Home and Away returns with baby drama for Tori and Robbo

Back in late November 2019, when the sunshine soap began its annual absence from Channel 5's schedules to maintain a gap in transmission so it doesn't overtake Australian airings, the pregnant doctor was in labour in a safe house with Robbo (Jake Ryan) rushing to the scene.

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Thankfully, her platonic co-parent makes it in time for the birth of baby girl Grace, but exhausted Tori passes out and has to be airlifted to hospital where doctors reveal the devastating news - she has suffered a huge stroke and is now unconscious.

Robbo and the family attempt to digest the fact she may never stir from her coma, and even if she does it could be with serious, life-changing brain damage.

This leads to a tug of love over baby Grace between Robbo, wife Jasmine and Tori's siblings, Justin and Mason. Should the newborn be with her mum's birth family or her father, who is understandably unstable?

Other big stories picking up where they left off in the first week of 2020 are Ben Astoni's continuing battle with depression as side effects from the medication he's been prescribed puts further pressure on his and Maggie's marriage. Plus, volatile teen Bella Nixon jeopardises big brother Colby Thorne's love life.

Looking further ahead, there's more misery in store for the Morgan clans in the coming weeks - Australia's season finale for 2019, before the soap took its winter break down under, climaxed in a tense hospital siege that saw Mason shot dead.

Meanwhile, the community fears for the safety of Leah Patterson-Baker when she mysteriously disappears, and lively new family the Paratas move into Summer Bay, armed with the requisite dark secret…

Home and Away is back in its usual slot of 1:15pm and 6pm weekdays on Channel 5 from Monday 6th January 2020.

Visit our dedicated Home and Away page for all the latest news, interviews and spoilers.