Billie Ashford (Tessa De Josselin)

[Dazzle]

I'm really not looking forward to seeing Billie die here in the UK. She and VJ are so sweet together that it breaks my heart that she's going to leave him (and the baby) soon.

[Pantherboy]

DigitalSpy article on the episode that aired last night in Aust:


Home and Away kills off a regular character after heartbreaking wedding scenes
Heartache in Summer Bay.

Warning: This article contains big spoilers for scenes which won't air in the UK for another seven weeks.

http://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/home...edding-scenes/

[Perdita]

Also ahead in Summer Bay, Billie Ashford faces fresh turmoil as her baby lies continue to take their toll on her.

With more people now aware of Billie's dark secret, her biggest fear is that they'll all start talking to each other - potentially sharing extra knowledge that not everyone knew.

Billie's brother Ash quickly realises this when she clearly doesn't want him talking to Phoebe Nicholson (Isabella Giovinazzo) about her attack - and he begins to suspect that it's because they both know the identity of the man who raped her.

Billie (Tessa De Josselin) also frantically covers her tracks by warning Phoebe not to tell Ash about Mick, fearing that he'll seek revenge against the evil villain and end up in prison himself.

When Phoebe continues to question her friend's strange secrecy, she dares to ask whether the baby's father is Mick rather than VJ - and Billie's furious denial only serves to spark further suspicion.

With poor Billie under more pressure and her closest confidants all comparing notes, could her secrets and lies unravel further?

Phoebe Nicholson speaks to Billie Ashford about her baby secrets in Home and Away
© CHANNEL 5

Phoebe Nicholson speaks to Billie Ashford about her baby secrets in Home and Away
© CHANNEL 5

Phoebe Nicholson speaks to Billie Ashford about her baby secrets in Home and Away
© CHANNEL 5
Home and Away airs these scenes on Monday, February 27 at 1.15pm and 6pm on Channel 5.

Digital Spy

[Pantherboy]

This is more of a general news story, but as these scenes haven't gone to air as yet in the UK, I thought I had better put it in with the spoilers.

Herald Sun article:


Home And Away’s latest tug of love storyline sparks a ratings boom


HOME and Away can already lay claim to nurturing some of the biggest names in Hollywood today.

But a creche of tiny tots, currently sharing the role of baby Luc on the Channel 7 series, have sparked a new ratings boom, sending fans and some of the show’s leading men gaga.

Social media went into meltdown recently when the bub’s mother, Billie Ashford (played by Tessa DeJosselin) died of an aggressive form of cancer — leaving the infant in the care of her new husband.

Matt Little, who plays surrogate dad VJ Patterson, admits the last six months of the heavy storyline, which ended with his character promising a dying Billie he would care for her child, have been brightened by his little, cooing co-stars.

“It’s been beautiful just to come to work and put your attention on these babies, who have no agenda,” Little told News Corp Australia.

“You can’t trick a baby into thinking we’re doing the most important job in the world ... and you can’t let your own ego get carried away with you in a scene. You’ve just got to pay attention to this living human being and that’s been kind of nice.”

The baby girl, played by up to six real tots since her TV birth, including eight-month-old Sterling (pictured) will be at the centre of an upcoming custody struggle between Little’s character, VJ, the bub’s biological uncle Ash (played by George Mason) and Summer Bay veteran, Irene (Lynn Grainger).

But the show’s executive producer Lucy Addario revealed there’s already a battle on set between mostly the male actors as to who gets to cuddle and comfort the babies between takes.

“Often you’ll see them crying and Matt and George are in there, rocking them. Just to see these guys with those little babies ... oh my god, every woman on set just melts.”

In a storytelling sense, “births, deaths and marriages” are always hugely popular, Addario said, with Billie’s death peaking at 1.67 million viewers nationally.

“Billie’s story was a great one because of who the father is (Irene’s son) and the circumstances of its conception (in a shock rape), which provided so much drama even before the baby was born.”

It’s been a happy counter to Billie’s death, which was mourned by the cast and crew, as well as fans who flooded social media with grieving messages.

“We grieve three times,” Addario explained. “You deal with it first in the script, then eight or nine weeks later you see them film it and watch it in edit; then you watch on air like everyone else a third time ... I get sad thinking about it now.”

It makes the sweet smile from ‘baby Luc’ or a gurgle mid-scene just “so divine,” Addario said.

