UK Home and Away Spoilers – Leah’s hell as her captor is revealed!
As the mystery of what happened to Leah Patterson (Ada Nicodemou) is finally revealed, an even more horrifying prospect causes Leah to try and make her escape…
It’s been several weeks since Leah disappeared without a trace, following a mysterious phone call she received at Summer Bay House, and it’s only in the last couple of weeks that there have been some leads in the case. It wasn’t the police that discovered these however, but Maggie and Roo when they realised that Leah’s blog had been reactivated.
When a photo of Leah appeared on the site alongside an announcement that she was engaged, it at least confirmed that Leah was alive, though the bold statement caused more questions than answers.
Boyfriend Justin (James Stewart) reported this to the police, but was exasperated when they announced that they were closing the case. Leah had apparently called them and said that she was moving on with her life—she was safe and well and had no wishes to return to Summer Bay.
This couldn’t be further from the truth however, when it’s revealed to viewers on Friday that Leah is actually being held captive in a remote cabin in the bush by a deranged man named Douglas (Adam Booth).
As Douglas takes a seat at the perfectly set breakfast table, he comments that his coffee cup appears to be empty. A timid and apologetic Leah emerges from the kitchen in an apron and fills the cup, before Douglas remarks that they’re two minutes over schedule. It’s clear that Leah is in dangerous company as she obeys his every order.
“Leah is absolutely terrified,” Ada told New Idea. “She is in an extremely emotional and physically abusive situation and all of her strength and power is taken away. She is being turned into a ‘Stepford-type’ wife.”
When Douglas later checks Leah’s blog, he is incensed to see that Justin is still commenting on it, clearly having not got the message that Leah was moving on her life.
He later forces Leah to phone Justin herself, prompting her with a written script, where she tells him that she doesn’t love him anymore and that he needs to leave her alone.
As Douglas hangs up the phone, he notices that Leah is struggling to hold back tears. Douglas is infuriated, and ominously says that they need to have a talk.
Later on a beaten Leah is cowering in her room as Douglas tries to comfort her, telling her that she needs to learn somehow when she pushes him like that.
But he has a plan to cheer her up. He leads her to the spare room where he reveals his surprise—a wedding dress. Douglas has decided it’s finally time to make Leah his wife!
As we pick up the action next week, Justin goes to find Colby in desperate need of his help. Colby makes a call to his colleagues but now that the case has been closed, they’re not interested. Colby’s hands are tied.
However Colby later visits Justin and reveals that they were looking into a person of interest before the case was closed, and this person’s details are in the file that Colby has brought with him.
Placing the file on the table, he tells Justin that it is confidential information, before excusing himself to get a glass of water, casually nudging the file towards Justin.
Meanwhile, back in the cabin, Leah is being forced to prepare for wedding, Douglas having provided a wedding picture of his first wife so Leah can replicate her look.
A desperate Leah ends up ripping the wedding dress in frustration, and then shows Douglas that the dress is damaged in the hope that it will stall proceedings. But the plan backfires when Douglas angrily pulls out a sewing kit and tells her to fix it.
As Leah emerges into the living room in the dress, Douglas remarks that he cannot wait for their wedding night, having been patient for so long. A horrified Leah realises that she has to get out of there, and fast.
When Douglas places the veil in her hair, Leah grabs a torch and whacks him over the head, before making her escape into the bush.
She eventually emerges onto a dirt track and screams as a 4×4 barrels towards her.
As Leah cowers in the middle of the road, the driver emerges—it’s Justin!
As Leah breaks down in his arms, a relieved Justin leads Leah to the car and to safety, as Douglas watches from afar.
Leah is taken straight to hospital where Irene rushes to her bedside, but as she sits in a state of shock, it’s clear that the emotional damage far outweighs the physical.
This week’s dramatic episodes were filmed back in September, following Ada Nicodemou’s return from an extended break in Greece for a family wedding.
“It was so creepy to put on that wedding dress” Ada revealed to Australian magazine TV Week. “I’d been in Greece on holiday, and the day I returned to work, jetlagged, we filmed these terrifying cabin scenes!”
“I absolutely loved being challenged like this” Ada continued. “Working opposite Adam was fantastic. When the cameras rolled, he was actually scary, so it made it easy for me. In real life, Adam is quite sweet!”
Here’s the full spoilers for the next two weeks in the UK.
Episodes will air on Channel 5 on Monday and Friday at 1:15pm. There is no repeat airing at 6pm.
Monday 13th April – Episode 7290
Justin is devastated as Leah’s photo leads to more questions than answers. Alex and Willow have big decisions to make.
Friday 17th April – Episode 7291
Leah’s captor is revealed. Justin’s losing his mind in his search for Leah. What now for Willow and Alex?
Monday 20th April – Episode 7292
Jasmine struggles with grief. Justin and Colby’s search for Leah takes a dramatic twist.
Friday 24th April – Episode 7293
Alex’s quick medical actions save a Summer Bay favourite. Justin and Irene are deeply troubled by Leah’s behaviour. Mackenzie is forced to rethink her feelings for Colby.