Home and Away's Dean Thompson and Ziggy Astoni have had far from an easy time of it this year, but happily they're ending 2021 in a stronger place as a couple.
Having spent months apart earlier in the year after a painful split, the pair were drawn back together after Dean was involved in a car accident that left him with life-changing injuries, and his recovery has thrown yet more challenges their way.
Dean and Ziggy's relationship has had a number of ups and downs and the actors who play them, Patrick O'Connor and Sophie Dillman, have revealed that it can be a challenge to play their scenes together – because they're also a couple in real life, and very different to their characters.
What to Read Next
Related: Sam Frost responds to rumours of co-star romance
"It's actually really hard work," Sophie told TV Week. "Paddy and I are different to our characters so making their instincts seem natural when they aren't our own is a good challenge."
Thankfully, the couple don't take their fictional relationship dramas home with them, with Sophie describing the home the actors share in Sydney as a "sanctuary" at the end of a long day of filming.
The actress also praised the Home and Away cast and crew for continuing to work under adapted conditions due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, saying that she is proud of all that they have achieved this year.
"We were looking forward to getting into this year and leaving 2020 behind and that didn't happen," she said. "We've all had to adapt and change – including the storylines – but it's a real testament to how cohesive our team is. It's been a tough year but one I'm so proud of."
Patrick also picked out the highlight of his year at work, revealing that he enjoyed filming Dean's dramatic car crash.
"It's been a huge year!" he said. "I really enjoyed playing out the car crash scenes. It was an incredible shoot to be on and watching the car get flipped from behind the scenes was pretty impressive."
Whether Dean and Ziggy will be getting a smoother ride as a couple in 2022 remains to be seen, but things never stay calm for long in Summer Bay...
Home and Away airs weekdays at 1.15pm on Channel 5 and 6pm on 5STAR (UK) and Mondays to Thursdays at 7pm on Channel 7 (Australia). Selected classic episodes are available via Amazon Prime Video in the UK.
