Summer Bay has never been short on personal drama, but next week on Home and Away in the UK, the spotlight shifts to a crisis of a very different kind — one

that threatens livelihoods, friendships, and a dream that Mali Hudson has spent years building. What begins as a well-meaning decision to help family spirals into

a financial nightmare, leaving Mali staring down the very real possibility of business failure.

At the heart of the storm is Mali’s beloved board shop, a cornerstone of his identity and one of the Bay’s most recognisable local businesses. Proud, hardworking, and fiercely loyal, Mali never imagined that stepping away for family reasons could put everything he’s worked for at risk. But that’s exactly what happens when a string of questionable decisions collide with bad timing and harsh realities.

A Choice Made With Good Intentions — and Costly Consequences

When Mali left Summer Bay to return to his hometown of Manor Point, his priority was clear: family first. His sister Lanna needed support with childcare, and Mali didn’t hesitate to step up. Confident his business could survive a short absence, he entrusted the board shop to newly hired assistant Lacey.

It was a gamble — and one that quickly began to unravel.

Mali had only recently brought Lacey on board, and it soon became painfully obvious that he hadn’t fully vetted her skills. The most shocking revelation? Lacey didn’t even know how to surf. For a surf shop that relies heavily on paid lessons as its main source of income, the oversight was nothing short of disastrous.

Rather than immediately coming clean, Lacey panicked. Desperate to keep the shop afloat — and to keep her job — she quietly arranged for her boyfriend Theo to take over the surf lessons, presenting the illusion that everything was running smoothly.

A Secret That Couldn’t Stay Hidden

When Mali eventually learned the truth, his response was surprisingly forgiving. Acknowledging that he was partly to blame for leaving the shop understaffed and unsupported, he reluctantly agreed to keep the arrangement going for the first couple of weeks of his absence.

But behind the scenes, the numbers were already telling a grim story.

The shop was operating at a loss, orders were piling up, and cracks were beginning to show. Abigail stepped in to help oversee operations, hoping that with teamwork and determination, they could ride out the storm until Mali returned.

It was optimism born of loyalty — not logic.

Weeks passed, and the situation only worsened. The financial bleed continued, customer dissatisfaction grew, and the pressure mounted on everyone involved.

A Sacrifice That Changes Everything

The turning point comes when Lacey learns that Theo has turned down the chance to return to his old job at the garage because of his ongoing commitments to the board shop. For Lacey, the guilt becomes unbearable. She knows surfing lessons are the shop’s biggest money-maker, but she also knows Theo’s heart isn’t truly there.

In a moment that speaks volumes about her character, Lacey urges Abigail to let Theo go — even though it means losing their main source of income.

It’s a noble decision. And a catastrophic one.

With Theo gone, the shop is suddenly facing refunds for cancelled lessons, unsatisfied customers, and no clear plan for replacing its biggest revenue stream. Abigail is left staring at a financial abyss, fully aware that the situation has crossed from “difficult” into “dire.”

The Truth Looms — and Mali Is Coming Home

Mac encourages Abigail to be honest with Mali before things spiral any further. But before she can pick up the phone, fate intervenes. Abigail receives a call from her boyfriend and learns that Mali is already on his way back to Summer Bay.

There’s no more time to prepare. No chance to soften the blow.

When Mali arrives back at the farmhouse, he’s relaxed, upbeat, and clearly relieved to be home. He catches up with Mac, Levi, and Abigail, completely unaware that his business is teetering on the edge of collapse. While he heads off to unpack, Mac can see the tension written all over Abigail’s face.

She hasn’t told him yet. And the longer she waits, the harder it becomes.

A Brutal Reality Check

The following morning, Mali senses something isn’t right. Abigail’s unease is impossible to ignore, and eventually, she breaks. She admits that she made the decision to let Theo go and insists that they need to urgently go through the shop’s books to see where things stand.

Even then, Mali remains optimistic. Ever the problem-solver, he believes they can fix it — that hard work and determination will see them through.

But optimism doesn’t balance the books.

At the shop, Abigail lays everything bare. The disgruntled students demanding refunds. The backlog of custom board orders that Mali hasn’t had time to shape. The ongoing stock issues that began snowballing the moment he left.

It’s worse than Mali imagined.

Still, he clings to hope — until Abigail voices the question he can’t answer: how is he supposed to personally shape boards and teach surfing lessons and manage the shop day-to-day?

The silence says it all.

An Impossible Decision

Abigail delivers the harsh truth: there’s only one way forward. Lacey has to go.

The shop needs someone who can teach surf lessons and handle the daily running of the business. Right now, Lacey can’t do either. Keeping her on isn’t just risky — it could sink the entire operation.

For Mali, the suggestion cuts deep. He hates the idea of sacking someone, especially someone who tried — however imperfectly — to keep things afloat while he was gone. The thought of letting down his newest employee weighs heavily on him.

When Lacey arrives at the shop, Mali thanks her sincerely for stepping up in his absence. Lacey brushes it off, clearly still burdened by guilt. She talks about trust, about relying on one another — completely unaware that Abigail has been trying to convince Mali to fire her.

The irony is heartbreaking.

“Learn to Surf — or You’re Fired”

Caught between compassion and responsibility, Mali searches for a third option. He knows the business can’t survive as it is — but he can’t bring himself to pull the trigger just yet.

Finally, he calls Lacey over and lays out a plan that could change everything.

If she’s willing to learn to surf — properly — and train fast enough to run lessons while also managing the shop, her job will be safe. If not, there’s no future for her at the board shop.

It’s an ultimatum born of desperation.

Now the question hangs in the air: is Lacey capable of rising to the challenge, or is Mali risking everything by gambling once again on hope instead of hard facts?

With bankruptcy looming and emotions running high, Home and Away is about to prove that in Summer Bay, even good intentions can have devastating consequences — and sometimes, learning to surf might just be the difference between survival and total collapse.