Home and Away Spoilers – Nikau struggles with his new modelling career

On next week’s Home and Away in the UK, Nikau makes a big career decision as he decides to sign with Sienna’s modelling agency. Will he be able to cope with the glitz, glamour and pressure of the modelling industry?

Nikau (Kawakawa Fox-Reo) was given the opportunity to become a model after Bella (Courtney Miller) won the 2021 Portrait of the Year competition, using a photo of him in bed. The candid shot got the attention of Sienna Blake (Rose Riley), owner of a modelling agency in the city, and she was desperate to set up a meeting with him.

Last week, Nik decided he wanted nothing to do with the agency, who’d been hounding him with constant calls ever since Bella’s award ceremony. However, when Bella points out that he could just block their number if he was so against the idea, he admits defeat and decides to take up their offer of dinner in the city.

At the very least, he can make the most of their free food before telling them he isn’t interested in a new career!

Despite having every intention of rejecting them, he still dons his nicest shirt as he heads for the meeting. Is he actually out to impress?

As he meets Sienna at Salt, he’s clearly nervous coming up against her confident and pushy personality. However, she is more than impressed with him, and already seems convinced she wants to work with him. When uncle Ari (Rob Kipa-Williams) appears out of nowhere for moral support, she turns on the charm, telling them that the Parata men clearly have great genes, and flattering Nikau by making the assumption that he’s modelled before.

“Nik’s the full package,” she exclaims with confidence. “He’s got it, I want it.”

Before the Parata men know it, she hands over a contract, telling them that she wants to sign Nikau to her agency right away. She’ll organise media training, a photo portfolio, styling, whatever Nikau wants.

While Ari is bowled over at what she’s offering his nephew, Nikau still isn’t interested. “But I don’t want any of that.” He seems about to throw away the opportunity of a lifetime.

What eventually wins him over is Bella. Sienna has done her research and knows his girlfriend is a budding photographer. She hits him with an offer he can’t refuse – if he joins her agency, she’ll give Bella the chance to intern with Emmett Ellison (J.R. Reyne), a successful professional photographer. Nik knows just how passionate Bella is about a career in photography, and can’t turn it down.

Sienna is good! Just like that, Nikau has himself a budding new career!

It’s a baptism of fire for the two nervous teens as they turn up at SLM Management for Nikau’s first day. They have to deal with a sassy receptionist, who instantly judges them on their appearance, and throws them off when she asks to see Nik’s portfolio.

She does anything but put them at ease, and when she later makes a snide comment about Bella’s jacket, it’s clear that this is a very different world from the small town life they’re used to. As a model storms out of the office in tears, it looks like they’re in for a bumpy ride.

When Sienna arrives, she’s finally a friendly face. She quickly puts Nikau through his paces, and takes him off to discuss his contract, before prepping him for his first portfolio shoot.

While Nikau is nervous, Bella is having a much better time. She takes it upon herself to wander around the photography studio, taking everything in, and stumbles across a shoot with a gorgeous blonde model.

Allegra (Laura McDonald), as Bella soon discovers, is one of the agency’s top models. She’s having her photo take by a charismatic photographer, who just so happens to be the same one that Bella will be interning for.

The photographer and his new intern hit it off instantly. Emmett seems a lot more relaxed than the agency director, and gives Bella the chance to sit in on his next shoot with Sienna.

It seems her internship has already begun!

While Bella is already loving her time at the studio, impressing Emmett with her knowledge of photography and by asking all the right questions, Nikau isn’t having such a good time.

Sienna may have seen something promising in Nikau, but it takes a lot for him to see the potential in himself. When it comes to his first portfolio shoot, he’s nervous, awkward and can’t relax into the poses that Emmett wants.

He doesn’t know where to put his hands, has no idea what facial expressions to make, and his tense shoulders make it clear he wants to run for his life. Emmett does his best to put him at ease, but it doesn’t work.

“This is stupid, I’m not doing this any more!”

He storms off the set, leaving Bella with no choice but to run after him. Is his modelling career over before it’s even begun?

Nikau expresses how stupid it all makes him feel – “Turn your head; open your eyes; hug yourself Nik” – he recounts the ridiculous things Emmett was asking him to do in front of the camera, and how unnatural it all is. Being told what to do, how to pose, just isn’t him.

Bella tells him that they can stop if that’s what he wants, but subtly reminds him how much of an awesome opportunity it is.

“As long as you don’t look back and regret it.”

It’s on Bella to take him to one side and convince him he can do it.

They head back into the studio, where Emmett suggests that Bella takes over as the director. She knows Nikau and knows what will make him relax, and, when she’s the one giving the commands and cracking jokes, it isn’t long before he relaxes into it and finds himself laughing and looking a lot more natural.

He may have survived first portfolio shoot, but that’s just the start – it’s only going to get harder.

Does Nik have what it takes to stick it in the modelling industry?

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Here’s the full spoilers for next week’s Home and Away episodes in the UK:

Monday 31st May 2021 (Episode 7545)

Mia wants to impress her new boss. Nikau gets an offer he can’t refuse. Christian organises a reconciliation with Jasmine and Tori.

Tuesday 1st June 2021 (Episode 7546)

Nikau and Bella embark on their new adventure. Christian’s brush with death haunts him. Ari and Mia reminisce about the life they could have had.

Wednesday 2nd June 2021 (Episode 7547)

Ryder and Chloe enjoy the freedom of unemployment. Christian can’t explain reason beyond science. Jasmine agrees to have a tarot reading with Marilyn.

Thursday 3rd June 2021 (Episode 7548)

Mac loses her cool. Chloe learns the real reason for Mac’s recent behaviour. Tane’s doubt sets in.

Friday 4th June 2021 (Episode 7549)

Amber can’t deny her insecurities. Tane confesses his love. Ziggy confronts Mackenzie about her behaviour.