Sad: Ethan Browne Heartbroken as He Opens Up About Tane’s Emotional Departure

Home and Away fans were hit with a wave of sadness this week as long-time cast favourite Ethan Browne opened up about the deeply emotional goodbye to his character, Tane Parata — a departure he admits left him “absolutely heartbroken.”

Speaking candidly during a recent interview, Browne revealed that saying farewell to the role he has inhabited for years was far more difficult than he ever anticipated. Though the departure is part of an upcoming fictional storyline, the level of attachment he developed to the Summer Bay world made the exit feel painfully real.

“Walking out of the Bay for the final time… it really hit me,” he shared, visibly moved. “Tane has been a part of my life for so long. Letting him go was heartbreaking — it honestly felt like saying goodbye to a family member.”

According to insiders, Tane’s exit is set to be one of the most emotionally charged departures the show has tackled in recent years. The storyline — still shrouded in secrecy — will reportedly explore themes of identity, redemption and the consequences of heavy personal choices. Cast members who filmed Browne’s final scenes described the atmosphere on set as “somber but beautiful,” with tears flowing both on and off camera.

Browne admitted that the final filming days were almost surreal. Even the familiar Summer Bay locations — the beach, the gym, the Parata house — took on a bittersweet weight.

“You don’t realise how much these places mean to you until you’re standing there for the last time,” he said. “They’ve become my second home. Leaving that behind hurt more than I expected.”

The actor also reflected on the deep bond he built with the cast, describing his colleagues as “lifelong friends” who supported him through every emotional beat of his farewell. Several close co-stars reportedly requested to be present for his last scene, even if they weren’t scheduled to work that day.

“We started this journey together,” Browne explained. “They’ve seen me grow as an actor and as a person. Having them there meant the world.”

While fans will certainly mourn the loss of Tane — the fiercely loyal, complex, often troubled figure who captured viewers’ hearts — Browne hinted that his exit storyline is a powerful one that honours everything the character has stood for.

“It’s emotional, and it’s raw,” he promised. “I think fans will feel the weight of it. But I also hope they’ll understand why it happens.”

Though he’s stepping away from Summer Bay, Browne made it clear he’s not turning his back on his connection to the show or its devoted audience.

“Home and Away gave me opportunities I only ever dreamed of,” he reflected. “I’m so grateful. And who knows? The door isn’t always closed forever.”

For now, fans are bracing themselves for one of the most heartbreaking goodbyes the series has delivered in recent memory — a farewell that will undoubtedly leave Summer Bay changed forever.