When Home and Away’s favourite lovebirds, Ricky and Brax, exited the show back in 2016, fans hoped that the couple, played by Bonnie Sveen and Stephen Peacocke, would one day return to Summer Bay.
Now, that wish has finally come true – kind of! Bonnie and Stephen are back for a five-episode special event storyline, which started on March 9.
Ten years on, Ricky and Brax are living in WA. Their peaceful new life is threatened when Tane (Ethan Brown) turns up out of the blue.
Bonnie, 37, tells New Idea that getting to revisit Ricky was a “no-brainer” because she and Brax “still have unfinished business”.
Find out what she thinks about it all below.
Was it an easy decision to return to Home and Away?
B: Yes, definitely! Stephen and I have the same agent, and when [this] idea was pitched to us, I was like “if he’s in, I’m in!”
Fans made it clear they wanted a Ricky and Brax update one day, so this was a wonderful way to answer those questions.
How did it feel being back on set together?
B: It was very nostalgic.
But it was also a very different experience too, because when we catch up with Ricky, Brax and their son Casey, who’s now 10, they’re living on a remote cattle station in WA. Brax has left the River Boys gang far behind him.
Did you just slip straight back into character?
B: Yes! Ricky and Brax are older and wiser now, but you do just tap back into who your character is.
It was wonderful to play against Steve again because I think he is such a brilliant actor; he really brings out the best in anyone he works with.
What was filming in WA like?
B: Magical! The schedule was pretty busy, but I did get to snorkel at Coral Bay. I was changing into my bathers, and I actually shed a few tears. It really felt like I ticked something off the bucket list. I’d really love to go back with my family.
Your twin daughters, Emerald and Myrtle, were born after you left the show. Will they watch your return?
We watched Irene’s dementia storyline together as a family last year, and the girls, who are seven, couldn’t quite understand that I was once a part of that Summer Bay world. It’s pretty cool to share this experience with them.
Could Ricky ever return to Summer Bay full-time?
B: Never say never, but for now, I think this story arc is a really special way to revisit a wonderful time in my life.
You can watch Home and Away every Monday to Thursday at 7pm on Channel Seven and 7Plus.
