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Home and Away's most iconic couples – who is your favourite?

All the drama behind Summer Bay's favourite couples.

There’s nothing quite like a summer romance, especially if it’s a Summer Bay romance.

If you fall in love in Summer Bay, you’d better get ready to dial up the drama and significantly increase your chances of an end-of-year fatal heart attack or car crash.

Over the years, Home and Away has set the stage for some of the most iconic onscreen romances, so much so that we decided to take a look back at some of our favourite Summer Bay sweethearts of all time.

15. Tom and Pippa

The OG Home and Away couple, Tom and Pippa are the lovebirds that started it all! Arriving in the Bay with their five foster kids, they bought the caravan park and became Australia’s favourite parents while they were at it. Tom’s fatal heart attack at the wheel of his car was one of the show’s first devastating end-of-season tragedies.

Tom and Pippa in the earlier seasonns. Source: Channel 7
Tom and Pippa in the earlier seasonns. Source: Channel 7

14. Marilyn and Donald

This is the unlikely pairing that shocked the Bay, with uptight Summer Bay High principal Donald Fisher falling in love with—and subsequently marrying— blonde beautician Marilyn. Age gap aside (Donald was old enough to be Marilyn’s father) the couple went on to have a baby boy, Byron in 1999. Tragically, Byron died of cancer later in the year and the trauma led Marilyn to disappear from Donald’s life.

There was an age gap between Marilyn and Donald. Source: Channel 7
There was an age gap between Marilyn and Donald. Source: Channel 7

13. Pippa and Michael

In what can only be described as a cruel twist of fate, widowed Pippa went on to find love again with Michael, only to have it ripped away from her a second time. After initially being torn between her attraction to Michael and her guilt over moving on from Tom, Michael and Pippa became a couple and tied the knot in 1991. Michael went on to tragically drown as he heroically tried to rescue Sam from flood waters and Pippa was left widowed again. Fun fact: the actors that played Pippa and Michael, Debra Lawrance and Dennis Coard, are married in real life to this day.

Pippa married Michael after the death of her first husband. Source: Channel 7
Pippa married Michael after the death of her first husband. Source: Channel 7

12. Leah and Vinnie

Home and Away purists will forever remember the iconic coupling that was Leah and Vinnie. Part-time stripper and long-time Lifeguard Vinnie Patterson seemed an unlikely candidate for marriage but met Leah and fell hard. The couple were married and welcomed baby Vinnie Junior in 2001. Their joy was short-lived however when hours after VJ’s birth Vinnie was arrested for fraud and sentenced to two years jail. He tragically died while in witness protection… or did he?

Vinnie and Leah were married before he was sent to jail. Source: Channel 7
Vinnie and Leah were married before he was sent to jail. Source: Channel 7

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11. Leah and Dan

While Leah and Vinnie were arguably one of Summer Bay’s quintessential love stories, Leah and Dan also became a fan-favourite couple. Leah found herself falling for Summer Bay High teacher Dan after he arrived in the Bay after hearing that his brother had been put in a coma during a hostage situation. Their relationship progressed quickly, despite the fact that it was revealed Leah’s former love Vinnie was still alive, but ultimately came to an end when Dan became a gambling addict and used the money they had saved for IVF to pay off his debts.

Dan and Leah got married before later breaking up. Source: Channel 7
Dan and Leah got married before later breaking up. Source: Channel 7

10. Scott and Dani

Dani found her knight in shining armour riding into the Bay and her life on a white horse, literally. The oldest Sutherland sister fell head over heels for Scott Hunter when she spotted him horse riding on the beach. It was only when her former rapist Kane returned to the Bay and started dating her sister that Dani started to unravel, and things became rocky for the couple. Dani went on to develop feelings for one of her teachers, with their mutual kiss the impetus for the demise of Scott and Dani’s relationship.

Scott rode into Summer Bay and captured Dani's heart. Source: Instagram
Scott rode into Summer Bay and captured Dani's heart. Source: Instagram

9. Kane and Kirsty

The relationship that tore apart a family was the pairing of Kirsty and Kane; because who decides to date a man who has been accused of sexually assaulting their sister? Kirsty does apparently. When Kane returned to the Bay claiming to be a reformed man, despite her family’s objections, Kirsty couldn’t stop herself from falling for him, and the pair subsequently eloped.

