List of Home and Away characters (2020)
Home and Away is an Australian television soap opera. It was first broadcast on the Seven Network on 17 January 1988. The following is a list of characters that will appear in 2020, by order of first appearance. All characters are introduced by the soap's executive producer, Lucy Addario. The 33rd season of Home and Away began airing from 27 January 2020. [|Gemma] Parata was introduced on the same day, followed by her son Nikau Parata. Tane Parata made his debut in February, while Marco Astoni arrived in March. Evan Slater made his first appearance in May, while [|Amber Simmons] was introduced in July. September will mark the arrival of [|Taylor Rosetta].
Gemma Parata
Gemma Parata, played by Bree Peters, made her first appearance on 27 January 2020. Peters' casting was confirmed in November 2019, and her character details were revealed in 25–31 January 2020 issue of TV Week. Peters said she had some initial nerves about joining the show, but had felt welcomed by the other cast members. She continued, "Being a new family on a show like Home and Away is great. New people to play and act with comes with a lot of excitement." Gemma is the mother of Nikau Parata and Ari Parata and Tane Parata's sister-in-law. Peters took inspiration from her friends for Gemma's personality. She described her character as a matriarch, who is surrounded by boys, and said "She's the kind of mum on the sidelines of a rugby game, but also the one who will look after the girls." Peters also said that family means everything to Gemma, and an Inside Soap writer added that while "misfortune" has befallen the Paratas, Gemma dares to dream of a better life. The character made an unannounced departure on 8 July 2020, as she returned to New Zealand to scatter the ashes of her husband Mikaere. The serial's UK broadcaster Channel 5 later confirmed that the episode was Gemma's last, while Peters also confirmed the news on her social media and paid tribute to the producers for introducing Māori characters to the show. Stephanie McKenna of The West Australian thought the New Zealand trip would end badly, writing "it's the happiest Gem has been in a long time and she has a beaming grin. But of course, it wouldn't be Home and Away if nothing bad happened."After learning that her brother-in-law Ari Parata has been involved in a hostage situation at the Northern Districts Hospital, Gemma makes her way there to see him. Ari later tells Gemma that Marilyn Chambers has invited them and Gemma's son Nikau to dinner. Nikau is rude to Marilyn when she defends Ari, and Gemma makes him apologise to Marilyn the following day. Nikau blames Ari for their situation, as the family are struggling financially and are living in a motel. Gemma believes that he will come around eventually. Gemma is offered a job at the Pier Diner and she and Ari decide to stay in the Bay. But Gemma has to take food from the Diner to feed Nikau and the family are forced out of the motel when they cannot pay the bill. They spend the night in their car, before Marilyn invites them to move in with her. Marilyn's husband John Palmer clashes with Ari, who moves into the Caravan Park. John finds out that Ari was in prison and Gemma's husband Mikaere was shot by police during a robbery. Gemma and Nikau's presence causes problems between John and Marilyn, and Nikau worries that the family will be run out of town due to Ari and John's feud. Gemma tries to reassure him, while also warning Ari that his new relationship with Mackenzie Booth is making him the subject of town gossip.
Gemma attempts to apologise to John, and they end up talking about their families and Gemma's late husband. They agree to a fresh start. Gemma supports Nikau when Bella Nixon has a violent reaction to his romantic advances and self-harms. John also helps Nikau and he and Gemma bond over their sons. Ari's brother Tane turns up in the Bay and Gemma has to break up a fight between them. Tane later rents the family a house and Gemma secures a new job at Salt, after her shifts at the Diner are cut. The family invite their friends to a hāngi, and Gemma befriends Ben Astoni. Ben's estranged wife Maggie Astoni later sees them flirting at Salt and confronts Ben. He and Gemma get drunk and go back to his motel room, where they share a kiss. But Gemma pulls away and tells Ben that she is not ready to move on from Mikaere. They fall asleep on the bed together. Nikau confronts his mother for spending the night with Ben and accuses her of disrespecting his father's memory. They later fight, but Nikau soon apologises. Ben and Gemma decide to remain friends after facing objections from their families. After the Diner is robbed, Colby Thorne asks Gemma if he can take her fingerprints, but she refuses. The Paratas remain the prime suspects in the robbery and a later carjacking. Gemma decides that it is time to spread Mikaere's ashes in New Zealand, and Ari, Tane and Nikau agree to come with her. At the airport, Gemma makes it through passport control, but Ari, Tane and Nikau are stopped. Tane calls Gemma and encourages her to go to New Zealand, as they will catch up with her, and Gemma leaves alone.
