Home and Away to air huge UK season finale next week

The drama is ramping up for the Summer Bay residents next week, as we hit Home and Away’s UK season finale and the show’s final episodes of 2023.

Recent episodes have seen Justin (James Stewart) excitedly tell Leah (Ada Nicodemou) that he’d received a call from a local radio station, saying that he’d won an all-expenses-paid five star getaway for two people.

Whilst neither of the paid had entered such a giveaway, Justin explained that it was apparently a community initiative to reward local businesses (that’d be Summer Bay Auto for those struggling to remember, the business he’s neglected for a lot of this year to play band manager!).

The only drawback (so far) is that they’ll have to leave the very next day, and as we return to the scene next week, Leah is wondering if she can just leave at the drop of a hat, particularly when her friends Marilyn (Emily Symons) and Roo (Georgie Parker) still aren’t seeing eye to eye.

In the end, Justin and Leah are convinced by their friends to head off on their luxury adventure, and the pair are on top of the world as they’re waved off from the coffee cart.

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TRIVIA BITE: Watch out for a cameo appearance from Ada Nicodemou’s mum Jenny and aunt Thea, who are sat at one of the tables as Marilyn farewells Leah.

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When we catch up with Justin and Leah later in the week however, there’s a shocking twist as we see that they’re not living it up at a luxury retreat, but have been kidnapped and locked away in an abandoned factory in the middle of nowhere!

It transpires that the whole thing was a setup, and when the pair came across a broken down car, mechanic Justin couldn’t pass on by, not realising that he was walking straight into a trap.

The perpetrators? Why it’s none other than Vita Nova, the doomsday prepper cult that Justin fought against earlier this year in order to save Andrew Lawrence (Joshua Hewson) from their clutches.

Whilst the police (naively) stated that the group had disbanded after the arrest of leader Margot Dafoe (Mandy McElhinney), despite the fact that numerous members had been released without charge, those left behind are now exacting their revenge.

It’s been several days without food or water for Justin and Leah, who now realise that they’ve been left there to die.

Despite their waning energy, Justin is desperately trying to break the padlock on the door keeping them captive, but a frustrated Leah yells at him to stop, telling him that he’s only wasting energy.

Justin later looks up at a pipe gantry, theorising that it must lead somewhere. The only problem is how to get up to it.

Justin starts constructing a tower out of all the scrap that’s lying around. Leah has already given up and thinks it’s a waste of time; everyone thinks they’re on holiday so no-one will be looking for them. By the time they realise, it would already be too late. But Justin points out that they would be letting the cult win if they didn’t at least try.

Leah is fearful as Justin gingerly climbs up the unstable structure where he’s able to reach the pipes. But as he hangs from gantry and shuffles along, tragedy strikes as the whole thing gives way.

Justin crashes down to the factory floor, with all the metal landing on top of him.

A horrified Leah desperately tries to clear the debris off Justin’s chest as he comes around. It’s clear that he has broken ribs, and is struggling to breathe.

Realising the dire situation, Leah formulates her own plan for an escape and builds another tower, hoping to reach what is left of the pipe.

But she’s forced to return to Justin when he has a coughing fit, and it’s looking increasingly dire as he begins coughing up blood.

Justin repeatedly apologises for getting them into this mess, and Leah is distraught as he struggles to keep his eyes open.

Begging him not to die, Leah tearfully tells Justin that she wants to spend the rest of her life with him as she cradles his head, and then asks him a very important question…

“Justin Morgan, will you marry me?”

Justin is able to muster up the energy to smile and nod his head… “Of course I will” he replies, before he finally slips into unconsciousness.

Leah is beginning to think that all hope is lost as she lies down next to Justin, but she suddenly spots some prongs jutting out from one of the metal columns next to the factory wall… a ladder!

As she works out a route to take, a determined Leah tells Justin to hold on, she’s going to get them out of there.

Will Leah be able to make her escape and save her fiance, or is it already too late?

The UK season finale airs on Friday 17th November on Channel 5, or as part of the ‘first look’ on Thursday 16th November on 5STAR.

Home and Away will return to Channel 5 in January 2024.

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Here’s the full spoilers for next week’s Home and Away episodes in the UK:

Monday 13th November (Episode 8126)

Mali’s visitor promises trouble. Remi opens up to Bree. Leah and Justin embark on a last-minute getaway.

Tuesday 14th November (Episode 8127)

Dana sees an opportunity. Marilyn is evicted. Mali’s in a crisis of love and obligation.

Wednesday 15th November (Episode 8128)

Dana is caught in the middle. Tane is troubled by the future. John gets no sympathy.

Thursday 16th November (Episode 8129)

The end is near for Justin and Leah. Tane comes clean. Kirby’s solo launch event has arrived!

Friday 17th November (Episode 8130)

Kirby has a change of heart. John leans on Irene for help. A life is on the line.

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