It’s been quite some time since we last saw popular young actor Will McDonald on our screens as Jett, the adopted son of Marilyn (Emily Symons) and John (Shane Withington).
And for 20-year-old Will, heading back to the Bay this week has made for a very special homecoming.
The Sydneysider was just 13 when he first joined the hit Aussie drama series. Growing up in front of the cameras, Will naturally came to regard his TV castmates as a second family.
“I was on the show permanently for three and a half years, and have been coming and going intermittently since then,” says Will. “No-one else in my family is involved in acting, so I really had no experience in terms of how things were going to go.
“I was lucky enough that I was working with people like Shane and Em and Georgie Parker (Roo) and Ray (Meagher, who plays Alf).
“They had a lot more experience and I was really fortunate that they gave me advice and helped me navigate this new world that I was in.”
For many years, Will adeptly juggled his busy filming schedule with schoolwork.
“I managed to do it just fine,” he says. “The school I was at was very helpful and my friends were all supportive in a really good way.”
Now Will has returned to the Bay to reprise the character that made him famous.
For the full story see this week’s New Idea – out now.