Latest news with #SophieDillman
Daily Mail
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Heartbreak as Home and Away star dies suddenly: 'By far the best actor'
Tributes are pouring in after a beloved Home and Away cast member recently died. Buddy, the adorable Boxer who featured as James Stewart's dog on the show from 2016 - 2019, passed away over the weekend. His owner Shelley announced the heartbreaking news on social media. 'I have lost my Buddy. We did so many fun things together over the years. His time on Home and Away was definitely the highlight for him and me,' she began. 'He loved going more than anything. We had a final trip to the beach planned but he just didn't make it. He left peacefully at home in his bed while I held him. I have lost a big piece of my heart.' From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. The dog made his first appearance on the show with James Stewart's character, Justin Morgan, in June 2016. He was gradually phased out as the drama series began focusing on Justin's relationship with Leah Patterson, played by James' real-life girlfriend Ada Nicodemou. Heartbroken Home and Away cast members took to the comment section to pay tribute to the canine. 'RIP beautiful Buddy. You were my side kick in so many scenes... An incredible scene partner,' James Stewart wrote. 'Always knew your lines… always hit your mark.. and you could sniff out chicken wherever it was! I love ya mate.' 'Oh I am so sorry to read this. Beautiful Buddy,' added Lynne McGranger and Sophie Dillman chipped in: 'Sending you so much love. The goodness boy ever.' Meanwhile, heartbroken fans paid tribute to the dog's fine 'acting' skills. 'He was the best thing in Home and Away for many years. By far the best actor. An amazing dog, may he rest in peace and enjoy his time over the rainbow bridge,' one devastated fan wrote. Buddy was gradually phased out as the drama series began focusing on Justin's relationship with Leah Patterson, played by James' real-life girlfriend Ada Nicodemou (pictured) In August, Buddy made headlines after fans noticed a strange detail about him on the long-running Channel Seven soap opera. On a Facebook fan page, one viewer was quick to point out that Justin Morgan's beloved pooch had mysteriously gone missing from Summer Bay. 'What happened to Buddy? Never see him anymore,' commented one eagle-eyed viewer. 'Poor Buddy, he must be starving, no one ever feeds him, let alone takes him out on daily walks?!' wrote another. 'He's in the backyard,' replied another person, before one proposed a novel theory about Boxer's extended absence. '[Buddy] heard Justin singing and playing guitar and ran far away like a dog with fireworks, poor thing,' the comment read, referring to the character's tendency to sing on the show. Elsewhere, others suggested the long-running drama should go back to showing more of the characters' domestic lives.
Irish Daily Mirror
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Daily Mirror
Home and Away star issues stark warning after incurable health diagnosis
A soap star has opened up about their experience with a health condition that includes severe pain among its symptoms. The actor has issued advice to others in similar circumstances after living with it for more than a decade. Sophie Dillman, 31 - who is best known for her role as Ziggy Astoni on Home and Away - has raised awareness of endometriosis in a new interview, amid an apparent review of clinical guidelines in Australia. The condition, as stated by the NHS, involves cells similar to those in the lining of the uterus growing in other parts of the body, and symptoms can include severe period pain, heavy periods and fatigue. The actor, who has revealed that she has now lived with endometriosis for more than a decade, spoke to 7News about how she dealt with her symptoms whilst on set of the show. Sophie returned for several episodes of the soap just months ago, after previously starring on it from 2017 to 2023. She told the outlet that she often relied on a hot water bottle during filming. She said: "Those days, they can hurt, being on your feet all day, running up and down, changing costumes being in costumes that when I'm in a flare don't fit." Sophie said that she would walk around "everywhere" with her hot water bottle. She recalled pulling it out of her trousers when filming began and suggested that colleagues would then give it back to her in between takes. She added that she has "permanent scarring" on her stomach due to "using it for so long". Speaking about the condition, Sophie said that she's been experiencing symptoms since her first period. She added that she received an 'official diagnosis' after she urged doctors to examine the possibility of endometriosis. Sophie said she felt "strongly" about it. She said: "They found what they thought was just scar tissue and I said 'no, I want you to test it, I think it is endometriosis' and I felt really strongly about that and it came back and it was endometriosis." She added that for another two of the surgeries she was woken up and told it was scar tissue, rather than endometriosis. Sophie recalled saying "that's what happened last time" and encouraging them to test the scar tissue. In a message to others who may have the condition, and warning over trusting yourself over your body, she said: "Get yourself checked, back yourself, you know your body better than anyone and if something doesn't feel right, keep pushing for an answer." Sophie added that people "shouldn't live in pain" and that it's "not fair" that they do. The NHS in the UK notes there are currently no treatments that can cure endometriosis. It however adds that treatment can help manage symptoms such as pain.
