Home and Away spoilers: Goodbye! Is Ryder Jackson about to leave Summer Bay?
After storming off following a big family bust-up on his 18th birthday, Ryder decides to hitchhike his way out of the Bay for good...
Ryder Jackson is fed up with the oldies bossing him about, especially as his own family forgot it was his 18th birthday. So the lad has hit the road and plans to hitchhike his way out of Summer Bay for good!
While Ryder's worried granddad Alf Stewart and aunt Roo ask around town, family friends Justin Morgan and John Palmer also join the search for the missing teenager. But Ryder's school friend Raffy Morrison can't help thinking the adults partly have themselves to blame after the way they treated Ryder in the aftermath of Raffy's accident in the basement tunnel collapse.
There's no sign of Ryder until someone unexpected spots him leaving town. But can Ryder be convinced to come back home?
Elsewhere, surfer dude Dean Thompson is on a road trip of his own, as he sets off in search of former football player Rick Booth, who he believes could be his runaway dad. But when Dean pulls up outside Rick's mansion, will he have the courage to knock on the front door?
Meanwhile, Maggie Astoni is brainstorming ideas for a charity challenge to raise money for cancer research, having been fighting her own battle against the disease this year.
Her family are wowed when Maggie decides she is going to climb some of the highest mountain peaks in Australia as her fundraiser. But when the determined mum throws herself into the physical training for her challenge, will it be a case of too much, too soon?
Home and Away continues weekdays at 1:15pm and 6:00pm on Channel 5
Get the What to Watch Newsletter
The latest updates, reviews and unmissable series to watch and more!
Simon has long been a fan of soap operas, and especially loves OVER-THE-TOP plots involving evil twins, hair-pulling catfights and natural disasters. Anyone remember the Sunset Beach earthquake/tidal wave? Or when Krystle Carrington got locked in the attic and replaced by look-a-like Rita in Dynasty?!
Simon has written for a variety of TV and childrens’ magazines/websites including Inside Soap, Nickelodeon, What’s On TV, Radio Times, Metro, Girl Talk, Disney Girl, Toxic! and Digital Spy. He has reported LIVE from the red carpet at The British Soap Awards interviewing glammed-up stars from soapland, and hosted a Facebook LIVE session for Metro with Home and Away legend Ray Meagher (Alf "Stone the flamin' crows!" Stewart) to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Aussie soap.
Simon is also co-author of The Treasures Of Coronation Street (Carlton Books)
And the writer and director of (very!) low budget fright flick, Midsummer Night's EVIL and the sequel webisodes series, The Hatchet Woods HORROR.