A Season Return Without Major Cast Exits… Or So It Seems

Home and Away fans entered the long break believing there would be no major departures in early 2026. All regular cast members are reportedly still filming, suggesting that the season opener would not include a shocking exit from the core group. But the train-crash cliffhanger changed everything.

In a recent interview, Maddison Brown hinted that the new year will begin with tragedy. “We know someone dies, but we don’t know who,” she teased — and that single sentence has sent viewers into a frenzy.

Why Eddie Shepherd Is Suddenly the Prime Candidate

Speculation intensified when fans noticed that Stephen Madsen, who plays Eddie Shepherd, hasn’t been spotted filming at Palm Beach for months. The absence is unusual. More concerning is his status in the show’s closing credits. Madsen is still listed as a guest character, despite Eddie’s emotional proposal to Jo.

That detail alone suggests his long-term future was never guaranteed. Now, with the crash storyline looming, viewers fear that Eddie may be the one who doesn’t make it out alive. The possibility fits the timing, and it aligns with his reduced on-set presence.

If Eddie dies, it would devastate Jo — and mark another heartbreaking blow for the Langham family.

Another Langham Loss?

The Langhams have already endured more than their share of grief. The family lost matriarch Kristina two years ago. Then, earlier in October, Lacey lost her boyfriend Theo.

Killing Eddie so soon after those tragedies would be a brutal creative choice. But Home and Away has never shied away from emotionally loaded storylines, especially when it comes to multi-generational families.

Still, there is another possible twist. Eddie may survive the crash but choose to leave Summer Bay after Jo decides she cannot repair their relationship. That kind of quiet, emotional farewell would allow the show to write him out without another on-screen funeral.

Or Is the Victim Someone Else Entirely?

There is always the chance the death belongs to a less central character. The victim could be the train driver, a tourist, or a random guest heading to the Off the Rails festival. Killing off a minor character would allow the show to deliver drama without losing a fan-favorite.

Unfortunately, fans won’t get answers until January, when the first 2026 episodes reveal who survived the wreck — and whose story comes to a tragic end.