Eliza Sherwood

''Home and Away'' is an Australian television soap opera, which was first broadcast on the Seven Network on 17 January 1988. The following is a list of characters that appear in 2025, by order of first appearance. All characters are introduced by the soap's executive producer, Lucy Addario. The 38th season of ''Home and Away'' began airing from 13 January 2025. Detective Mark Townsend was introduced during the same episode. Eliza Sherwood and Sonny Baldwin made their debuts during February, followed by Lacey Miller in March. Sergeant David Langham arrived in May, and his daughter Jo Langham followed in June, along with Cohen Luther.

Mark Townsend

Mark Townsend, played by Craig Hall, made his first appearance on 13 January 2025. Hall's casting was confirmed in November 2024, after he was pictured on set. His character is the show's new detective, who investigates the attack on Tim Russell (George Pullar). The prime suspect is Constable Cash Newman (Nicholas Cartwright), who woke up next to an unconscious Tim covered in blood in the 2024 season finale. Susannah Alexander of Digital Spy reported that the episode see Townsend "setting his suspicions on Cash" during his investigation, before arresting him.

Detective Townsend arrives at the Koi Stone River Estate, after receiving a call about two male victims of assault. Cash Newman (Cartwright) identifies himself as a constable and advises Townsend to protect Eden Fowler (Stephanie Panozzo), as she is in danger. Justin Morgan (James Stewart) tells Townsend that he called in the incident and saw Cash leaning over Tim Russell (Pullar), who has suffered a serious head injury. Townsend talks with Eden and Remi Carter (Adam Rowland), who reveals that Cash was not meant to be at the house. Cash explains that he is there because Tim and Eden are in danger from Nerida Mullins (Ellie Gall), Tim's former patient who has made threats against them. Townsend believes Remi is holding something back and advises him to call if he wants to talk further. He then tells Cash that he is a suspect now. He meets with Senior Constable Rose Delaney (Kirsty Mariller) at the police station and she informs him that Cash did not give her a statement, and that he and Tim had had a prior altercation. Townsend speaks with John Palmer (Shane Withington) about a break-in at Eden's house. Remi then comes to Townsend about an argument he saw between Cash and Tim. He says that Cash has a need to protect people, following the death of his sister. Townsend arrests Cash for assault causing grievous bodily harm, and he removes Rose from the case after she lets Eden visit Cash.

Eliza Sherwood

Eliza Sherwood, played by Martha Kate Morgan, made her first appearance on 13 February 2025. Morgan was three years older than her 14 year old character, who is introduced as Roo Stewart's (Georgie Parker) new foster child. Jennie Curtin of the ''Blue Mountains Gazette'' stated "Eliza has been in the foster care system for some years and causes Roo a lot of worry." Eliza comes to Roo after a fire burnt down her previous foster home. Parker said Eliza appears to be "distant, shut down and frightened when she first arrives in the Bay. It's hard to get a read on her so it's hard for Roo to support her." During her early scenes, various hints are dropped that Eliza started the fire and in "a dramatic twist", she begins threatening Marilyn Chambers (Emily Symons). Simon Timblick of ''What's on TV'' called Eliza "a whole lot of trouble" and found her behaviour "strange and creepy".

A young girl placed with Roo Stewart after her last foster home burns down. Roo introduces her to her father Alf Stewart (Ray Meagher) and Marilyn Chambers (Symons) and explains that she only managed to salvage a music box from the fire. Eliza decides to go to her room rather than eat dinner with everyone. Roo tells her that they will go shopping for clothes and things in the morning and asks if Eliza has anything she wants to talk about. Eliza says the fire was intense and Roo is thankful that her foster siblings got out safely. Eliza later goes through the contents of the music box, revealing a lock of hair, a photograph with faces scratched out, a ring and a lighter. In the morning, Eliza takes money from Marilyn's purse, before she and Roo go shopping. Eliza buys Roo a card, but gets defensive when Roo enquires where the money came from. Roo apologises for jumping to conclusions. Eliza becomes obsessed with surgery after talking to Levi Fowler (Tristan Gorey) and steals a fishing knife. She is also fascinated with a pregnant Harper Matheson (Jessica Redmayne) and touches her bump without asking. Roo homeschools Eliza and enrols her in Tane Parata's (Ethan Browne) youth programme. When she takes a photo of Tane's unborn baby from his bag, one of the other participants Scott (Finnian James) urges her to put it back and Eliza punches him. She later threatens him. Marilyn moves out after feeling uncomfortable around Eliza, who makes threats towards her and steals money from her purse again. Eliza is present when Harper goes into labour. She pretends to call for an ambulance and then films the birth, which she is later caught watching. After she withholds Alf's heart medication, Roo has no choice but to find Eliza a new foster placement. Before leaving, Eliza tells Roo that she is worse than all the other carers she has had. Roo later confirms that Eliza is undergoing a psychiatric evaluation, and that the doctors suspect that she has conduct disorder and psychopathic traits.

Sonny Baldwin

Sonny Baldwin, played by Ryan Bown, made his first appearance on 17 February 2025. Bown's casting details were announced on 12 January 2024, along with Sophea Pennington, who was cast as Lacey. Of joining the ''Home and Away'' cast, Bown stated "It's like one big wacky family, and everyone welcomed me with open arms. I’m super excited to be working on such an iconic show." Sonny is introduced as a friend of series regular Remi Carter (Adam Rowland). He was billed as being "a 'charming', 'impulsive' and 'fun-loving' party boy", as well as "cheeky and spontaneous".

