Will Home and Away’s Ryder let his dad back in – and why is he back?

In the latest Home and Away spoilers for the UK airings, Ryder Jackson struggles to let the past in after the arrival of a stranger on his doorstep…

Ryder (Lukas Radovich) was confused when he came home to find Evan Slater (Cameron Daddo) sitting on the verandah of Summer Bay House, playing a song on his guitar that Ryder was very familiar with.

After Ryder explained this his mum Quinn used to play that song to him, he was even more confused when Evan replied that he used to play it with her. Evan then revealed that he was, in fact, Ryder’s father.

Up until now, very little has been known about Ryder’s father. On her return to Summer Bay in 2017, Quinn explained that she had met him whilst working as a singer on a cruise ship, and whilst they had planned to settle down together on the Gold Coast, he eventually left—leaving Quinn to bring up Ryder on her own.

Ryder’s first reaction is to dismiss this stranger’s attempt to explain himself and ask him to leave. After following Ryder into the house and giving his name, which Ryder doesn’t recognise, he explains that he’s a musician from Brisbane in an attempt to prove he is who he says. Ryder isn’t interested

“I think its more shock than anger that Ryder is feeling at this point,” Lukas explained to New Idea. “There’s also disbelief. He doesn’t even accept at first that this man could be his father. To Ryder, his life has become so self-sufficient that he doesn’t want someone coming into it in a fatherly role. He feels he doesn’t need that now.”

When Ryder’s aunt Roo (Georgie Parker) returns home to find Ryder arguing with a strange man, Ryder fills her in and then shouts at Evan to leave him alone before heading upstairs. Roo tells Evan that he should leave.

After Ryder has calmed down, Roo talks things through with him and asks what he actually knows about his father. Ryder knows next to nothing—Quinn never really wanted to talk about him.

With Quinn having been trying to contact Ryder for a number of days, with them both constantly missing each others calls, Roo realises that this is could be the reason Quinn why. Roo suggests that he call Quinn back again, but Ryder isn’t interested in having anything to do with Evan.

When Roo later bumps into Evan outside the diner, she asks how he tracked Ryder down. He explains that Quinn gave him Ryder’s address, and was supposed to be contacting Ryder to let him know—he obviously beat her to it. As he jokes about having a habit of showing up at the wrong time, Roo softens somewhat as she realises how much like Ryder he is, recalling how Ryder had shown up in Summer Bay out of the blue to announce to Alf that he was his grandson.

Evan pleads with Roo to help him get through to Ryder, he’s desperate to make things right with him.

Back at the house, Roo convinces Ryder to at least call his mum to see if Evan checks out. When he finally gets hold of Quinn, she confirms that Evan is indeed Ryder’s father.

“Ryder is incredibly doubtful about him,” Cameron told TV Week magazine. “He wonders why Evan is there and wants him gone. But when his mother validates it, Ryder becomes angry that his father has abandoned him for so many years.”

Ryder is fuming with Quinn for giving Evan his details without consulting him first, Ryder explains that it should be his decision as to whether he ever wanted to meet the father that abandoned him, and that has been taken away from him.

Roo doesn’t think that Ryder should write Evan off just yet. She speaks as someone who has experience of being abandoned by a parent, and having messed things up with her own child, so can see both points of view.

She asks whether Ryder could live with the regret that he could face if he turns his back on Evan, but as far as Ryder is concerned, Evan is 19 years too late.

The next day Evan tries one more time to talk to Ryder at Summer Bay House, explaining that he had tried to track him down when Ryder was around two years old, but Quinn had moved on and evidently didn’t want to be found. Ryder isn’t buying any of it though.

“Evan tries to convince Ryder he just wants to get to know him” Cameron continued. “But there’s a reason for it and why he’s there now. He apologises but it may not be enough. He also has something to tell him.”.

Resigning himself to the fact that Ryder wants nothing to do with him, Evan leaves Roo his number just in case, and prepares to leave town.

Ryder tears up Evan’s card and tells Roo that she and Alf are the only family he needs. But when Ryder then comes across Evan waiting at the bus stop, the realisation that this could be his last chance hits, and he suddenly finds himself inviting Evan to grab a coffee…

Is Ryder willing to forgive and try and forge a relationship with his father? 

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Here’s the full spoilers for next week in the UK:

Monday 22nd June (Episode 7331)
Ryder refuses to let the past in. Jasmine finds it hard to face Colby. Roo tries to convince Ryder he may regret his decisions.

Tuesday 23rd June (Episode 7332)
Is the emotional cost too much for Jasmine to stay in Summer Bay? Ryder’s wall drops, but is it enough? Tori turns on Justin to protect her friend.

Wednesday 24th June (Episode 7333)
Tori does her best to convince Jasmine that she’s there for her. Ziggy finishes her final mechanic exam. Ben tells Ziggy the truth about his marriage.

Thursday 25th June (Episode 7334)
Ziggy doesn’t cope with the news of her parents. Ari’s conflicted about his past. Tane surprises Gemma with a new opportunity.

Friday 26th June (Episode 7335)
A new opportunity for the Parata family becomes a divide. Is Summer Bay too small for the Astonis? John and Marilyn try to reconcile.