show, Darryl ‘Brax’ Braxton (Stephen Peacocke) and Ricky Sharpe (Bonnie Sveen) are returning to Home and Away next year, as we discover how their lives have unfolded since they left Summer Bay together in 2006.
Who were Brax and Ricky?
Darryl “Brax” Braxton first arrived in Summer Bay in 2011 as the leader of the River Boys, a surfer gang from nearby Mangrove River, whose storylines would end up dominating Home and Away for many years.
Kyle, Heath, Casey and Darryl ‘Brax’ Braxton
The River boys have made numerous returns to Summer Bay in recent times, with a revolving door of leaders, and we’ve seen both Rory Templeton (Joshua Orpin) and Gage Reynolds (Tom Wilson) arrested in the past few years.
However, none of them hold a candle to the gang’s former leader, Brax.
It was two years into the Braxtons’ domination of the series when Ricky Sharpe arrived, the younger sister of Adam (Martin Lynes), an old friend and mentor of Brax’s.
While Ricky originally arrived to help Adam get revenge on Brax and Heath (Dan Ewing) for leaving her brother to die, she eventually softened towards Brax.
They soon professed their love for one another, but when Ricky left town, she returned to an ultimatum from Brax: either she be with him or leave forever.
She chose to be with Brax and moved in with him soon after, despite having some concerns about his history. However, it was Josh Barrett’s (Jackson Gallagher) arrival, and Brax’s doting over the newcomer, which raised alarm bells for her.
She was horrified to learn that Brax had accidentally killed Josh’s father Johnny after he had hit Casey, and Adam covered it up.
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<p>She begged him not to turn himself in but ultimately, struggling with the guilt, Brax went to the police and was charged. Brax asked Ricky to look after Josh as he was sentenced to up to fifteen years.</p>
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<p>In the aftermath, she and Nate grew closer, eventually sharing a kiss, but he pushed her away, reminding her she had chosen Brax.</p>
<p>She was dealt another blow when she learnt Brax had been transferred and no one knew where. As a result, she and Nate grew closer and eventually slept together.</p>
<p>Casey organised to meet with Adam to get his version of what happened the night Johnny died and asked Ricky to accompany him. Reluctantly, she agreed, and they learnt that Johnny was still alive when Adam arrived to bury the body, and it was in fact Adam who had killed him.</p>
<p>Some time later, Nate organised for Ricky to do a photography assignment in London – just as Brax was released from prison.</p>
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When Bianca (Lisa Gormley) decided to join Ricky, the Braxton brothers headed to the UK, planning to find the women and bring them back to Australia.
Whilst in London, Brax was hit by a car whilst chasing Ricky down – and, after ignoring doctors’ orders not to fly, he followed her back to Australia and soon found himself in hospital with a blood clot.
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<p>As the pair looked after Heath’s infant son Harley, Ricky confided in Brax regarding her miscarriage. Nate continued his pursuit of Ricky, but she chose Brax.</p>
<p>The pair soon began trying for another child and eventually fell pregnant, with Ricky learning the news on the same day Casey was shot by Jake Pirovic.</p>
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<p>Their relationship was further tested when Brax’s mate Ash (George Mason) arrived from prison and they flew to the outback to track down Ash’s missing sister Billie.</p>
<p>ltimately, Brax was charged with killing Billie’s ex, Dean (Kevin Kiernan-Molloy).</p>
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<p>Whilst in prison, Brax was sent to solitary confinement, while back in the bay, Ricky gave birth to a son.</p>
<p>Brax was released back into general population in time to meet his son and agree to name him Casey.</p>
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Following confirmation that he had been exonerated of Dean’s murder and was a free man, Nate summoned Brax back to the bay, knowing that he was always Ricky’s true love.
Deciding to be closer to Heath, Bianca and Kyle, Brax and Ricky bid farewell to Ash, Nate and Phoebe (Isabella Giovinazzo) and embarked on a new journey.
