Home and Away's Johnny Ruffo hints at a possible return

Rachel Choy
Updated ·4-min read

Former Home and Away star Johnny Ruffo has revealed that he would love to return to Summer Bay. The fan-favourite played Chris Harrington on the soap from 2013 to 2016, and ended up winning a Logie Award for Most Popular New Talent in 2014.

The star shared the screen with other popular actors, such as Samara Weaving (Indi Walker), Kassandra Clementi (Maddy Osborne) and Demi Harman (Sasha Bezel). He famously developed an onscreen and offscreen relationship with comedy partner Lynne McGranger (Irene Roberts), who he still considers a close friend today.

L: Johnny Ruffo as Chris Harrington on Home and Away. R: Johnny Ruffo and Lynne McGranger at a cafe
Johnny Ruffo wants to return to Home and Away. Photo: Seven & Instagram/johnny_ruffo

The star first discovered he had a brain tumour five years ago, but was declared cancer free in 2019. Sadly, his cancer returned and the X Factor star revealed it was terminal in August 2022.

However, he has been maintaining a positive attitude during his health battle, and tells Yahoo Lifestyle that he wants to make a cameo appearance in Summer Bay.

“I’d love to go back on Home and Away [and] spend some more time with Irene. We had a great relationship on [the show] and we still have a great relationship out of Home and Away, Lynne and I,” he tells us.

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Lynne regularly comments on Johnny’s Instagram posts, calling him ‘darling’ and offering words of encouragement during his cancer battle.

“We are really good friends,” Johnny explains, before adding that he’s meeting up with Lynne on Saturday for dinner.

As for how he would like his character to make a cameo back on the show, he wants to ‘just show up’ at the Pier Diner.

“Just waltz in, like not tell anyone, just waltz on in and order a coffee. And Lynne — I mean Irene — would be like…Chris!” he laughs.

Johnny Ruffo and Samara Weaving as their characters Chris and Indi on Home and Away
Fans are desperate for Johnny to visit Summer Bay again. Photo: Seven

After Johnny revealed how he would love to return to the soap, fans went wild over the possibility.

"Would love to see him back in the bay, he's one of my favourites," one person wrote on social media.

"Yes would certainly be great if Johnny Ruffo returned to Summer Bay. Missed his funny character and the humour he brought into the Bay. No one else like that [has] been in the Bay. He would be welcomed back with open arms," a second agreed.

"That would be a good storyline — yes please writers," said another, while a fourth added that "it would be great to see Johnny return to Summer Bay and surprise Irene".

L: Johnny Ruffo after surgery with a head bandage. R: Tahnee Sims and Johnny Ruffo at a theme park
The star has shared his health battle with fans through social media. Photo: Instagram/johnny_ruffo

‘Nobody knows what’s going to happen tomorrow’

This comes after Johnny shared he wants to focus on making memories now, rather than looking to the future.

“Whether you’ve got an illness or not…nobody knows what’s going to happen tomorrow. So you have to live in the now, and you have to enjoy every day as it comes, that’s where I am at the moment,” he told us.

While he’s worried about how his girlfriend Tahnee Sims will cope if he loses his cancer battle, he’s making an effort to tell those he loves how much they mean to him.

“I suppose it’s inevitable for the ones that you love that at some point they’re going to have to go through something that’s quite difficult,” he admitted. “So try and spend as much time as you can with them. Create great memories. And so when they do think about you, they think of the good things and they smile.”

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The star has one Christmas wish this year, and he’s ecstatic that it’s set to come true. His brother Michael, who Johnny considers his ‘hero’, is travelling to Australia to spend Christmas with family.

While the siblings speak often on the phone, Michael lives in Ireland and hasn’t seen Johnny in person for years.

“I haven’t seen my brother in three years. My brother is my absolute hero, I love him to bits,” he spills. “He’s going back to Perth, so we’re going back to Perth and we’ll spend Christmas together. I can’t wait."

“My Christmas wish is getting to see my brother. So I’m definitely getting that this year,” he said.

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