Foxtel and Seven West Media's streaming platform Presto will stream its first local commission in a world premiere on December 9.
The exclusive special event, Home and Away: An Eye for an Eye, was made spcificially for the streaming service and sits immediately after the season finale of the regular series on Network Seven.
It centres on the Braxton family and will see the special guest return of two of Home and Away’s favourite characters, Heath (Dan Ewing) and Bianca (Lisa Gormley), to Summer Bay.
The Braxton family face their biggest challenge when Brax (Steve Peacocke) and Ricky’s (Bonnie Sveen) baby son Casey is kidnapped in a calculated act of revenge by Brax’s arch nemesis – Gunno (Diarmid Heidenreich) – the man responsible for his seeming ‘death’.
It’s a race against time as Heath, Ash (George Mason) and Kyle (Nic Westaway) frantically search for baby Casey while Bianca, Ricky and Phoebe (Isabella Giovinazzo) desperately try to raise the ransom money as the clock ticks.
Home and Away: An Eye for an Eye has been produced exclusively for Presto by Seven Productions and will screen only on Presto.
The announcement also accompanies Presto’s unveiling of Australia’s favourite Home and Away moments of the past 28 years, as voted by for by Home and Away fans.
The first selection of favourites featuring the most popular Home and Away “Births” episodes have started streaming from today, exclusive to Presto, and include such iconic episodes as the 2008 arrival of Archie Hyde who was born on the side of the road when his father Kim (Chris Hemsworth) tried a shortcut through an old drovers track and got a flat tyre; the 1998 birth of Martha MacKenzie to teenage mum Roo (Justine Clarke) who gave Martha up for adoption by the MacKenzie family only to try desperately to get her back at the last minute; and the 1996 new addition of daughter Shane Parrish, who was born to Angel (Melissa George) after the sudden death of his father and who was named Shane in her late dad’s honour.
The Top 10 Home and Away “Deaths” episodes will stream soon after from 22 November followed by the Top 10 “Weddings” episodes starting on 29 November. The full list of the Top 10 Home and Away “Births”, “Deaths” and “Wedding” episodes as voted by Home and Away fans include:
Presto chief executive, Shaun James, said the countdown was on to the world premiere of Home and Away: An Eye for an Eye.
"We couldn’t be more thrilled for its arrival and anticipation among Presto subscribers is approaching fever pitch," he said.
“The response to our fan poll selecting the most memorable Births, Deaths and Weddings has been huge as we approach the premiere of Home and Away: An Eye for an Eye, which has really added to the excitement.
"Home and Away fans have voted and, from today, Presto is delivering the Top 10 Births to help whet subscribers’ Home and Away appetites as we look forward to the special event.”