Home and Away is set to reveal newcomer Valerie Beaumont’s tragic backstory to UK viewers.
In scenes, which have already premiered in Australia and set to air on UK screens next week (March 25, 26 and 27), Valerie will reluctantly open up to her new friend Theo Poulos after he enquires about her past after she followed Leah Patterson to Summer Bay.
However Valerie is reluctant to open up and avoids the questions. The next day, Theo apologises to Valerie for overstepping the mark and asking her questions about her family.
She then tells him he is lucky to have family members like his aunt Leah and Justin Morgan looking out for him.
Later on, Valerie decides to address Theo’s questions about her family, revealing that nobody – besides her counsellors – has asked her about her past in a long time.
Valerie then reveals that her parents blame her for the death of her brother in a car crash.
Her brother had picked her up from a party one night with an intense argument occurring on the way home, which led to their car landing upside down. Following the crash, Valerie kept calling out to her brother, but he wouldn’t wake up.
She then tragically reveals that her parents never forgave her for the accident, adding that’s how she tore her family apart in one night. How will Theo react to her confession?
Valerie arrived in Summer Bay after befriending Leah during her inpatient stay in a mental health clinic.
Speaking about her character in an interview with TV Week, actress Courtney Clarke revealed that Valerie suffers from “trauma and self-loathing”, which influences her decision to head to Summer Bay.
“She is pretty deep down a road of trauma and self-loathing when she meets Leah in the clinic. Valerie decides that the best thing for her to do is be around her newfound friend… and so she heads to Summer Bay,” she said.
