Home and Away has today released brand new photos of Brax and Ricky’s return, which will air in early 2026.

Just a few days after fan photos emerged of the Home and Away cast filming in Perth, Western Australia, the show has now released the first official photos from the special episodes.

In late August, it was announced that Darryl “Brax” Braxton (Stephen Peacocke) and Erica “Ricky” Sharpe (Bonnie Sveen) would both be returning to Home and Away for a brief stint early next year.

Now, the show has released the first official photographs of the pair on set, as they film a special series of episodes in Western Australia.

The photos show the pair, who left the show for the final time back in 2016, wearing ‘akubra’ or outback hats, surrounded by the iconic red dirt of the Aussie bush.

In another photo, Bonnie Sveen is holding a ‘clapperboard’ / film slate, which shows that the pair were filming episode 8688, part of production block 1736.

Exact air dates depend on when Home and Away returns to screens in 2026, as well as the number of episodes Channel 7 airs per week, with the show fluctuating between four and six episodes a week across the year.

However, we anticipate Brax and Ricky’s special episodes to air on Australian screens sometime between mid-March and mid-April.

Assuming that Home and Away returns to Channel 5 in early January as it has in recent years, UK viewers will see the scenes in late May 2026.

Earlier this week, the first photos emerged of the cast and crew preparing to film in and around Perth’s CBD.

While Bonnie Sveen wasn’t spotted, fans did see Stephen Peacocke filming alongside an unexpected face – Ethan Browne, aka Tane Parata.

Fans saw Stephen and Ethan – plus various members of the show’s crew – outside The Bell Tower tourist attraction, and nearby Elizabeth Quay, both in Perth’s CBD.

Producers are remaining extremely tight-lipped about what will be happening when Home and Away heads west, but Tane’s decision to visit the pair in Western Australia is an unusual one, considering he has never met Brax or Ricky.

However, Tane did briefly meet Brax’s brother Heath (Dan Ewing), when Dean (Patrick O’Connor) and the River Boys came to his and Ari’s (Rob Kipa-Williams) in the 2021 Season Return.

The Parata brothers found themselves in a spot of bother with another gang, and Dean called on his old River Boy mates – including Heath – to help them out.

With Dean (Patrick O’Connor) and Ziggy (Sophea Dillman) currently busy looking after their second child – Dean having texted Mackenzie (Emily Weir) in recent episodes to announce the birth of baby Daniella Thompson – could Tane instead turn to Brax to help him with some more trouble?

The special episodes are being produced in partnership with Tourism Western Australia, and mark the first time in Home and Away‘s 38-year history that it has filmed in Western Australia.

Earlier this year, the show headed north to Queensland, where we were reunited with Dean and Ziggy (Sophie Dillman) for the first time since they left Summer Bay in 2023.

That series of episodes, which aired in Australia across the week beginning Monday 10th March, saw Dean and Ziggy meet Mackenzie’s new boyfriend Levi (Tristan Gorey) for the first time.

However, Dean gave Levi a frosty welcome, unhappy with his decision to start a relationship with Mac while he was still with wife Imogen (Georgia Blizzard).

Dean and Levi were eventually forced to work together when Mac and Ziggy were kidnapped by two escaped criminals.

Now, it’s Western Australia’s turn in the spotlight.

Filming for Home and Away‘s Brax and Ricky special episodes is taking place across multiple locations across WA – from Perth to the rugged, red dirt of the outback and along the awe-inspiring Coral Coast – showcasing the vast natural beauty synonymous with the state.

The new storyline will reveal where life has taken Brax and Ricky since their Summer Bay departure, and will feature “high-stakes drama and emotional payoffs” against a stunning backdrop of Western Australia’s rugged outback.

Since leaving Home and Away in 2015 – and making a brief two-episode return in 2016 – Stephen Peacocke has gone on to star in a number of successful dramas, both in Australia and the US, including Five Bedrooms and Wanted.

He currently stars as Pete Emerson in RFDS: Royal Flying Doctor Service, and Rob Rickards in The Newsreader.

Discussing his return to the show, Stephen Peacocke said: “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.

“When the producers asked if I’d revisit Brax, it felt like a fun opportunity – and one I think the audience will really enjoy. Filming in spectacular outback Western Australia is the icing on the cake, and we can’t wait to welcome one lucky UK fan and their guest onto set with us.”

In an interview with TV Week, Stephen added: “Part of me is nervous. I want to make it good for the audience because that role was extraordinary for me. Anytime you get a chance to play a character that resonates, you should treasure it. And I’ve always treasured that role.”

Meanwhile, since leaving Home and Away, Bonnie Sveen has gone on to star in Rosehaven, The Secret Daughter, and Escape and Evasion.

Her short film Finding Addison won Best Short Film at the 2023 AACTA Awards, while her role in SXSW Sydney winner Thou Shalt Not Steal cemented her status as one of Australia’s most versatile talents.

Of her return to Home and Away, Bonnie said: “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.”

Executive Producer Julie McGauran expressed her excitement at the story: “It’s an absolute joy to have Steve and Bonnie back with us for this epic event. 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.”