Home and Away closed out 2025 earlier this week with one of the most dramatic cliffhangers in its 38-year history, leaving fans on the edge of their seats.
A catastrophic train derailment en route to a music festival in Broken Hill put multiple Summer Bay residents in danger, including Justin, Mackenzie, Remi, Abigail, Dana, Sonny, Lacey, Jo, and Eddie.
When the series returns in January, the rescue operation is in full swing. David, Cash, Levi, and Tane navigate the wreckage, racing against time to save their loved ones.
Tane’s decision to defy police orders and enter the tunnel adds even more tension—will heroism come at a tragic cost?
Home and Away’s 2025 season delivered solid growth for Seven, with an average total TV audience of 965,000 per episode, representing a 5% increase on the previous year.
The series also continues to perform strongly on 7plus, averaging 231,000 viewers per episode across live streaming and on-demand platforms—a 33% rise compared to 2024.
Wednesday night’s movie-length finale drew more than 1.4 million Australians across both TV and streaming, with 7plus viewers up 73% on the same episode last year.
In 2026, fans can also look forward to the highly anticipated return of Brax and Ricky, who join the show’s special Western Australia event in partnership with Tourism Western Australia.
Julie McGauran, Seven’s Director of Content, Scripted, said:
“Home and Away reaches more than three million Australians every week, and is rapidly growing its audience among younger demographics and on 7plus.”
“Fans are in for a big start to 2026, with the fate of many Summer Bay residents hanging in the balance, and the return of Brax and Ricky through our Western Australia special event.”
The show has proven it remains a cornerstone of Australian television, combining powerful storylines with characters who resonate with viewers across generations.
Importantly, when it returns in 2026, Home and Away will be Australia’s only weeknight soap, with Neighbours set to wrap next month for the final time—the second time in as many years the iconic series has concluded.
With audiences and streaming numbers on the rise, 2026 is shaping up to be one of the biggest years in Home and Away’s history.
Looking forward to seeing you guys in the new year mmxviii
Love home and away …a lot of guessing going on whose dies in train but we won’t know until it starts back up ….hurry up 26th jan lol xxx
Pam Gardiner it’s back on 19 th January
Denice Gallagher oh dear of cause it is .getting a.bit excited lol xxx
Pam Gardiner 19th january ,not the 26th
Pam Gardiner Eddie dies
Pam Gardiner it’s back on Jan 19th in Australia 🤣🤣
Pam Gardiner pllleeeaaassseee don’t make us wait an extra week 🤣
Karan James sorry xxxx lol
Pam Gardiner just realised it’s back on Australia Day
Trish Ward No the 19th
Love the show but need new writers.
Marilyn Merlo why don’t you put in your resume? You might be able to do a better job.
Janey Gee thanks l should
writers always bad to much sex now no caravan park high school and kids
Some countries , is different. Eg New Zealand is two weeks behind Australia, so they’ll not start back until two weeks after Australia ??
I miss home away already
Teofila Austin me two
Teofila Austin. So do I, so by hell it better be worth the wait. It also going down hill in my opinion as they have far too many deaths or people leaving the show. I can understand why Irene left and I loved her terms. Theo wasn’t at all good, now we have another one on the train, I’m still trying to work that out. I think it’s between Dana, Mack and he chap that was on dancings partener, cant think of her name. Dana’s partener I think ends up in a wheelchair so it’s not him thay dies. Surely it can’t be cash?
Joy Mcmillan cash is not on the train, he’s helping the recovery, the writers will drag Sunny’s thing out for weeks, everything just goes too long
What date does it stop airing for there break
19thJanuary it returns in Australia , has stopped airing last Wednesday
Ruby Gear jenny said when does it stop airing not when does it return so in australia it has finished for the year and returns jan 19th uk have one more week of airing they end with theo dying australia ended with train crash
I have been a Home and Away tragic since it first began.I didn’t get to see the finale due to technical difficulties is there anyway it can be televised again
Love home and away
Me too
⭐️💙⭐️❤️⭐️❤️. Home and Away News
Missing home and away already can’t wait until next year
Looking forward to it
Carnt Waite
I miss it too. But I am already sick of watching the add for it coming back in January
It was boring, we had seen most of it on the ads
Sue Stewart yes there was no drama, they showed it for weeks leading up to it so you knew what was going to happen, so no drama or expectations
Trish Ward exactly😪
Carnt wait
Please keep cash Eden and tane in show get rid jo lacey and David
Teresa Rowlands there not on the train, so how would they be leaving, do people actually watch the show, it showed who was on the train and who wasn’t
Jo ? Soooooo much speculation. Why do we need to wait that long. I guess all the actors need a rest, too 😍
I want home and away back on tv again because it’s my favourite tv show
I love home and away it is the best show in the world can you please bring Theo back in the show and wen is the baby going to come love 💕❤️😀😍