Daily Mirror
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Home and Away star issues warning after incurable health diagnosis
Home and Away cast member Sophie Dillman has opened up about a health condition that can cause severe pain, including how she has dealt with symptoms on the set before A soap star has opened up about their experience with a health condition that includes severe pain among its symptoms. The actor has issued advice to others in similar circumstances after living with it for more than a decade. Sophie Dillman, 31 - who is best known for her role as Ziggy Astoni on Home and Away - has raised awareness of endometriosis in a new interview, amid an apparent review of clinical guidelines in Australia. The condition, as stated by the NHS, involves cells similar to those in the lining of the uterus growing in other parts of the body, and symptoms can include severe period pain, heavy periods and fatigue. The actor, who has revealed that she has now lived with endometriosis for more than a decade, spoke to 7News about how she dealt with her symptoms whilst on set of the show. Sophie returned for several episodes of the soap just months ago, after previously starring on it from 2017 to 2023. She told the outlet that she often relied on a hot water bottle during filming. She said: "Those days, they can hurt, being on your feet all day, running up and down, changing costumes being in costumes that when I'm in a flare don't fit." Sophie said that she would walk around "everywhere" with her hot water bottle. She recalled pulling it out of her trousers when filming began and suggested that colleagues would then give it back to her in between takes. She added that she has "permanent scarring" on her stomach due to "using it for so long". Speaking about the condition, Sophie said that she's been experiencing symptoms since her first period. She added that she received an 'official diagnosis' after she urged doctors to examine the possibility of endometriosis. Sophie said she felt "strongly" about it. She said: "They found what they thought was just scar tissue and I said 'no, I want you to test it, I think it is endometriosis' and I felt really strongly about that and it came back and it was endometriosis." She added that for another two of the surgeries she was woken up and told it was scar tissue, rather than endometriosis. Sophie recalled saying "that's what happened last time" and encouraging them to test the scar tissue. In a message to others who may have the condition, and warning over trusting yourself over your body, she said: "Get yourself checked, back yourself, you know your body better than anyone and if something doesn't feel right, keep pushing for an answer." Sophie added that people "shouldn't live in pain" and that it's "not fair" that they do. The NHS in the UK notes there are currently no treatments that can cure endometriosis. It however adds that treatment can help manage symptoms such as pain. It states that medicines, like painkillers and hormones, are "often the first treatment" for the condition. Patients can be offered surgery in some circumstances, which can remove areas of endometriosis or ovarian cysts caused by it. The NHS says that patients may have "long lasting symptoms" that can affect their daily lives. It adds that symptoms of endometriosis typically stop after the menopause - though it states that it isn't always the case. It states that, alongside support from your doctor, patients may find it useful to seek support from organisations such as Endometriosis UK or The Endometriosis Foundation.
