Home and Away viewers are calling for a major cast shake-up after beloved characters Ziggy Astoni and Dean Thompson made a brief but dramatic return—only to exit once again. Fans are devastated, insisting their return was far too short-lived.

Played by real-life couple Sophie Dillman and Patrick O’Connor, Ziggy and Dean made a surprise comeback to Australian screens this month. However, their highly anticipated guest stint wrapped up after just a few episodes, leaving fans wanting more.

The duo reappeared when McKenzie Booth and Levi Fowler visited them in North Queensland. True to Home and Away style, trouble quickly followed. In a tense twist, Ziggy and McKenzie were kidnapped by escaped criminals, forcing Dean and Levi to pull off a daring rescue. Their brief but action-packed return concluded in Wednesday’s episode.

After the episode aired, Sophie took to Instagram, teasing the possibility of future appearances. She shared, “Until next time on Home and Away! We love you all, miss you more, and can’t wait to be back.” Fans flooded the comments with pleas for the pair to return permanently. “It can’t be over already! We need you back for good,” one wrote, while another added, “Please come back to the Bay full-time—we’ve missed you so much!”

While Sophie recently moved back to Australia after traveling through Europe and living in the UK, Patrick has remained overseas for work, making their return uncertain. However, Sophie has hinted at her dream of reprising the role permanently, telling Woman’s Day, “I’d love to be the next Marilyn Chambers one day!”

For now, UK fans can expect to see Ziggy and Dean’s guest appearance air on Channel 5 in May. But with fan demand at an all-time high, could their comeback turn into something more permanent