Ex-Home and Away Star Reveals Unbreakable Bonds After Leaving Summer Bay | Home and Away Spoilers

Home and Away’s Sarah Roberts Reflects on Lasting Friendships and Hints at a Potential Return

Four years after waving goodbye to the sun-soaked shores of Summer Bay, Home and Away alum Sarah Roberts has opened up about the enduring friendships she made during her time on the long-running Australian soap—and why a return to the Bay isn’t out of the question.

Roberts, who played the bold and beloved Willow Harris from 2017 to 2021, made a lasting impression on fans with her character’s fiery spirit and complicated love life. Though she left the series to pursue other career opportunities, the actress still keeps close ties with many of her former co-stars and continues to celebrate the deep connections formed during her soap opera years.

In a recent interview with the Daily Mail Australia, Roberts revealed just how meaningful those relationships have been. “One of my best friends was one of my castmates on Neighbours—that goes way back,” she shared. “Another one of my best friends, Emily Weir, she’s from Home and Away. I’ve also made friends with a lot of the new cast from Home and Away because Emily is friends with them and we all hang out together.”

That tight-knit community was on full display during her milestone 40th birthday celebration late last year. Roberts hosted a lavish party aboard a boat on Sydney Harbour, surrounded by a familiar group of soap stars. “It was full of a lot of the Home and Away cast,” she said with a smile. “I get really close to people and really value my friendships.”

Part of what makes those bonds so powerful, Roberts explained, is the emotional vulnerability that’s required in soap acting. “You share so many deep dark secrets about yourself and you have to develop a lot of trust between each other,” she said. “That lends itself to strong friendships.”

Since departing Home and Away, Roberts has been steadily expanding her resume. She’s landed a role in the upcoming Australian series Scrublands, based on the bestselling crime novel by Chris Hammer. The show, set in a drought-stricken rural town, is a gritty thriller that’s a world away from the coastal dramas of Summer Bay. It’s a promising opportunity that could open even more doors for the talented actress.

But Roberts isn’t stopping there. She’s also setting her sights on international success, expressing interest in working on a long-running American drama like Game of Thrones or Breaking Bad. “That’s the dream,” she admitted. “I’d love to take on a project like that—something with depth, complex characters, and global reach.”

Still, while Hollywood might be calling, Roberts hasn’t ruled out a return to her soap roots. “I’d love to, you know? I would go back and do longer stints on both Home and Away and Neighbours,” she said, clearly nostalgic for the roles that helped launch her career. Then she added with a laugh, “I mean, sadly I don’t think Neighbours is running anymore. Is it?”

Her uncertainty is understandable—Neighbours was famously cancelled in 2022 after nearly four decades on air, only to be revived by Amazon Freevee the following year. Whether Roberts is aware of the reboot or not, her openness to revisiting Ramsay Street or Summer Bay will no doubt spark interest among fans who’d love to see her back on their screens.

During her four-year stint on Home and Away, Roberts’s character Willow became a staple of the show’s most dramatic storylines—from love triangles and addiction struggles to fierce loyalty and moments of redemption. Her departure left a noticeable gap, but her impact has clearly endured, both onscreen and off.

As she continues to pursue new projects and explore new creative avenues, Roberts remains grounded in the connections she forged during her time on set. “I just had my 40th surrounded by my Home and Away family,” she said proudly. “That says a lot.”

For viewers who followed Willow’s journey—and for fans of Australian soap stars making waves beyond the beach—Sarah Roberts is one to keep an eye on. Whether she’s stepping into a gritty crime thriller or floating the idea of a return to familiar territory, it’s clear that she brings passion, loyalty, and heart to everything she does.

Home and Away’s Sarah Roberts Reflects on Lasting Friendships and Hints at a Potential Return Four years after waving goodbye to the sun-soaked shores of Summer Bay, Home and Away alum Sarah Roberts has opened up about the enduring friendships she made during her time on the long-running Australian soap—and why a return to the Bay isn’t…