Lacey Miller

Lacey Miller, played by Sophea Pennington, made her first appearance on 13 March 2025. Pennington's casting details were announced on 12 January 2024, along with Ryan Bown, who was cast as Sonny Sonny Baldwin. Pennington told Zara Powell of ''The Daily Telegraph'' that joining the cast was both "surreal" and a "pinch me moment", as she had grown up watching the show. She stated "I'm beyond excited, I feel like I've blinked and it truly is a dream come true." Pennington enjoyed shooting her scenes at Palm Beach, the show's exterior filming location and likened the cast to "one big family."

Lacey was initially billed as "the wild child with a heart of gold". Pennington said she and her character shared some similarities, telling Powell: "Lacey is definitely a bad girl, but she has a really good heart. I see a bit of myself in her. It's been a lot of fun to play, though also a bit of a challenge." The character is associated with the serial's River Boys surf gang. Divya Soni of Digital Spy reported that she would "make quite the entrance", while her storyline would be "intriguing". Lacey is introduced as the girlfriend of gang leader Gage Reynolds (Tom Wilson), but she becomes a love interest for Theo Poulos (Matt Evans). The character's father David Langham (Jeremy Lindsay Taylor) was introduced in May, followed by her sister Jo Langham (Maddison Brown).

David Langham

David Langham, played by Jeremy Lindsay Taylor, made his first appearance on 28 May 2025. Taylor previously appeared in the recurring role of Detective Dylan Carter in 2016. He joined the main cast in late 2024 and filmed for six months before his casting was announced on 25 May. Of re-joining the serial, Taylor stated "It's been a whirlwind It's very, very exciting. It's been a busy six months, and now (my episodes) are just about to come on air." He admitted that he was enjoying his time with the show and getting to know the rest of the cast, who he praised. He called his first scene with Lynne McGranger ( Irene Roberts), Ray Meagher (Alf Stewart) and Ada Nicodemou (Leah Patterson) "one of those pinch me moments" and said it made him happy.

David is introduced as the new police sergeant at Yabbie Creek station. Taylor said Langham was his favourite police officer he had played throughout his career. He described him as "very by-the-book", while Clare Rigden of PerthNow said viewers could expect "drama, emotion, and a much-needed moral compass." David is also the estranged father of Lacey Miller (Sophea Pennington), who was introduced a couple of months prior and has been "missing" for a number of months. David and his other daughter, Jo Langham (Maddison Brown) arrive in Summer Bay together. Taylor told Rigden that the family are navigating "trauma, and trying to reconnect, but it's not going really well." He added that David is also dealing with his new working relationship with Cash Newman (Nicholas Cartwright), who has had "a shady career."

David introduces himself to his fellow officers, and admonishes Cash Newman for being late, despite Cash's insistence that his shift does not start for another twenty minutes. David asks Cash to wait in an interview room and he goes through his personnel record, pointing out all the times Cash has gone against the rules, his suspension and involving a civilian in an arrest. He comes across the name Lacey Miller in a police report and asks Cash to tell him about her. Cash says that she was in a coercive relationship with a gang leader, and her testimony helped put him away. David tells Cash to bring her to the station, where it emerges that Lacey is his daughter. She makes it clear that she is not happy to see her father, who reveals that he has spent months trying to find her, and she leaves the station. Tane Parata (Ethan Browne) comes to the station to defend Cash and tells David how his involvement in a recent case was all his own doing.

Jo Langham

Jo Langham, played by Maddison Brown, made her first appearance on 9 June 2025. The character and Brown's casting was announced on 18 May 2025. Brown secured the role shortly after returning home to Australia from Los Angeles. She commented: "It was everything I'd ever wanted – to be in Sydney and be with my family." Brown described it as a "full circle" moment, as she had wanted to be on ''Home and Away'' since she was a child. Brown, who has joined the main cast, said she was enjoying playing Jo and filming on-location in Palm Beach, which she called "a pinch-me moment".

Jo was billed has having a "complicated backstory". She also has "family ties in Summer Bay", but should not expect "a happy family reunion" when she arrives in town. Brown commented that her character's family has "a very fractured, complicated relationship. There's a lot of drama to come as the storyline evolves and I'm excited for fans to get to know Jo and her backstory. It's ''Home And Away'', and Summer Bay wouldn't be Summer Bay without high drama and conflict, so it's going to be super exciting." It was later announced that Jo's father David Langham (Jeremy Lindsay Taylor) would be introduced before her, while her sister Lacey Miller (Sophea Pennington) made her debut in March. Jo comes to Summer Bay to see her father, with Brown explaining "David and Jo have a beautiful relationship. He took a stable job in Yabbie Creek and she came to town because she doesn't want him to be alone." She encounters Tane Parata (Ethan Browne) who offers to fix her broken car, but she declines multiple times. Jo also wants to mend the broken relationship with her sister, however, Lacey does not want anything to do with Jo and a fight breaks out between them. Brown said the fight scenes with Pennington were the first she filmed after joining the cast. Both sisters are brought to the station, and David, by Cash Newman (Nicholas Cartwright). While Jo seems upset, Lacey has no regrets.

Cohen Luther

Cohen Luther, played by Nathan Murray, made his first appearance on 18 June 2025. The character is introduced as Roo Stewart's (Georgie Parker) new foster child. He comes into her care, after his mother Samantha Luther (Heidi May) is arrested. The pair are homeless and have been living in a tent. Murray said Cohen is "very scared" when the police take his mother away, as she is "the only person he has. She was doing everything for him, so he's also worried, confused and angry. He doesn't understand that what she did was wrong – his mum has been protecting Cohen a lot and this has become a normal way of living and getting by." Tamara Cullen of ''TV Week'' observed that Cohen is "wary and unsure" about staying with Roo. Murray told her that Cohen does not have a lot of trust because of his mother's arrest. He is also "completely destroyed" when he realises how long he will be separated from his mother for.

Others

References

External links

Characters and cast
at 7plus

{{Home and Away characters, year

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