As the dust settles on one of the most explosive season finales in Home and Away history, the residents of Summer Bay find themselves suspended between hope and despair. The catastrophic tunnel crash that closed out 2025 has ignited a whirlwind of speculation, fear, and intrigue as the series prepares for a dramatic return in 2026. With multiple beloved characters left unconscious and an official confirmation that at least one life has been lost, the stakes for the upcoming season could not be higher.

The finale’s final shot — a mangled tunnel, panicked screams, and lifeless bodies sprawled across the wreckage — has ensured that the question on every fan’s lips is simple and devastating: Who doesn’t make it out alive?

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A Confirmed Death Raises the Stakes

Fans received their first concrete hint from none other than Madison Brown, who plays Mackenzie Booth. Speaking to TV Week, Brown offered a chilling tease:

“We know someone dies, but we don’t know who.”

The admission immediately set social media ablaze. The tunnel crash, already framed as one of the most destructive disasters the soap has ever attempted, now carries the emotional weight of a guaranteed fatality. With that single confirmation, the countdown to the 2026 premiere transformed into a nationwide guessing game.

The finale left Mackenzie, Abigail, Justin, and Remy unconscious and trapped beneath rubble, heightening fears that summer in the Bay might begin with a farewell to a major character. However, industry insiders, production notes, and eyewitness reports offer an unexpected twist.

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The Core Four Are Safe — So Who’s Gone?

Despite the harrowing sequences that showed four central characters in mortal danger, the cast’s return to filming paints a clear picture: the core residents will survive. Paparazzi photos, fan encounters at Palm Beach, and local filming reports all indicate that the actors playing Mackenzie, Abigail, Justin, and Remy resumed work shortly after the season wrapped.

This revelation has shifted the entire focus of speculation. If none of the long-standing favourites perished… who did?

The answer, fans believe, lies in the supporting cast — and one newcomer in particular.

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All Eyes on Eddie Shepard — The Leading Candidate for the 2026 Fatality

Few characters have seen their names trend as frequently in the wake of the finale as Eddie Shepard. Introduced only recently, Eddie quickly became beloved for his quiet charm and his intense, blossoming relationship with Joe Langham. His involvement in a surprise marriage proposal mere episodes before the catastrophe only deepened viewer investment.

But Eddie’s sudden absence from filming has raised alarm bells.

Two major clues have placed him at the center of fan theories:

• He is credited only as a guest character, which historically signals a short-term storyline or a scripted departure.

• Actor Steven Madson has not been seen on-set for months, even as most supporting cast members returned.

Within the story, Eddie’s death would hit the Langham family with merciless emotional force. The family has weathered consecutive tragedies: the loss of matriarch Christina, and later, the shocking death of Lacy’s boyfriend, Theo, only last October. To lose Eddie — in the prime of a new love story — would be a brutal narrative twist, the kind that Home and Away has never shied away from.

But not all fans are convinced Eddie is doomed. Some believe his absence could reflect a survival followed by a voluntary departure. If Joe decides their relationship cannot be repaired after the emotional turmoil leading up to the festival, Eddie may simply leave Summer Bay heartbroken. Painful — but not fatal.

Still, the eerie combination of credit listings, set absences, and narrative timing keeps Eddie at the center of the storm.

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Other Victims Still in Play

While Eddie remains the most likely casualty, Home and Away has a long history of blindsiding its audience. Producers have been remarkably tight-lipped about the identity of the deceased, leaving the door open for several alternative — and equally impactful — possibilities.

The Train Driver:
Often overlooked in fan speculation, the driver could be the fatality. A death here would reinforce the scale of the disaster while sparing the show’s established characters.

A Festival Passenger:
Several unnamed passengers shared scenes with core characters in the tunnel — any of them could be the tragic victim. This route would add realism to the disaster and underline the uncontrollable chaos of major public accidents.

A New or Background Character Given Recent Spotlight:
Some viewers have pointed to characters whose sudden increase in screen time prior to the crash felt strategically pointed. These individuals may have been given emotional depth as preparation for a shock exit.

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The Bigger Question: What Happens After the Death?

One thing is certain: the 2026 season opener will be dominated by the aftermath of the tunnel collapse. Beyond the identity of the victim, the emotional ripples will reach nearly every corner of Summer Bay.

• Joe Langham may spiral into grief if Eddie dies.

• Mackenzie, Justin, Abigail, and Remy will grapple with survivor’s guilt and trauma.

• The Bay’s stability — already fractured by recent tragedies — may unravel even further.

And if the victim is someone no one suspects? The shockwaves may reshape the Bay’s family dynamics, friendships, and rivalries for years to come.

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Waiting for Impact

Until the premiere date is officially announced, the Home and Away fandom sits in uneasy suspense, clinging to theories and dissecting every clue, interview, and filming update. A single death — still hidden from the public — threatens to ignite one of the soap’s most emotionally charged seasons to date.

As Madison Brown teased:

“It’s big. It’s heartbreaking. And nobody saw it coming.”

One thing is clear: when Home and Away returns in 2026, Summer Bay will not be the same.