Kane and Kirsty were one of the most controversial pairings. Source: Channel 7
Kane and Kirsty were one of the most controversial pairings. Source: Channel 7

8. Steven and Selina

In what was one of the most scandalous relationships in Summer Bay history, Steven was Selina’s teacher when they fell in love. He ended up losing his job because of the affair, and Selina fled the Bay, bound for the United States. The pair proved it was true love after all when they later reunited and married.

Steven was one of Selina's teachers when they had a brief affair. Source: Channel 7
Steven was one of Selina's teachers when they had a brief affair. Source: Channel 7

7. Will and Gypsy

Fiery redhead Gypsy Nash found herself in an on-again-off-again relationship with Bay bad boy Will Smith. Like every self-respecting girl who loves a bad boy, even though Will stood by her side through the trauma of a kidnapping ordeal, Gypsy lost interest in Will when her dad decided he no longer disapproved. Iconic. They eventually found their way back together with Gypsy falling pregnant with Will’s daughter, and the pair marrying and moving to Queensland.

Will and Gypsy were definitely a memorable couple. Source: Channel 7
Will and Gypsy were definitely a memorable couple. Source: Channel 7

6. Tasha and Robbie

In one of the quirkier relationships to form in Summer Bay, bohemian bush beauty Tash and bookworm Robbie became a firm fan favourite couple. The pair managed to ride the highs and lows of cult membership, murder charges, pregnancy and even an HIV scare before leaving the Bay for a ‘quieter life’ in America.

Robbie and Isobel went through many trials ad tribulations. Source: Channel 7
Robbie and Isobel went through many trials ad tribulations. Source: Channel 7

5. Hayley and Noah

Summer Bay beach babe Hayley found herself in quite a few iconic Home and Away love matches (does anyone else remember Hayley and Sam?) but none quite so dreamy as her romance with Noah. After Noah rescued Hayley from thugs outside a nightclub the pair quickly formed a love connection. Most good things come to an end in Summer Bay however and after the pair wed, tragedy inevitably struck when Noah was shot dead by Summer Bay psycho Sarah.

Hayley and Noah were fan favourites. Source: Channel 7
Hayley and Noah were fan favourites. Source: Channel 7

4. Rachel and Kim

If a Hemsworth is involved in a love affair, it’s immediately iconic and the Summer Bay pairing of Rachel and Kim is no exception. Who could blame Dr Rachel Armstrong for falling for her hunky patient Kim (played by then newcomer, now Hollywood heartthrob, Chris Hemsworth)? She tried to fight her attraction to him but ultimately failed and the couple went on to tie the knot, even after Kim fathered Kit’s baby.

Kim and Rachel were fan favourites. Source: Channel 7
Kim and Rachel were fan favourites. Source: Channel 7

3. Sally and Flynn

There isn’t a Home and Away fan alive who doesn’t love Summer Bay golden girl Sally Fletcher, and boy did she do it tough in the romance stakes. After a series of failed romances, she eventually met Flynn Saunders, the local doctor, and they were blissfully married in 2003. Happiness was tragically torn from Sally’s reach when Flynn was diagnosed with skin cancer and given three months to live. He died hours after the pair danced one last time to their wedding song.

Sally and Flynn married before he was diagnosed with skin cancer. Source: Channel 7
Sally and Flynn married before he was diagnosed with skin cancer. Source: Channel 7

2. Alf and Ailsa

Stone the crows, this wouldn’t be a complete flamin’ list if we didn’t include Alf and Ailsa! Strewth, we’re talking Australian TV royalty right here! Alf and Ailsa’s love weathered every storm imaginable, including violent diner hold-ups, nervous breakdowns, and Alf’s infamous temper. Tragically Ailsa died of a heart attack in 2000, leaving Alf devasted.

Alf and Ailsa were married before the tragically died. Source: Channel 7
Alf and Ailsa were married before the tragically died. Source: Channel 7

1. Shane and Angel

Never has there been a more loved or iconic Home and Away couple than Shane and Angel. Not a single Summer Bay union could eclipse the love shared by these high school sweethearts. Teen runaway Angel met Shane shortly after arriving in the Bay and they fell madly in love. A few months before their 1995 wedding, Angel was paralysed after being hit by Alf's car.

When the big day arrived, Angel miraculously found the strength to stand from her wheelchair and walk down the aisle, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house (or in suburban houses Australia-wide). In what may forever be known as Home and Away’s biggest heartbreak, Shane suddenly died at a picnic one short year later from blood poisoning in a tragedy long-term Home and Away fans are still grappling with 26 years later.

Never Forget!

Shane and Angel were a popular pairing. Source: Channel 7
Shane and Angel were a popular pairing. Source: Channel 7

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