Daily Mail
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Home and Away star Sophie Dillman reveals 'decade' long battle with 'invisible' illness
Former Home and Away star Sophie Dillman has opened up about her decade long health battle that has left her with permanent scars. The Aussie actress, 31, who played Ziggy Astoni in the Aussie soap series, revealed she has long suffered with endometriosis, a condition that sees tissue that is almost identical to the lining of the uterus grow outside of the area. Symptoms of the illness can include debilitating pain, inflammation, fatigue, heavy bleeding and even infertility. Speaking to 7News, Sophie said her pain was so bad during her time on the show she would often need a hot water bottle to get through a day of filming. 'Those days, they can hurt, being on your feet all day, running up and down, changing costumes, being in costumes that when I'm in a flare don't fit,' she said. 'We'd be rolling up and I'd pull the hot water bottle out of my pants and chuck it to the side and one of the camera assistants would grab it in between takes.' Sophie went on to say she suffered permanent scarring on some parts of her stomach from using the hot water bottle for so long. The actress, who has been struggling with pain since her first period, had an inkling it was endometriosis and demanded doctors test for the illness, despite them being adamant it wasn't. 'They found what they thought was just scar tissue and I said "no, I want you to test it, I think it is endometriosis" and I felt really strongly about that and it came back and it was endometriosis,' she said. The often 'invisible' condition, which affects one in seven Australian women, can take up to six years to diagnose, hence why it is so often misdiagnosed. In 2023, Sophie revealed some surprising behind-the-scenes secrets about the beloved soap. The Aussie actress, who was on the show for six years, said many of her former co-stars are secretly covered in tattoos and 'fake' their kisses. Sophie also said that the producers of the long-running hit use 'TV magic' to create the show's setting, Summer Bay, to make it seem like a tiny village. 'It looks like a walk from the caravan park onto the beach is a quick five minutes and the Farm Houses are just around the corner,' Sophie wrote in Yahoo Lifestyle at the time. But in fact, Sophie revealed, the locations of the show's landmark's like the Farm House, the Surf Club, the beach and the caravan park are hours apart. Much loved by fans for its 'hot' scenes of intimate kissing, Sophie said the passion is all acting. 'I hate to tell you but a lot of kisses that you see on-screen aren't entirely real,' she said. 'Most actors choose to use a 'stage kiss' to keep a degree of separation with their fellow co-stars,' Sophie continued. 'Essentially, the French part of the French kiss is taken out, if you catch my drift.' Sophie famously ' dated' her real-life partner on the show, actor Patrick O'Connor, who played on-screen boyfriend Dean. 'Luckily, Dean and Ziggy didn't have to do much faking on set,' she cheekily added.
7NEWS
18-05-2025
- Health
- 7NEWS
Endometriosis: Home and Away star reveals ‘invisible' illness that left her clutching a hot water bottle on set
It's a condition that affects one in seven Australian women yet for decades, endometriosis has remained shrouded in silence, stigma, and misdiagnosis. But that could be about to change. 7NEWS can reveal a first look at a groundbreaking set of clinical guidelines that could revolutionise how general practitioners diagnose and manage the debilitating condition. Actress Sophie Dillman, known for her role on Home and Away, has lived with endometriosis for more than a decade. On set, she often relied on a hot water bottle to get through filming. 'Those days, they can hurt, being on your feet all day, running up and down, changing costumes being in costumes that when I'm in a flare don't fit,' she said. 'I would walk around everywhere with a hot water bottle. We'd be rolling up and I'd pull the hot water bottle out of my pants and chuck it to the side and one of the camera assistants would grab it in between takes' 'I actually have permanent scarring on some parts of my belly because of using it for so long.' Dillman says she's been suffering since her first period and it wasn't until she demanded doctors examine the possibility that she received an official diagnosis. 'They found what they thought was just scar tissue and I said 'no, I want you to test it, I think it is endometriosis' and I felt really strongly about that and it came back and it was endometriosis,' Sophie said. 'For another two of those surgeries, they woke me up and said 'it's not endometriosis, it's just scar tissue' and I said I've had to say that's what happened last time: that scar tissue needs to be tested and it came back positive for endometriosis' Sophie is just one of millions of women living with this chronic and often invisible illness, which can take up to six years to diagnose. What is endometriosis? Endometriosis occurs when tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside it, causing pain, fatigue and, in many cases, infertility. Despite it affecting so many women, it has long been misdiagnosed and misunderstood. 'We've ended up with a whole area of medicine that's been neglected,' says Associate Professor Dr Magdalena Simonis, one of Australia's leading experts in women's health. 'If you go to any GP, you can expect to have pretty good treatment and management of your diabetes, whereas if you go in with endometriosis or women's health issues or pelvic pain or heavy menstrual bleeding, your experience of that as a patient will be very different, depending on who you see, and that's what we're trying to level out' New guidelines In what could be a turning point, Simonis and a team of experts are reviewing Australia's first national draft clinical guidelines to help GPs better identify and treat endometriosis faster. They will outline critical diagnostic criteria, referral pathways, and improved GP education which could dramatically reduce diagnostic delays and offer clearer care pathways for women in pain, including a reference guide, flowchart and new resources for patients. 'Up until now, the research investment in women's health has been negligible,' Simonis says. 'That's done an enormous amount of harm. 'We're teaching the health profession to listen to women [and] take their presenting complaints really seriously because endometriosis will present in a variety of ways' Dillman hopes the future for girls and women will be brighter. 'Get yourself checked, back yourself, you know your body better than anyone and if something doesn't feel right, keep pushing for an answer,' she pleaded. 'You don't have to live in pain, you shouldn't live in pain and it's not fair that we live in pain.'
