For years, fans knew Sarah Roberts as the strong-willed and fiercely independent Willow Harris on the beloved Australian drama Home and Away.

On screen, she played a character who survived heartbreak, betrayal, and personal reinvention. But behind the scenes, Roberts was navigating a journey

that would prove just as emotional — and far more personal. Now, the 40-year-old actress is speaking openly about a brand-new chapter in her life.

After enduring a highly publicized separation from her former husband and co-star James Stewart, Roberts has revealed that she has found love again — and the experience has changed her in ways she never expected.

“I have fallen in love with a man. I’m so in love,” Roberts shared candidly during a recent appearance on the Something to Talk About podcast by Stellar. The confession instantly caught the attention of fans who had followed the dramatic end of her marriage and the emotional aftermath that played out in the public eye.

According to Roberts, this new relationship represents far more than simply moving on after heartbreak. She says it has helped her rediscover herself.

“I finally found myself,” she explained during the interview. “As cliché as that may sound, this relationship has allowed me to grow in beautiful and unexpected ways.”

The actress admitted that for a long time she had been searching for a sense of inner peace that felt just out of reach. Now, with a supportive partner by her side, she says she is finally experiencing a different kind of happiness — one built on self-understanding and emotional growth.

A Marriage That Ended in Pain

Roberts’ new romance comes after the end of her marriage to Stewart, a relationship that once seemed like a real-life fairytale for fans of Home and Away. The pair met while working on the iconic series and quickly became one of the show’s most talked-about couples.

Their chemistry on screen as their respective characters translated into a romance off screen, eventually leading to marriage. For a time, the relationship appeared strong and stable.

But behind the scenes, Roberts says the reality was far more complicated.

Reflecting on the relationship now, she described parts of the marriage as unhealthy — a painful realization that only came with time and distance.

The breakup itself became even more difficult because it unfolded in front of the public. Headlines, speculation, and online commentary turned a deeply personal situation into a media spectacle.

“Going through that separation in the spotlight was incredibly painful,” Roberts admitted. “Everything that came out afterward absolutely ripped my heart into a million little pieces.”

She explained that while she could not control how others behaved or how the story was reported, she eventually learned to focus on what she could control: her own healing.

“You can’t change anyone else’s actions,” she said. “But you can take responsibility for how you respond.”

Moving Forward — Separately

The emotional fallout became even more visible when Stewart reportedly began dating another Home and Away colleague, Ada Nicodemou, not long after the separation.

While the development generated significant media attention, Roberts has chosen not to dwell on the past. Instead, she has focused on rebuilding her sense of identity and rediscovering her confidence.

Her philosophy now, she says, is simple.

“Hurt people hurt people,” she explained. “But healed people can heal people.”

That perspective has clearly shaped the way Roberts approaches both relationships and her own emotional well-being. For the first time in years, she says she feels grounded.

“I’ve finally found a love for myself that I didn’t have before,” she added.

Life After Summer Bay

Although Roberts left Home and Away in 2021, her connection to the show — and to many of its cast members — remains strong.

The actress still maintains close friendships with several former co-stars, including Emily Weir, whom she describes as one of her closest confidants.

In fact, when Roberts celebrated her 40th birthday late last year, many familiar faces from Summer Bay were there to mark the milestone.

“I had a party on a boat in Sydney Harbour,” she recalled. “A lot of the Home and Away cast came along. It was really special.”

The friendships formed on long-running television series often run deeper than those created on typical productions. Roberts explained that the intense emotional work actors share while filming builds a rare level of trust.

“You share a lot of yourself,” she said. “Sometimes your deepest secrets or vulnerabilities come out during scenes. That kind of environment creates really strong bonds.”

A Career That Keeps Evolving

While fans may always associate her with Summer Bay, Roberts has continued expanding her career beyond the world of soap operas.

She is currently reprising her role as journalist Beth Ramachandran in the Stan drama Scrublands, a project that allows her to explore a very different type of storytelling.

Roberts has also appeared on Neighbours in two separate stints earlier in her career, first debuting in 2010 and later returning in 2014 as the character Sienna.

Each role, she says, has helped her grow as an actor.

Yet Roberts is now setting her sights on an even bigger stage — Hollywood.

“My dream would be to land a television role where I’m contracted for several years,” she said. “I want a character I can really sink my teeth into.”

While she remains grateful for the opportunities soap operas have given her, Roberts hinted that she might prefer to explore more complex, long-form storytelling in the future.

She even named a few series that inspired her ambitions.

“I would have loved to do something like Breaking Bad or Game of Thrones,” she said. “That would be a dream job.”

A New Beginning

For now, however, Roberts appears focused on something far more personal than career milestones.

After years of emotional ups and downs, public scrutiny, and personal reinvention, she says she has finally reached a place of balance.

Her new relationship, though still largely private, has clearly played an important role in that transformation.

For fans who followed her journey from Summer Bay to the real-life drama of her marriage and separation, Roberts’ latest revelation offers something hopeful: proof that even after heartbreak, new chapters can begin.

And according to the actress herself, this chapter feels completely different from anything she has experienced before.

“I’m not the same person I was,” she admitted.

But this time, she says, that change feels like freedom.