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<p>Since leaving <em>Home and Away</em> in 2015 – and making a brief two-episode return in 2016 – Stephen Peacocke has gone on to star in a number of successful dramas, both in Australia and the US, including <em>Five Bedrooms</em> and <em>Wanted</em>.</p>
<p>He currently stars as Pete Emerson in <a href=)
RFDS: Royal Flying Doctor Service, and Rob Rickards in The Newsreader.
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Stephen Peacocke as Pete Emerson in RFDS: Royal Flying Doctor Service
Since leaving Home and Away, Bonnie Sveen has gone on to star in Rosehaven, The Secret Daughter, and Escape and Evasion.
Her short film Finding Addison won Best Short Film at the 2023 AACTA Awards, while her role in SXSW Sydney winner Thou Shalt Not Steal cemented her status as one of Australia’s most versatile talents.
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<p>Now, the pair are both set for a return to <em>Home and Away</em>.</p>
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<h2>Home and Away heads to Western Australia</h2>
<p>On 28th July, the show announced that it would soon be heading to Australia’s westernmost state for the first time to film a series of special episodes, dubbed the ‘Western Australia Event’.</p>
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In the initial release, producers promised that the show would see “an ambitious, high-stakes storyline”, filmed in the “stunning natural beauty” of WA.
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<p>The Western Australian Government revealed that “five special episodes” would be filmed in the state, and a press release from Seven added that filming locations would include the city of Perth with its rugged coastline, and the state’s expansive red outback.</p>
<p>A few weeks later, it was revealed that we’d be catching up with Brax and Ricky in WA.</p>
<p>An announcement stated that the <em>“landmark Home and Away event”</em> would reveal where life has taken Brax and Ricky since 2016, delivering high-stakes drama and emotional payoffs set against a stunning backdrop of WA’s rugged outback.</p>
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<p>Speaking of his return, Stephen Peacocke said: “<i>When the producers asked if I’d revisit Brax, it felt like a fun opportunity – and one I think the audience will really enjoy. Filming in spectacular outback Western Australia is the icing on the cake.</i>”</p>
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The Braxton brothers – Kyle, Heath, Brax and Casey
Bonnie Sveen echoed the sentiments: “Bringing Ricky back wasn’t something I’d ever expected, so I’m beyond thrilled to reunite with Steve and old friends at Home and Away. Exploring where Ricky and Brax are now, 10 years on, will make for a very special and compelling storyline – and I can’t wait for our WA filming adventure.”
Home and Away‘s Executive Producer Julie McGauran hinted at what’s to come: “Questions of what Brax and Ricky’s life is like now and how things might have changed for them will be answered. And of course, there’s plenty of surprises along the way.”
In mid-October, filming began in Perth, WA. Head of Makeup Laura Vazquez posted a photo on Instagram of a plane, with the caption “Perth bound ✈️”.
The following day, she posted two more photos, with captions “Team Makeup WA ❤️ first day down 🫶” and “Perth day one done 🫶”.
In the days that followed, the cast and crew began filming in and around the Perth CBD.
Tane joins Brax and Ricky in Perth
Eagle-eyed fans were lucky enough to spot Stephen Peacocke filming – and in an unexpected turn of events, he was spotted alongside Ethan Browne, who plays Tane.
A photo taken in Perth’s CBD by Hannah and posted on Back to the Bay‘s Home and Away Forum shows Ethan and Stephen talking to an assistant director between filming.
Meanwhile, fan Diane Head posted to the Home and Away Spoilers and Gossip group of a photo she had taken with Stephen and Ethan as they filmed outside The Bell Tower tourist attraction in Perth.
The pair were also spotted at nearby Elizabeth Quay by Glennys Marsdon, who posted a series of photos of the filming on Instagram.
While Tane hasn’t been officially announced as featuring in the Western Australian episodes, actor Ethan Browne provided comment for the initial press release, stating: “We’re stoked to be heading across to beautiful Western Australia for Home and Away’s first time ever this October.”
When are Brax and Ricky coming back?
On 19th October, the show released the first official photos from the WA film set, as they revealed three photos of Brax and Ricky wearing ‘akubra’ or outback hats, surrounded by the iconic red dirt of the Aussie bush.
