Home and Away’s Matt Little and Penny McNamee returning for major wedding

VJ Patterson wouldn’t miss his mum’s wedding, would he?

Actor Matt Little, who brought the beloved Home and Away character VJ to life between 2014 and 2017, has returned to Summer Bay for a cameo appearance.

His character is the son of longtime character Leah Patterson-Baker (Ada Nicodemou), who is set to wed her love Justin Morgan (James Stewart).

Also returning is the beloved character Tori Morgan, played by Penny McNamee, who plays Justin’s sister.

Returning to the set of the beloved Channel 7 soap after seven years, Little, 31, says it was strange to be back but it was like “fitting into an old place”.

“I thought about what VJ would be like, in 2024, for a long time,” he tells us.

“But because it’s a story more based around Ada and Jimmy (James), I think I understood that my character was more of a guide to that, and to bring a bit of the truth to those moments.”

Little has been a part of his fair share of Home and Away weddings — both as the fictional groom and supporting his on-camera mother.

He walked Nicodemou down the aisle when Leah married Charlie Coulson, but the actor says he “didn’t do too much”.

“The other one was obviously VJ’s failed wedding, which was kind of daunting, making sure you hit the right moments, and the second (wedding) was in the hospital.”

Both of VJ’s weddings were to the late character, Billie Ashford, who died hours after the hospital wedding.

The bedside nuptials took place after she was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer.

“The hospital wedding was fascinating because of the nature of the situation but I think we’re very well taken care of here by the crew,” Little says.

He recalls the nerves of being the fictional groom, as opposed to his role of ‘sitting in the audience’.

“I’ve never been married, but you’re saying these vows and everyone critiques the way you deliver these emotional vows and be vulnerable in front of everyone, it feels more like being on a stage,” he says.

Little first joined the show aged 21, as Nicodemou’s adult son.

“One of the first conversations we had was really great because she kind of gave me quite direct advice about how to handle yourself in terms of preparation and in terms of work ethic,” he says.

“She was really helpful and very generous with her time.

“Ada kind of knew that the relationship between us was quite important, so for her it was key to build trust and a good relationship, between essentially mother and son.

“She was caring but careful, making sure that I had the right work ethic and also that we had a positive relationship.

“So it was nice to sort of bring back those other stories and characters to sort of be there for the kind of family connection,” he says of his and McNamee’s return.

McNamee was a part of the Home and Away cast from 2016 to 2021.

Since leaving Home and Away, Little has lived in Germany and the US before returning to home soil where he studied at university and began acting again.

He has also been writing and producing his own projects, and most recently starred in the comedy series Planted.