SOPHIE DILLMAN & PADDY O’CONNOR

It’s not unusual for reel love to spill over into real life, and like many couples before them, Home and Away’s Sophie Dillman and Paddy O’Connor couldn’t help but fall for each other after the cameras stopped rolling. The actors, who play Dean Thompson and Ziggy Astoni on the long-running show, sparked dating rumours when Paddy posted a holiday-looking snap of Sophie on his Instagram, but they’ve been tightlipped about their romance – until now. A smitten Sophie and Patrick, both 27, reveal to WHO how their romance blossomed, and it turns out these two knew each other long before their Summer Bay days.

You’ve done well to keep this relationship a secret! DILLMAN Yeah, it’s been under wraps for a bit!

So how long have you been an item? O’CONNOR Most of this year.

Tell us how it all began.

DILLMAN Well, we actually met at uni … O’CONNOR Which, as of this year, was six or seven years ago.

DILLMAN We knew each other at school and then we met at uni, but we didn’t spend a lot of time together. Then we started working together, and Bob’s your uncle!

Was there a moment when the chemistry was just too much to ignore?

O’CONNOR It would have been after [filming in country town Parachilna in South Australia] … we were in this remote, beautiful place in Australia and sometimes you just get swept up in the beauty of your surroundings.

DILLMAN And you really see everything [about the other person].

Did your co-stars or crew suspect you were together? O’CONNOR It was pretty obvious!

Working and dating – you must spend all your time together?

O’CONNOR Since we’ve started dating, there hasn’t been a day that we haven’t seen each other.

Do you find dating another actor is easier? O’CONNOR They do understand things that can be hard to explain to someone who’s not an actor. DILLMAN We are really lucky – being in this industry, if you weren’t working with your partner, you’d never see them!

Are you guys living together?

DILLMAN No.

O’CONNOR We are looking at getting a dog. DILLMAN But we argue over the dog breeds. I really want a bulldog.

O’CONNOR They are so ugly! And they dribble. DILLMAN They’re just like me! [Laughs]

O’CONNOR You do drool.

DILLMAN Really sexy!

Speaking of sexy, what attracts you most to each other?

O’CONNOR Well, Sophie’s obviously beautiful. We’re pretty similar with our personalities.

DILLMAN We’re both fairly stubborn and focused!