Nikau Parata
Nikau Parata, played by Kawakawa Fox-Reo, made his first appearance on 28 January 2020. Fox-Reo's casting was announced alongside that of Rob Kipa-Williams in a November 2019 issue of TV Soap. Further casting and character details were announced on 29 December 2019. Three months after securing a place at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, Fox-Reo was offered the role of Nikau, and he chose to give up his place at the academy to accept it. He admitted that he has been suffering from home sickness since relocating to Sydney, where the show's studio is located. Fox-Reo, Kipa-Williams, and Ethan Browne form the serial's new Māori family. The actors worked with the show's writers to make sure the family were authentic. Fox-Reo explained, "My desire and my wish is that when people watch it back home, they see a world that's real familiar to them – how we treat each other as a family, our sense of humour. I've tried my best to integrate as much of my upbringing into this character and hopefully people back home like it."Fox-Reo described Nikau as "impulsive at times", not shy with girls, and close to his mother Gemma. He added "ultimately, as with any new environment, he's trying to find his place in Summer Bay." The character will initially interact with Jade Lennox, who released a sex tape and made a false allegation against Ryder Jackson. Nikau ends up punching Ryder after he tries to warn Nikau about Jade. Nikau will also be a love interest for Bella Nixon. Following a day getting to know each other, they share a kiss on the pier, but face disapproval from Dean Thompson.
Tane Parata
Tane Parata, played by Ethan Browne, made his first appearance on 10 February 2020. Browne's casting and character details were announced on 29 December 2019. Home and Away marks Browne's first television role. He admitted that his family are fans of Home and Away, saying "Grandma Minna is a massive fan and she couldn't believe I got the job." Browne's character Tane is the brother of Ari Parata, who was introduced at the end of 2019. They, along with Nikau Parata, form the serial's new Māori family. All three actors worked with the script writers to make sure the family were authentic. Holly Byrnes of The Daily Telegraph reported that Tane's character brief was "a saucy one, with notes like 'most likely to be drunk and disorderly' and 'most likely to bring home a different partner every week.'" Browne also described his character as "a mischief maker, the cheeky brother and quite free-spirited." He added that Tane loves and takes care of his family.Marco Astoni
Marco Astoni, played by Tim Walter, made his first appearance on 12 March 2020. Walter previously appeared in the show in 2008 as Aaron Copeland. Marco is the brother of established character Ben Astoni and his introduction helps explore Ben's backstory further. Daniel Kilkelly of Digital Spy said Marco has been in love with Ben's wife Maggie Astoni since he was a teenager. After witnessing an argument between Marco and Maggie, Ben assaulted his brother, who then reported him to the police and left him estranged from the family. Producers described Marco as "confident" and "smooth-talking". He runs the family business, but as he "doesn't always make the best decisions", it has suffered and Marco now needs money. Kilkelly reported that Marco "arrives in the Bay under the guise of repairing his relationship with Ben and opening the door to family reconciliation through a joint business venture, but his arrival puts Maggie on edge." He added that Marco's introduction would "shake up the entire family."Marco comes to Summer Bay to visit his estranged brother Ben Astoni on his birthday. Despite Ben's anger towards him, Marco assures Ben that he wants to reconcile, as he has missed him. Ben's daughter Ziggy Astoni convinces her father to let Marco stay, but her mother Maggie is uneasy and it emerges that she and Marco had a one-night stand 22 years ago, after she and Ben broke up after a fight. Ben and Marco reconcile their differences. They go out drinking and Marco tells Ben about an investment opportunity. Maggie is against the idea, but Marco threatens to tell Ben about the one-night stand, unless she convinces Ben to invest. Maggie tells Marco that she and Ben recently had financial difficulties and Ben had depression. Marco later helps Ziggy at Ben's surf board shop and learns Maggie is talking with Ben, who wants to discuss the proposal further. Once Ben agrees to invest, Maggie asks Marco to leave, but he refuses. On the day Ben and Marco are due to exchange contacts and money, Maggie tells Ben the truth about her one-night stand with Marco. Ziggy and Marco find Ben on the beach and he is tempted to hit his brother, but walks away instead.
