EXCLUSIVE: Home and Away’s Sophie Dillman and Patrick O’Connor on why they really left Australia

Sophie Dillman and Patrick O’Connor, who moved from the eastern suburbs of Sydney to East London, are thriving in their new residence across the globe.

The Bondi pair picked the location because they have a network of Australian friends nearby. They played Summer Bay lovers Ziggy Astoni and Dean Thompson.

Sophie, 29, exclaims, “They can tell me where to buy socks!”

HOME & HEART
Winnie, their beloved toy cavoodle, had just arrived from Australia when Woman’s Day met up with them. He was chasing squirrels to get over his jet lag.

Paddy, 30, adds, “It was fine just the two of us, but we always felt something was missing.” Therefore, when he joined us, it felt more like a home.

Sophie, whose goal is to perform on the West End stage, is eager to resume work after a well-earned hiatus.

“I was told by an acting teacher that I don’t have the look for television because I had a fat face,” she admits. “That was a fantastic boost to my self-confidence as a 21-year-old trying to figure myself out! I therefore imagined that my work would be limited to acting and playing characters. Unexpectedly, I still have TV. But I really want to work in the theatre here.

They won’t forget their Summer Bay roots in the interim because adoring admirers are lining up to meet them!

So that we might take a picture together, “one man travelled seven hours with his puppy Ziggy in his backpack,” adds Sophie. The level of fandom for the programme has been pretty astounding.

TRAVEL PEST
The couple is taking advantage of being so close to Europe.
They have already travelled to Scotland, Ireland, and Portugal since departing Australia in January, and they have been snowboarding in Italy.

The decision can be a little bit overwhelming, adds Paddy. The next step is a road trip with Winnie through France and Spain. It kind of blew my head that European pets could obtain a pet passport.

They like watching a show, going to markets, cooking, and going on pub crawls with friends at home in London. Since there is so much to see and do, true homesickness hasn’t yet set in, but Sophie longs for the ocean and Paddy regrets how simple travelling was in Australia.

London is enormous. In order to get where you’re going, you must pass through a lot of individuals.
The pair is taking advantage of their independence before thinking about creating a family after working so hard in their 20s.

Sophie, who battles endometriosis, exclaims, “I’m 30 [soon] and have to think about my eggs dying, apparently!” But I am aware that there won’t be any room for impromptu travel if I begin a reproductive journey at some point.