Why did Ziggy and Dean leave Home and Away?
AUSTRALIAN TV show Home and Away has given us some much loved characters in it’s decades long run.
Two recent fan favourites are lovebirds Ziggy and Dean. But when did they leave Home and Away – and why did they make the decision to exist the show?
Who were Ziggy and Dean in Home and Away?
Ziggy Astoni was the oldest daughter of Ben and Maggie and had a younger sister Coco.
She was dating Dean Thompson.
Ziggy was played by Sophie Dillman.
Sophie has also starred in Inner Dialogue and Sherbrooke Down: The Road to Cataract.
Dean Thompson was the son of Karen Thompson and Rick Booth.
He was also the half-brother of Kayla, Sean and Mackenzie Booth.
He was played by Patrick O’Connor.
Dean and Ziggy became close after she separated from her ex-husband Brody.
They became close friends and eventually fell in love.
Their relationship began once Ziggy and Brody’s divorced was finalised.
However, after being together for a year and a half Ziggy broke up with Dean after he lied about being Colby Thorne’s accomplice in Ross Nixon’s murder.
They remained friends and both moved on however, Dean’s girlfriend and mother of his child, Amber broke up with Dean because he still loved Ziggy.
The two later kiss when they attend Bella’s expo in the city.
Dean asks Ziggy if she forgives him but she doesn’t answer him, leaving him upset.
He later gets into a car accident and is badly injured.
Ziggy is worried for Dean’s life and tells him she loves him.
Her boyfriend Tane then breaks up with her after seeing the two together.
Ziggy later confessed to Dean she couldn’t be without him and still loves him leading to the two reconciling their relationship.
Are Ziggy and Dean a couple in real life?
Their on screen romance is also prevalent off screen as Sophie and Patrick are a couple in real life.
They first announced their relationship in September 2019.
The couple had known each other for years before their debut on Home and Away together.
They had an eight year friendship when they both studied at acting school in Queensland.
After they finished their degrees they joined Home and Away with Sophie joining the cast first.
They moved in together in 2020 and adopted a puppy.
Have Dean and Ziggy left for good?
It’s unknown if Dean and Ziggy will return to Home and Away.
The couple made their last on-screen appearance in Australia in March 2023.
However, it’s looking unlikely that the couple will return to Home and Away any time soon.
Patrick and Sophie decided to move to the UK, meaning that they departed from the show.
Why did Ziggy and Dean leave Home and Away?
Dean received news that his ex-girlfriend Amber decided to move to Queensland with their son Jai.
Dean is hit hard by the news as he realised his son would be a 21-hour drive away from him.
Dean and Ziggy, who shared a daughter Izzy, questioned how they’ll keep their family together.
Ziggy then suggested that they should move to Queensland and pointed out there wasn’t a lot keeping them in Summer Bay.
It meant they could build a new life together and Dean is father to both of his children.
Dean agreed that they’ll move to Queensland.
However, he later has second thoughts when his sister Mackenzie Booth had a break down due to her boyfriend Gabe Miller’s cancer diagnosis.
Mackenzie, who was unaware of Dean’s plan to move, turned to him for comfort leading Dean to question how he could leave her during this time.
However, Ziggy intervened and told Mac about the move.
Mackenzie then gave Dean her blessing to make the move as planned.
Dean was convinced when Mac pointed out she could cope without him but Jai couldn’t.
During their final moments at Summer Bay, the pair recalled their time there together.
They later said their goodbyes to family and friends before driving to Queensland.