Yahoo News 7 huge theories over Home and Away's murder story
Note: This article contains spoilers from Australian-pace Home and Away episodes, which some UK readers may prefer to avoid.
Home and Away has returned to Australian screens with a bang this week, as one of our favourite characters committed murder.
When policeman Colby Thorne (Tim Franklin) finally managed to corner his evil stepfather Ross Nixon, he did the unthinkable by shooting him dead and burying the body. Yikes – that escalated quickly.
Soaps love a killer cover-up story and there's sure to be plenty of twists and turns ahead in this one, as Colby's actions have big consequences in the coming weeks. Just for fun, here's seven early (and dramatic) theories on where the story may head next.
1. Colby confesses all to Chelsea?
Colby may be head over heels in love with Chelsea, but being married to a fellow police officer does have its downsides if you happen to have a terrible crime that you need to cover up.
This week's Australian-pace episodes of Home and Away have seen Colby repeatedly arouse the suspicions of Chelsea, who knows that he isn't telling the full story about his showdown with Ross.
The latest on-screen Home and Away trailer also shows Colby preparing to make a life-changing confession to Chelsea, warning that she may not like what she's about to hear. Will he go ahead and tell her the truth, or chicken out at the last minute?
2. Chelsea catches out Colby?
If Colby gets cold feet at the last minute and decides that he's better off keeping schtum, could resourceful Chelsea vow to find some answers off her own back? Summer Bay's newest cop is more competent than most police in Soapland and she prides herself on doing things by the book.
Having spent a few days picking holes in Colby's story, Chelsea is certainly better-placed than most to get out there and start gathering together clues. Were Colby and Dean a little too careless with their spur-of-the-moment cover-up? Could Chelsea end up confronting Colby with some damning evidence that proves his guilt?
3. Chelsea leaves in disgust?
It's no secret that Chelsea won't be a long-term resident in Summer Bay. When former Neighbours star Ashleigh Brewer took on the role early last year, she made it clear that she was only sticking around on a six-month contract. In August, she also hinted that Chelsea wouldn't be killed off.
While we don't know whether Chelsea's departure is imminent or way off, is there a chance that Colby's murderous act will be what ultimately drives her away? We certainly can't imagine such a straight-laced character living happily with a murderer for too long...
4. Someone finds the body?
Whenever a body gets buried away in a remote location in the soap world, you can bet your bottom dollar that it'll crop up again when everyone least expects it.
Conveniently for future storyline purposes, Colby and Dean's cover-up appeared haphazard at best (that grave seemed pretty shallow) and it's surely only a matter of time before someone finds Ross's remains. Could Ross come back to haunt them in the future?
5. Dean cracks under the pressure?
Soaps are often at their best when they challenge our expectations. We've always known that Colby is the nice guy cop who's trying to escape from his dark past, while Dean is the dodgy one who's most likely to be at the centre of criminal activity in the Bay.
Surprisingly though, everything seems to have changed all of a sudden, as Dean seemed genuinely shocked when Colby murdered his stepfather in the heat of the moment. Could Dean be the one who ultimately 'fesses up about what's happened, no doubt breaking a million River Boy loyalty rules in the process?
6. Bella turns against Colby?
Courtney Miller, who plays Bella, is still filming for Home and Away and since the show shoots scenes a whopping six months in advance, it seems that we'll be seeing a lot more of her this year. But is there a danger that she'll become estranged from Colby once the truth comes out?
Bella has only just escaped the clutches of one violent villain, so we can't imagine her being too impressed if she ever finds out that her brother has his own murderous streak. Could Bella even go through the classic Summer Bay rite of passage – being fostered by another family?
7. The end of the Willow/Dean/Colby friendship?
The trio of Willow, Dean and Colby is one of the strongest friendship groups in Summer Bay, but with the stakes so high in this particular plot, there's a real chance that those relationships will become pretty strained.
Colby has dragged Dean into committing a crime by accepting his help to hide the body. As Willow's loyalties lie with Dean, it seems likely that she'll be livid with Colby for getting him embroiled in such a mess.
If the truth does come out, is there a danger that Colby and Dean could both end up behind bars? Where would that leave poor Willow if it did happen? Things could be about to get very messy…
Home and Away airs weekdays at 1.15pm and 6pm on Channel 5 (UK) and Mondays to Thursdays at 7pm on Channel 7 (Australia).
Read more news, spoilers and gossip on our Home and Away homepage
Want up-to-the-minute soaps news, spoilers and gossip on your social feeds? Just hit 'Like' on our Digital Spy Soaps Facebook page and 'Follow' on our @soapscoop Twitter account.
('You Might Also Like',)
