Stephen Peacocke and Bonnie Sveen are heading back to Summer Bay, with the pair set to reprise their iconic roles as Darryl “Brax” Braxton and Ricky Sharpe in 2026. The special storyline will be filmed across Western Australia in a collaboration between *Home and Away* and Tourism WA.
The return will mark 10 years since the fan-favourite characters last appeared on screen, when Brax and Ricky drove off into the sunset in what many saw as a final farewell. The upcoming episodes will explore where the couple’s journey has taken them since, with Seven promising “high-stakes drama and emotional payoffs” set against WA’s remote landscapes.
The storyline is set to film in October, with a 2026 air date on Seven and 7plus.
Peacocke’s character Brax – the brooding River Boys leader – was voted #4 in *TV WEEK*’s 2023 list of the 100 Greatest Australian TV Characters of All Time. Sveen’s portrayal of Ricky, the fiercely independent love interest of Brax, made her a fan favourite during her time on the series.
Since leaving *Home and Away*, both actors have built notable careers. Peacocke won four Logies during his original run and has since appeared in *RFDS* (Seven), *The Newsreader* (ABC), *Five Bedrooms* (Paramount+) and *Wanted* (Seven). Sveen won the 2014 Logie for Most Popular New Talent and has gone on to star in *Rosehaven* (ABC), *The Secret Daughter* (Seven), and Netflix’s *Escape and Evasion*. Her short film *Finding Addison* won Best Short Film at the 2023 AACTA Awards, while her work in *Thou Shalt Not Steal* (Stan) received acclaim at SXSW Sydney.
Julie McGauran, Director of Content, Scripted at Seven, said the return was “an absolute joy”: “They’ve each left such a mark on Home and Away, both on screen and behind the scenes, and their return after a decade is sure to make the fans very happy. 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.”
Peacocke said revisiting Brax felt like “a fun opportunity” that he thinks the audience will enjoy: “I’ll always be grateful to *Home and Away* for being the launchpad to my career, and I’ve got a sincere appreciation for the fans who’ve followed my work since. Filming in spectacular outback Western Australia is the icing on the cake.”
Sveen added: “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.”