Home and Away regular confirms heartbreaking exit: ‘I’m not coming back’

Home and Away has explained Xander Delaney’s permanent departure from the show.

Luke Van Os has left the role of Xander after nearly three years playing the Summer Bay barman.

Last year, Australian viewers saw Xander say goodbye to the Bay as he wanted to take on a work opportunity in Melbourne for six weeks. Xander signed up for a business internship at a hotel following encouragement from Mackenzie Booth, his boss at Salt.

He and his girlfriend Dana Matheson decided to have a long-distance romance for six weeks. Appearing to show how committed he was, Xander told Dana that he loved her for the first time before he left.

Thursday’s (February 13) triple bill of episodes in Australia saw the situation develop as Xander got in touch with his sister Rose. She then warned Dana that Xander had been trying to contact her with some shocking news.

She explained: “He’s decided to stay in Melbourne. He’s not coming back.”

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When Dana finally spoke to Xander herself, she discovered that he’d landed his dream job as an events manager for a major hospitality group.

As Xander had wanted to pursue his business dreams for a while, he was determined to prioritise this over his life in the Bay.

Xander still hoped to save his relationship with Dana and invited her to come and live with him in Melbourne.

With so much keeping her in the Bay, Dana refused and encouraged Xander to come home, but he insisted that it was out of the question.

In a subsequent text message, Xander told Dana: “Sorry I missed your calls. We’ll talk more later, but I’m not coming back. This gig is a game-changer. Please move here, you’ll love it.”

Dana decided to pay a visit to Melbourne to speak to Xander in person, hoping that she could talk him round once they were face-to-face again – but her efforts seem destined to end in further heartbreak.

Home and Away fans in the UK will see these scenes on Channel 5 in early April.

Home and Away has explained Xander Delaney’s permanent departure from the show. Luke Van Os has left the role of Xander after nearly three years playing the Summer Bay barman. Last year, Australian viewers saw Xander say goodbye to the Bay as he wanted to take on a work opportunity in Melbourne for six weeks. Xander signed up for a…