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Jeremy Greive
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Jeremy Greive
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Jeremy Greive
One of the pictures showed Bonnie holding a clapperboard, which showed that they were filming episode 8688 of block 1736.
The 2026 Season Return of Home and Away will be episode 8636, and will air on Seven on Monday 19th January.
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<p>As such, Brax and Ricky will appear approximately 50 episodes into the season. The number of episodes that the show airs per week fluctuates throughout the year, typically varying between four and six, and our calculations estimate that Brax and Ricky will arrive on Australian screens between mid-March and mid-April.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, the show returns to the UK after its Christmas break on Friday 2nd January 2026 with Episode 8601, meaning Brax and Ricky will appear on UK screens in early May.</p>
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<h2>Brax, Ricky and Casey will return to Summer Bay itself!</h2>
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The Brax and Ricky news kept on coming, as in mid-November, the actors were spotted filming at Palm Beach, the real-life beach in Sydney’s north where the external Summer Bay scenes are shot.
Stephen was first seen by fans attending the Celebtime Home and Away tour on Tuesday 11th November, walking away from the surf club building.
At that time, a fan claimed that Stephen was simply at the location filming a Channel 7 promo for the Western Australia event.
However, on a different day, both Stephen and Bonnie were spotted at the beach by fan Alex Douch, who posted a photo on Instagram showing the pair filming alongside a child actor playing their son, Casey.
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The show hasn’t yet confirmed that Brax and Ricky will be returning to Summer Bay after we visit them out west, and it’s not yet clear what causes them to head back to New South Wales.
A first look at their life in WA
After the Australian Season Finale aired last Wednesday 19th November, the show aired a bumper promo giving us a first look at what’s in store in Summer Bay in 2026. The latter half of the promo was dedicated to Brax and Ricky’s return, where we got our first look at their life in Western Australia.
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<p>We saw Brax riding through a cattle ranch on a dirt bike, before greeting Ricky with a <em>“missed me?”</em></p>
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<p>We then saw the first appearance of Brax and Ricky’s son, Casey, as he ran up to his dad and gave him a hug.</p>
<p>Ricky gave birth to baby Casey back in May 2015, meaning their son will be just a month or two from celebrating his 11th birthday when they return.</p>
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<p>The promo shows Brax and Ricky looking relaxed at the beach, as Ricky dries off after a surf, before scenes of the father and son fixing up the dirt bike.</p>
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The promo also shows Brax looking for something or someone in the Perth CBD, which we presume is where he first meets up with Tane.
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<p>The promo also appeared to give us a very brief glimpse of Tane and Brax together, as we see their silhouettes from behind.</p>
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Intriguingly, the 2026 promo also hinted that Tane will find himself in trouble with the law next year. It showed Cash (Nicholas Cartwright) putting his arms through the bars of a prison cell, gripping the hands of someone inside.
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<p>The promo also saw Tane in a suit and tie – not his usual sporty attire, suggesting he could be set for a court appearance in the new year.</p>
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<p>Whether Tane finds himself in trouble with the law before or after his trip to visit Brax and Ricky in WA remains to be seen.</p>
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<h2>Does Tane even know Brax and Ricky?</h2>
<p>While Tane has no known connection to Brax or Ricky, having only arrived in Summer Bay in 2020, he has met Brax’s brother Heath (Dan Ewing) – albeit very briefly.</p>
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Tane and Ari (Rob Kipa-Williams) were forced to carry out a robbery at the Reefton Lakes league club as payback for Tane losing the gang money, but it became clear that nothing they did would be enough to appease them.
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<p>Heath introduced himself and told the men that they were on River Boy turf…</p>
<p>Before anyone had time to react, the River Boys did what they’re best at and started a brawl.</p>
<p>It didn’t take long for the River Boys, along with Ari and Tane, to overcome Paul’s men, and Heath bundle Leon and Paul into his ute to take them on a little trip.</p>
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<p><strong><em>Home and Away</em> returns to Australian screens on Monday 19th January 2026, on Seven.</strong></p>
<p><strong>The final episode airs on UK screens on Friday 5th December on Channel 5, and returns to the UK on Friday 2nd January.</strong></p>
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