It’s time to head back to Summer Bay! Channel 5 has confirmed that classic episodes of Home and Away will begin airing on its new television channel, 5Drama, from Monday 16 November 2026. The Australian soap will be shown right from its very first episode, originally broadcast in 1988, giving UK viewers the chance to revisit the early days of the much-loved series, including the arrival of the Fletcher family and some of Summer Bay’s most familiar faces.

The classic episodes will begin with the original feature-length pilot, which first aired in Australia on 17 January 1988. The opening story introduces Tom and Pippa Fletcher, played by Roger Oakley and Vanessa Downing, as they move to Summer Bay with their five foster children, beginning the family dramas, friendships and romances that would make Home and Away one of Australia’s longest-running television programmes.

When Will Classic Home and Away Air on 5Drama?

Home and Away will begin airing on 5Drama at 12pm on Monday 16 November, with the original pilot followed by two classic episodes every weekday between 12pm and 1pm. The channel will show episodes from the soap’s first two seasons in chronological order, with repeats the following morning between 9am and 10am and a weekend omnibus for anyone who misses the weekday broadcasts.

Viewers who prefer to stream can also catch up through 5Streaming, where the first 30 episodes will be available from 16 November. A further ten episodes will be added each week, giving fans the opportunity to work their way through the early Summer Bay stories at their own pace.

The repeats form part of the schedule for 5Drama, Channel 5’s new dedicated drama channel, which launched on 21 October 2026, replacing 5Select. Alongside Home and Away, the channel features programmes including All Creatures Great and Small, The Madame Blanc Mysteries, Gilmore Girls and classic episodes of Waterloo Road.

Home and Away Stars Welcome the Return of Classic Episodes

Ray Meagher, who has played Alf Stewart since the soap began and remains a regular cast member today, welcomed the opportunity for UK viewers to revisit the show’s earliest stories. “It’s fantastic to know that Home and Away is continuing to find new audiences in the UK, and now viewers can go right back to the beginning on 5Drama.”

Emily Symons, who plays Marilyn Chambers, also shared her excitement about the classic episodes returning, saying: “It’s so special to think that UK fans can revisit the very beginning of Home and Away on 5Drama.”

The return of classic Home and Away follows a growing interest in revisiting long-running soaps, with UK viewers already able to enjoy older episodes of Neighbours, EastEnders, Coronation Street and Emmerdale across various television channels.

For CultureCues, it’s great to see classic Home and Away returning to UK screens. The soap has been a familiar part of British television for decades, and it’ll be fun to revisit those early episodes, especially seeing a younger Alf Stewart and the original families who started it all. Whether you grew up watching the show or have only discovered it in recent years, it’ll be interesting to see just how much Summer Bay has changed since 1988.

Classic Home and Away begins Monday 16 November 2026 at 12pm on 5Drama.

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