Next week on Home and Away in the UK, viewers are bracing for an emotionally devastating storyline as Roo Stewart finds herself racing against time to protect

a little boy whose world is once again falling apart. Just weeks after Cohen learned the truth about his biological father, hope is cruelly ripped away

when Adrian abruptly walks out of Summer Bay — leaving Roo to pick up the pieces of a shattered child’s heart.

The storyline unfolds at a heartbreaking pace, forcing Roo into an impossible position as she tries to shield Cohen from yet another devastating rejection. Having already lost his mother under traumatic circumstances, Cohen now faces the unthinkable: abandonment by the man he had only just begun to call “Dad.”

Cohen’s journey has been turbulent from the very beginning. After his mother Samantha relinquished custody following her arrest, foster carers Roo and Alf Stewart began the process of adopting him, determined to give the vulnerable boy the stability he desperately needed. That sense of security was suddenly threatened when David uncovered a long-buried secret: Samantha’s former partner, Adrian, had once posted bail for her while she was pregnant. The implication was clear — Adrian could be Cohen’s biological father.

Summoned to Yabbie Creek Police Station, Adrian confirmed what he had always believed. He claimed Samantha had walked out on him when Cohen was just three months old, insisting the child wasn’t his. Though the plan was to wait for DNA confirmation before involving Cohen, Adrian couldn’t stay away. When he spotted Roo and Cohen together at the surf club, he impulsively introduced himself, leaving Cohen confused and overwhelmed. Cash was forced to intervene, and Roo later sat Cohen down to explain who Adrian really was.

The DNA results soon confirmed the truth: Adrian was Cohen’s biological father. For Roo, the news was bittersweet. While she believed every child deserved to know their parent, she couldn’t ignore the painful reality that she might lose the boy she had come to love as her own.

At first, things seemed hopeful. Cohen’s first proper meeting with Adrian went surprisingly well. The pair bonded over a game of football, and Cohen even called him “Dad,” a moment that hinted at a fresh start for both of them. But the optimism didn’t last.

The very next day, tensions erupted when Adrian tried to explain his side of the story, insisting he had never abandoned Cohen — that Samantha had taken him away. Fiercely loyal to his mother, Cohen rejected the explanation and lashed out, unable to process the conflicting truths. Secretly relieved, Roo kept Adrian at arm’s length, protective of Cohen’s fragile emotional state.

However, during a quiet fishing trip with Alf, Cohen finally admitted what was really troubling him. Alf, ever the voice of reason, urged Roo to consider Adrian’s perspective and give him another chance. At the same time, Harper delivered a stark warning: if Roo continued to block Adrian’s involvement, she could risk losing her role as Cohen’s foster carer altogether.

Realizing she had no choice, Roo stepped back. She allowed Adrian to reconnect with Cohen, and the father and son agreed to start over. For a brief moment, it seemed like healing was possible.

The following week begins on a hopeful note. Adrian joins Roo and Cohen for dinner, with Cohen buzzing at the prospect of spending more time with his dad. When Adrian receives a message from his mother, Cohen’s excitement explodes — suddenly, he has another grandmother. Adrian reveals that Cohen also has a grandfather, an aunt and uncle, and several cousins he’s never met. Cohen is thrilled, firing off endless questions about his newly discovered family.

But Roo notices something troubling. While Cohen is overflowing with excitement, Adrian appears uneasy, distant, and increasingly uncomfortable.

The next day, as Cohen helps Alf sort fishing tackle, his mind is clearly elsewhere — filled with dreams of meeting cousins and discovering where he belongs. Having already lost his mother and believing his grandmother had passed away, Cohen can hardly believe his luck. Roo and Alf had given him a home, and now he had found a father and an entire extended family.

Concerned by Adrian’s hesitation, Roo arranges to meet him at the diner. Gently but firmly, she asks whether he’s truly ready for Cohen to meet his family. Adrian’s response is devastating. “It’s not happening,” he blurts out. “I’m not taking Cohen to meet my family.”

Before Roo can process the words, Adrian walks out.

Desperate, Roo chases after him, insisting he can’t just disappear and that he’ll need to explain this to Cohen himself. But Adrian is spiraling. He admits that coming to Summer Bay was a mistake — that meeting Cohen has turned his life upside down. Before Roo can reason with him, Adrian climbs into his ute and drives away, leaving only a request that Roo tell Cohen he’s sorry.

Back at home, Cohen is still excitedly questioning Alf about his ancestry, unaware that his world is about to collapse again. Sensing Roo’s distress, Alf gently sends Cohen upstairs to look at the Stewart family tree, giving Roo space to explain what’s happened. Later, as they take Cohen for a walk, his excitement is still palpable — until Roo finally breaks down and tells him the truth.

Adrian has left. And she doesn’t know if he’s coming back.

The devastation is immediate. Confused and heartbroken, Cohen blames himself, wondering what he did wrong to be abandoned again. For Roo, the pain is unbearable.

Determined not to let Adrian vanish without a trace, Roo heads to Yabbie Creek Police Station, begging David for Adrian’s address. Bound by procedure, David refuses, though Cash privately questions whether they’re doing the right thing. That night, Cash admits his doubts to David, insisting that sometimes compassion should outweigh protocol.

Later, just as Roo feels completely defeated, David turns up at Summer Bay House. Without a word, he places a piece of paper on the table. “You didn’t get this from me,” he says quietly, before leaving.

It’s Adrian’s address.

Now the question remains: will Roo be able to track him down and convince him to face his responsibilities — or is Cohen destined to be abandoned once again?

One thing is certain: Home and Away is delivering one of its most emotionally powerful storylines yet, reminding viewers that sometimes the deepest wounds are caused not by malice, but by fear.