Home and Away Spoilers – Justin Morgan suffers an overdose before the surf competition
On this week’s Home and Away in Australia, as the day of the surf competition arrives, Justin refuses to let his back pain stop him from taking part. Will he push himself too far?
These scenes will air in the UK from 26th May.
As we saw last week, Justin’s (James Stewart) pain is continuing to impact his life. Months on from the complicated operation to remove a carcinoma from his spine, his back continues to cause him problems.
Recent scans have reassured him that the tumour hasn’t grown back, and he’s simply experiencing muscular pain as his body continues to recover, but that news doesn’t make the pain any easier to handle.
In recent weeks he’s been worse than ever, even commenting that he’d give anything for the respite he had when the tumour numbed the nerves in his back. He’s desperate to feel like his normal self again.
He’s begun popping too many painkillers, the only way to briefly numb the pain. But as the weeks have gone by, he’s finding that he needs more and more of the pills to feel normal. Last week, he ran out, and was forced to beg the local medical centre for a repeat prescription after his usual doctor told him he wouldn’t be able to give him a new one for another week.
Leah hasn’t spotted that anything is amiss. She has been too busy trying to track down Susie, and this week is equally busy occupying herself with the surf competition.
Justin has decided to take part, despite having only been back in the water a couple of times since his surgery. While his first surf was great and made him feel like his life was returning to normal, his second surf almost ended in disaster. Angry with Leah (Ada Nicodemou), who had just admitted she blamed him for their troubles with Susie (Bridie Carter), he grabbed someone else’s board and ran into the water, ignoring Leah’s best efforts to stop him.
It didn’t take long for him to run into trouble. Within minutes of entering the water, he was hit by a huge rogue wave, causing his back to seize up and leaving him unable to keep his head above the surface. Thankfully, some quick thinking by Dean Thompson (Patrick O’Connor) saw him rescued and pulled safely to shore.
Despite his recent brush with death, he’s adamant he’s taking part in the surf competition. In the Surf Club, preparations are well under way and the participants are preparing for their heats, but Justin is still in pain. Noticing her boyfriend is struggling, Leah asks him if he needs another painkiller.
“Ooh, nah I don’t think I should have another one of those,” replies Justin sensibly, aware he’s taken too many recently.
However, when he finds himself alone back at the house, he has second thoughts. His heat is imminent, but he knows he won’t be able to surf well if he’s in pain. Eyeing up the blue packet, he tries with all his might not to take another one.
Back at the surf club and it’s time for Justin’s heat… but there’s no sign of him. Worried, Leah heads back to the house, where she finds Justin in the midst of a painkiller overdose!
Talking to Australian magazine TV Week about the latest twist in his recovery, James Stewart explains, “Justin is really excited to enter the surf comp and feeling good after taking the pain medication. But right before he enters, his back flares up again, which causes him to take more medication.”
He’s writhing around in pain, and can’t see or think clearly. “As he lies on the floor, Justin instantly knows he’s overdone it,” James told TV Week.
He’s in serious trouble – yet when Leah demands she take him to the hospital, his only response is to get angry with her.
Can she convince him to get to hospital before it’s too late, and will he admit he’s got a problem?
It’s not just Leah and Justin facing drama as the surf competition gets underway. Mackenzie (Emily Weir) is short staffed on her busiest day of the year, and it’s completely self-inflicted.
She fired Chloe last week, no longer willing to work with someone so closely connected to Ari and Mia. It’s her business, and she just wants to be able to go to work without a reminder of everything she’s lost.
Yet she’s riled up Ryder (Lukas Radovich) in the process. She initially demanded that Ryder fire Chloe (Sam Barrett), but was apologetic when she discovered that the pair were now boyfriend and girlfriend – but by then, the damage had been done. Ryder spontaneously quit his position at Salt, leaving Mac two staff members down.
With the competition in full swing downstairs, Mac is rushed off her feet upstairs trying to keep up with orders. She’s only recently out of hospital and should be resting, but there’s nobody else to step in. “You can’t keep pushing yourself,” advises Dean. “Yeah, well, I don’t have a choice,” Mac spits back.
Ziggy (Sophie Dillman) is worried. “This place is gonna be out of control. How is she going to handle it with the influx of people and no staff?”
Does Mackenzie risk landing herself back in hospital?
Amber (Maddy Jevic) has plenty of worries of her own, as the competition brings Dean and Ziggy closer together.
Dean always wanted to travel around the country with Ziggy, the pair of them taking part in surf competitions on the weekends. Now he’s finally got a competition right on his doorstep, yet he and Ziggy are in the past, and his new girlfriend doesn’t have a clue how to surf.
When Ziggy makes a throwaway comment to Amber, it sets her mind racing. She knows that Dean still had feelings for his ex up until recently, and after he refused to say “I love you” last week, she starts to wonder whether she’s really the one for him.
When Ziggy and Dean go on to win the surf competition together, she sees how happy they are, and the doubt grows.
“Tell me again how solid you two are,” she whispers to Tane (Ethan Browne), and just like that, the Parata brother is left questioning his new relationship as well.
Also this week… Nikau embarks on a modelling career
Nikau begins a new modelling career in this week’s Home and Away, but a new promo hints that the fashion, fame and fortune will have a big impact on his relationship with Bella.
Here’s the full spoilers for this week’s Home and Away episodes in Australia:
Monday 26th April 2021 (Episode 7542)
Ryder and Chloe have to go backwards to go forwards. Marilyn comes to the rescue for Roo. Leah is too distracted to notice Justin might need help.
Tuesday 27th April 2021 (Episode 7543)
Irene and Marilyn both have to navigate their Surf Comp duties. Leah worries when Justin doesn’t appear for his heat. Amber worries about her relationship with Dean.
Wednesday 28th April 2021 (Episode 7544)
Ziggy faces a tricky dilemma after Tane questions her break-up with Dean. Bella is horrified when the past rears its ugly head. Tori is perturbed by Christian’s new found perspective.
Thursday 29th April 2021 (Episode 7545–7547)
Mia wants to impress her new boss. Nikau gets an offer he can’t refuse. Christian organises a reconciliation with Jasmine and Tori.
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.
Ryder and Chloe enjoy the freedom of unemployment. Christian can’t explain reason beyond science. Jasmine agrees to have a tarot reading with Marilyn.