List of Home and Away characters (2016)
Justin Morgan, played by James Stewart, made his first screen appearance on 7 June 2016. The character and Stewart's casting was announced on 5 December 2015, alongside Jackson Heywood and Orpheus Pledger, who play Justin's brothers. The actors began filming their first scenes during the week commencing 7 December. Justin is Stewart's first on-going role since he took a year off to care for his young daughter. Like Heywood, Stewart expected Braxton brothers comparisons, but he told Jonathon Moran of The Daily Telegraph, "Creating this family is probably more our priority than taking over the Brax boys. How do you take on Steve Peacocke (Brax)? I hope Australia is ready for it, it is the way it is." In August 2017, Stewart was longlisted for Best Daytime Star at the Inside Soap Awards. The nomination did not progress to the viewer-voted shortlist.
Justin Morgan (Home and Away)
When Giovinazzo decided to leave "Home and Away", producers devised a break up for Phoebe and Justin. Phoebe's friend Donna Fields (Melissa Bonne) invites her to join a tour in the United States, and Justin plans to go with her. However, when he learns Brody is at the police station due to another incident involving his drug addiction, Justin realises he cannot leave the Bay. He and Phoebe say "a heartfelt goodbye" before she leaves. On her return, Phoebe tells Justin that she has been asked to take part in a year-long tour and Justin is determined to go with her this time. Shortly after, he is reunited with his daughter Ava and he finds the thought of leaving her again hard to deal with. Stewart told Sarah Ellis of "Inside Soap" that having Ava back in his life "means everything" to Justin, and when she calls him "dad" for the first time, it really affects him. During a farewell party for the couple, Justin sings a ballad for Ava, which makes Phoebe realise that she cannot separate them. Phoebe believes she and Justin can have a long-distance relationship, but Justin breaks up with her instead. Of the moment, Stewart commented "By the time Phoebe says she's going without him, Justin has come to terms with it in his heart. He doesn't want to anchor her – so he sets her free."