Former Home and away Star Jake Speer weighed in on producers’ decision to no longer have school-aged children and Summer Bay High on television.
The young actor, who played Oscar MacGuire from 2013 to 2016, was shocked when he realized there were no teenagers living in Summer Bay.
In a conversation with Yahoo Lifestyle about his next big career move, the star reminisced about his first major role and explains why producers should “bring back Summer Bay High.”
“What is it Home and away no high school kids? The show was built around what it means to grow up in Australia and all the ups and downs that comes with it,” he tells us.
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The Clickbait The star adds that she always “loved” talking to fans who could see versions of themselves in the soap, often “facing similar dilemmas”.
“We felt like we were having a national conversation about things that really mattered to the people who watched the show,” he explains. “Are there no more children in Summer Bay? Give the people what they want, bring back Summer Bay High”.
“I’d be back in a heartbeat”
The star’s character was killed off six years ago, but there’s still a possibility that Oscar, Evelyn’s twin brother, could return. In soap operas, a common trope is for characters to fake their own death or return as a long-lost twin – in Jake’s case, it should be a triplet.
While Jake has been busy working on other projects on stage and screen, he says he’ll be back on the show in a heartbeat.
“Who could say no to Summer Bay? Although we should be creative about how,” he quips. “I like [the] the idea of a triplet. Who knows how many brothers Oscar left behind when he fled the cult!”
The Kinky Boots Australia The star speaks fondly of her time on the show, saying many of the cast and crew felt “like family”.
“It was hard to say goodbye, but I’m incredibly grateful for my time on the show and all the great memories,” he recalls.
He is still close to his cast members and had a mini-date when he married high school sweetheart Leanne Wood in 2021. Former co-stars Philippa Northeast (Evelyn MacGuire), Alec Snow (Matt Page) and Scott Lee (Hunter King) ) were there to celebrate his big day.
“I see Pip and Alec quite often, as well as Georgie Parker (Roo Stewart) and Shane Withington (John Palmer). Georgie is my ‘stage mom’ and Shane is my sailing guru,” he tells us.
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Jake’s interesting career move: “The Perfect Christmas Trip”
While Jake has dipped his toes into all aspects of the entertainment industry since leaving Home and awayhis next big project is a new interpretation of Shakespeare The dream of a summer night.
The Catch Me If You Can The theater star takes on the role of Theseus and Titania as part of Sport for Jove’s 2022/2023 season. The much-loved play will be performed in two outdoor venues, and Jake teases that the show will be unexpected and “wild”.
“People can have visions of pretty fairies, love-drunk teenagers, and a guy with a [a] donkey, but our production takes a different approach. It’s a play set in a world immersed in environmental chaos, where marriages are arranged and forced, where people aren’t free to be who they really are,” he explains.
The star adds that audiences can expect a “showdown” and a “hilarious transformation” in what will be “a perfect Christmas outing for everyone”.
The dream of a summer night will be held at Bella Vista Farm from December 16-30 and Everglades Gardens, Leura from January 7-22. Tickets can be found here.
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