“Often the directors put in little cutaways of the babies because they’re giving us the reactions we need. I’ll dread the day when they get too old ... they’re just gorgeous.”

Child welfare rules mean productions like Home And Away, as well as Ten’s drama series, Offspring must limit the time each infant can work per day; while “laid back babies who are happy to be held by people” are scouted by talent agencies, generally specialising in child actors.

“The main thing to remember is babies and toddlers change every day,” Offspring’s casting agent Emma Dockery said, “and you always have to be prepared for the unexpected. That’s what makes it so much fun.”

http://cdn.newsapi.com.au/image/v1/8...5e77?width=650
http://cdn.newsapi.com.au/image/v1/c...cbce?width=650

[Perdita]

Also ahead in Summer Bay, there are equally dramatic scenes ahead for Billie Ashford as she goes into labour on the side of a remote road.

Billie (Tessa De Josselin) has her boyfriend VJ Patterson by her side when she realises that her baby is coming now, but neither of them have any phone reception to call the emergency services.

The situation becomes a whole lot more scary when the couple suddenly smell smoke, revealing that they're also in the danger zone as the bushfire continues to spread.

Still determined to get a phone signal, VJ (Matt Little) rushes through the bush to find help, while Billie waits behind in their broken-down car.

When VJ still doesn't have any luck with his phone, he has no choice but to return to Billie and carry her down the road until they can get the help they need.

As Billie is rushed off to hospital, will everything be okay?

Billie Ashford is with VJ Patterson while she's in labour in Home and Away
© CHANNEL 5

Billie Ashford is with VJ Patterson while she's in labour in Home and Away
© CHANNEL 5

Billie Ashford is with VJ Patterson while she's in labour in Home and Away
© CHANNEL 5
Home and Away airs these scenes on Monday, March 13 at 1.15pm and 6pm on Channel 5.

Digital Spy

[Perdita]

Also ahead in the Bay, there's fresh hell for Billie Ashford when her newborn daughter Luc is kidnapped.

ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOW


The arrival of Billie's baby girl next week comes with a worrying coincidence as Irene Roberts's villainous son Mick Jennings is back in town, lurking in the shadows and lying in wait.

Mick raped Billie (Tessa De Josselin) last year and is the father of Luc, so he immediately puts two and two together when he sees mum and baby together at the hospital.

Billie is inconsolable after Mick snatches Luc, but worried 'grandma' Leah (Ada Nicodemou) is highly confused and doesn't understand why he'd take her.

The chaotic situation forces Billie to reveal everything to Leah by explaining who the father of the baby really is, but with everyone finally on the same page, will they get Luc back safely?

VJ Patterson and Billie Ashford in Home and Away
© CHANNEL 5

Billie Ashford and Martin 'Ash' Ashford in Home and Away
© CHANNEL 5

VJ and Leah Patterson-Baker in Home and Away
© CHANNEL 5
Home and Away airs these scenes on Wednesday, March 22 at 1.15pm and 6pm on Channel 5.

Digital Spy

[Perdita]

Home and Away's UK fans will soon see the scenes we've been dreading for seven months, as Billie Ashford passes away.

Viewers have known that Tessa De Josselin's character is being killed off since August last year, when paparazzi photographers took some sneaky shots of Billie's memorial on location.

With Home and Away filmed so far in advance, we've seen plenty of twists and turns for Billie since then – but her time in Summer Bay finally comes to a tragic end in early April.

When Billie suffers a shock collapse and is rushed to hospital, she's diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer and is told that she only has days left to live.

Local doctor Nate Cooper has the tough task of breaking the news to Billie at the hospital, as well as fielding questions from her loved ones who can't believe that it's true.

Once everyone finally accepts the heartbreaking truth, her loyal boyfriend VJ Patterson (Matt Little) suggests it's time for them to finally tie the knot.

Although VJ's suggestion takes everyone by surprise, it's not long before everyone close to the pair is pitching in to make it happen as quickly as possible.

After the young couple exchange their vows in a small but touching ceremony at the hospital, Billie has one last favour to ask VJ – she wants to see the sun come up over the beach one final time.










Digital Spy

[lizann]

i did not invest and care heavily about her and vj as a couple unlike aden and belle but her death was sad, little luc an orphan and marty alone

[Perdita]

I still miss Belle and Aden ... I agree, they had a great chemistry which Bille and VJ never had but sad to see Bille pass away

[tammyy2j]

Was it Tessa's decision to leave or the show's?