“He’s still got many adventures he wants to do.”
Real-life Home and Away couple Sophie Dillman and Patrick O’Connor have spoken about a recent development in their relationship, sharing that they’ve gone long-distance for the time being.
The pair appeared together on the Australian soap until 2023 as they departed their respective roles of Ziggy Astoni and Dean Thompson, with the duo also beginning a relationship during their time on the show.
Now, two years on from their exit, the couple have still been going strong as they travelled across Europe, with O’Connor remaining in the UK for work as Dillman returned to her homeland.
In an interview with Woman’s Day, Dillman admitted that the change in circumstance can prove to be a challenge, explaining: “The grey weather was a major reason I had to come back as I kept getting really sick over there.
“It’s not bothering Patrick, he’s still got many adventures he wants to do and I’m so happy he’s made that decision. [Long-distance relationships] can get complicated sometimes because we don’t know any different.
“We worked together before we were together and then we started dating, so we’ve never spent this much time apart,” she continued, before adding that they were still “going strong” whilst being “supportive” of each other.
Whilst Dillman and O’Connor departed the soap two years ago, it was announced in October that the pair would be reprising their roles for a storyline later this year, an opportunity that Dillman likened to a “dream”.
“[We] couldn’t say no,” she recalled. “We got to come back to our amazing Home and Away family but also film in some of the most beautiful parts of Queensland. It was a dream. I have to expect some drama but it was a really fun storyline and the fans will love it.”
Home and Away airs weekdays at 1.45pm on Channel 5, with repeat screenings at 6pm on 5STAR and first-look screenings at 6.30pm on 5STAR. Selected classic episodes are available via Prime Video in the UK.