Marco confronts Maggie and tells her that he just wanted to save the family business. He also says that no one has hurt Ben as much as she has. Marco admits to Ziggy that he always loved Maggie and hoped that it was all over between her and Ben, but they got back together, married and nine months later Ziggy was born. This leads Ziggy to question her paternity. Ben also realises that Maggie and Marco were arguing about their secret on the night he was arrested for assaulting Marco. Ben suggests that they take a paternity test, so Ziggy knows for sure who her father is. Marco returns on the day the results, which confirm Ben is Ziggy's father. Maggie says that she regrets their night together and for not telling Ben the truth sooner, which prompts Marco to admit that he loves her. Marco finds Ben at the Surf Club and tries to get him to have a drink with him, but Ben tells Marco that he has no brother and orders him to leave. Marco catches Ben at the beach the following morning and tries to reconcile, but Ben is adamant that they are done and tells him to go home. Maggie asks to meet Marco and threatens to tell his parents that he ran their business into the ground if he does not go. Before he leaves the Bay, Marco tells Ben that he wins, Maggie loves him and he should be a proper husband to her.
Evan Slater
Evan Slater, played by Cameron Daddo, made his first appearance on 14 May 2020. Daddo's casting was announced in November 2019, while his character details were revealed shortly before his debut. Daddo was contracted for a two month stint. Of his casting, he said "Summer Bay is everything and more, it's a delightful place to be. I didn't think I would be adding an early evening serial to my resume at this stage in life. As an actor, you don't know what you're doing month to month so I'm really grateful, especially being an artist because a lot of my contemporaries are doing it tough."Evan is the long lost father of established regular Ryder Jackson and a potential love interest for his aunt Roo Stewart. Ryder is "naturally confused, puzzled and suspicious of the stranger", while his grandfather Alf Stewart is wary of Evan's arrival. A TV Soap columnist wrote that when Ryder's mother Quinn Jackson made an appearance three years ago, she said she had a brief relationship with Ryder's father when they worked as musicians on a cruise ship. After learning Quinn was pregnant, he wanted to settle down with her on the Gold Coast, but he did not follow through with that plan, leaving Quinn to raise Ryder alone. This leads Alf to give Evan a "less-than-pleasant welcome", prompting him to almost leave Summer Bay.
Amber Simmons
Amber Simmons, played by Madeleine Jevic, made her first appearance on 23 July 2020. The character and Jevic's casting details were reported on in the 22 June 2020 issue of TV Soap. Jevic, who was a fan of Home and Away when she was younger, began filming in January and said the cast and crew had been "welcoming and warm" towards her. Jevic previously played nurse Lee Radcliffe in Wentworth and found Amber to be a completely different character, which made the role more appealing to her. She commented, "I love my character, she's fun to play." Amber is a home carer hired to help John Palmer, who has been left wheelchair bound following a stroke. Don Groves of IF Magazine described her as "loyal, funny and tough." Writers gave her connections to Willow Harris, Dean Thompson and Colby Thorne, as she grew up in Mangrove River with them. Amber and Dean used to date, and "old wounds are reopened" when she meets Colby and learns he is a police officer.Amber comes to meet John Palmer, who is in need of home care following a stroke. Amber sends John's wife Marilyn Chambers away and tries to get him out of his wheelchair. John does not like Amber's attitude and threatens to have her fired. She tells him that she needs the job and he needs a carer, so they should work together. As she is encouraging John to walk, Amber mentions his wife and marriage, which John takes offence to. He tells her to leave, as she is fired. Amber gets a drink at Salt, where she meets her old friend Dean Thompson and asks him to take her home to bed, however, he tells her he is waiting for his girlfriend, Ziggy Astoni, who arrives shortly after. The following day, Amber comes face-to-face with Colby Thorne on the beach and she punches him. She then turns up at John's place and tells him that she is staying, despite his protests. Amber takes John to the gym to continue his rehabilitation, where she is confronted by Colby's sister Bella Nixon. Amber tells John that Colby is responsible for her brother Jai's death, and she later tells Colby that she will never forgive him for walking away from the car crash. Amber also learns Willow Harris lives and works in the Bay, but is cold towards her. Colby tells Amber that he is sorry, but she should not take out her anger on Dean and Willow, as they did not do anything wrong. Amber finds Willow and asks her to meet up for a drink at Salt.