Home and Away Spoilers – Is Nikau developing an eating disorder?
On next week’s Home and Away in the UK, Nikau’s modelling career takes him down a dangerous path as he starts skipping meals and obsessing over his image.
Nikau’s (Kawakawa Fox-Reo) life has changed completely since he embarked on his new career as a model. Gone are the simple days of working in the bait shop and spending quality time with Bella (Courtney Miller); instead, all his time is taken up with glamorous photoshoots, trips to the city, and trying to keep Sienna (Rose Riley) off his back.
Sienna has been piling on the pressure by turning up at his house unexpected, surprising him with impromptu shoots, and seemingly trying to drive a wedge between him and Bella. However, next week the pressure gets even more intense, as she encourages him to improve his body image, taking him down a dangerous path.
At the end of last week, Nikau was surprised to learn that experienced model Allegra (Laura McDonald) gains freebies by posting stylish food photos on Instagram, and that her followers love any photos featuring food. However, the biggest surprise was that she doesn’t actually eat the food – she often posts the photos, then shuns the meal itself, following a strict diet in the days before a shoot to ensure she looks the best.
She gives her less experienced counterpart some advice that starts to change how he sees himself – “Sooner or late, the junk food will catch up with you. If you wanna make it, you’ve gotta learn to play the game.”
When Nikau commented that there’s no way he could get through the day without a substantial meal, Allegra revealed her secret. She took out a bottle of a mysterious liquid, explaining that it’s an appetite suppressant and her magic way of keeping herself in shape. She tucked the bottle into Nikau’s shirt pocket and told him to think about it.
“Take it. Just in case.”
While Nik was firmly against the idea, quickly realising how dangerous it could be, it’s clear Allegra’s words have had a big impact on the impressionable teen.
When Bella discovers the little vile in his shirt pocket next week, he admits that it’s a hunger suppressant, “just some rubbish that Allegra gave me”, but reassures her that he has no intention of using it.
However, is that really the case? After assuring Bella that he’ll throw it out, he sneakily tucks it back into his shirt pocket.
He begins to obsess over his image, and on proving to Sienna just how hard he’s working. A former exercise-phobe, he starts spending more and more time in the gym, hitting Mia (Anna Samson) up for a discount membership at Summer Bay Fit.
While a gym membership is hardly dangerous, he ignores Tane (Ethan Browne) and Mia’s advice on how to train. While they warn him to leave time between workouts, not overloading specific muscles by training them two days in a row, he pushes himself more and more.
“You don’t get it. I need to prove to Sienna how hard I’m working.”
As he heads for his workout the next morning, he pulls the vile of risky liquid out of his bag, pondering once again over whether or not to take it.
He also pulls Tane aside for a quiet word. Expressing just how little progress he’s making in his first couple of days of training, he asks Tane what the quickest way to get big is. When his uncle disappoints him by letting him know hard work and perseverance is the only way to get fit, Nikau pushes, asking him for a shortcut.
“There are no shortcuts,” Tane insists, but is concerned that his nephew would even be thinking like that.
Before long, he’s doing everything he can to avoid meals. When Ari offers him a meal, he pretends he’s already eaten with Bella. When Bella suggests they grab a gelato, all he wants to do is fit in another workout. When Emmett turns up unexpected with a feast from The Diner, he takes his portion off to his room, giving him an easy excuse to throw it straight in the bin.
His mood also begins to change. He takes his frustration out on Bella when she suggests they spend some time together, as he demands she leave him alone so he can finish his workout. “Oh Bella, just drop it,” he snaps. “I don’t complain when you disappear off with Emmett because that’s your work. This is mine!”
Things go from bad to worse when Sienna piles on the pressure. When she makes an early morning visit to the Parata house, only to find Bella with a plate of pizza, she quickly encourages Nik to head to the gym to burn off the “breakfast pizza”. Later, she shows him a series of photos of a muscular model, showing him what he’s up against in the competitive world of modelling.
With Sienna piling on the pressure, and Nikau considering both appetite suppressants and “shortcuts”, it seems modelling is about to send him down a very risky path.
Elsewhere, Emmett (JR Reyne) falls under Mackenzie’s spell once again. He rocks up at Salt, where he’s meeting Bella to discuss a new exhibition, and quickly find himself flirting with Mac. Clear about his intentions, he tells her that it wouldn’t be the worst thing if they got to know each other a little better.
Sadly for him, Dean thinks differently. Bella has been gushing to him about the opportunity to hold a joint exhibition with Emmett, and while Dean may not have a clue about photography, he does know one thing – if Mac continues to get her teeth into Emmett, it could threaten Bella’s happiness.
When their Salt meeting is interrupted by Mac making Emmett “a better offer”, Bella is devastated.
Dean realises he needs to do something when he finds the pair coming from the back of Salt’s store room, looking disheveled. In the only way he knows, he takes a heavy-handed approach.
“How about you and me take a walk,” he says as he encounters Emmett in the Surf Club. When the photographer tries to excuse himself, he assures him that “it’s not a suggestion.”
He explains, as calmly as Dean can, that Bella seems to be getting a bad deal in all of this. She isn’t as thick skinned as she makes out, she’s been through a lot, and doesn’t deserve to be messed around.
While Emmett explains that the exhibition is a genuine opportunity and that he has Bella’s best interests at heart, Dean has no choice but to take his word for it. However, he warns Emmett to stay away from her sister, making it very clear there’ll be consequences if he doesn’t.
Who will Emmett choose – Bella or Mackenzie?
Here’s the full spoilers for next week’s Home and Away episodes in the UK:
Monday 5th July 2021 (Episode 7570)
Nikau slips into bad habits. Bella’s opportunity with Emmett fades. Roo focuses her energy on her dad.
Tuesday 6th July 2021 (Episode 7571)
Nikau is pushing hard to look his best. Will Christian give Tori the answers she needs? Dean gets Emmett to do what’s right for Bella.
Wednesday 7th July 2021 (Episode 7572)
Christian avoids Tori but confides in Rachel. Nikau asks Tane to help him get fit and look his best. Ziggy feels lost when Tane starts work at the gym.
Thursday 8th July 2021 (Episode 7573)
Justin’s deceit continues to grow. Nikau receives, and ignores, good advice. Although struggling, Roo decides to go it alone. The search for Susie heats up.
Friday 9th July 2021 (Episode 7574)
Mackenzie continues to make new friends. The Susie stakeout doesn’t go to plan. Chloe is suspicious about Ryder’s sudden change in demeanour.