In a delightful development for fans of the long-running Australian soap opera, Home and Away stars Ada Nicodemou and James Stewart have officially announced their engagement. The couple, who have been dating for almost two years, shared the joyous news through a precious social media clip that captured the heartfelt proposal moment.
A Public Proposal Captured on Video
On Sunday, James Stewart, aged 50, posted a sweet video to his social media accounts that documented the romantic occasion. The footage shows James getting down on one knee in a public setting to propose to Ada Nicodemou, who is 48 years old. In the clip, James absolutely beams with happiness as he delivers a heartfelt vow to his longtime co-star.
Ada joyfully accepted the proposal by leaning in and giving James a huge, celebratory kiss. Moments after her acceptance, their friends and family members could be seen and heard in the background, cheering enthusiastically for the exciting news. The couple then posed for a beaming photograph, with Ada proudly flaunting her eye-popping diamond engagement ring for the camera.
Celebrity Friends Offer Heartfelt Congratulations
Many of their celebrity friends and colleagues quickly took to the comments section to offer their well wishes and congratulations. Kyly Clarke gushed, "Omg I'm crying! World's biggest congratulations. You beautiful couple." Liz Cantor added simply, "THE BEST," reflecting the widespread happiness for the pair.
The Evolution of Their Off-Screen Romance
The engagement marks a significant milestone in a relationship that began somewhat unexpectedly. In October 2024, Ada Nicodemou revealed how her Home and Away co-stars discovered her off-screen relationship with James Stewart. The soap opera stars, whose characters Leah Patterson and Justin Morgan are married on the Channel Seven show, were first linked earlier in the year when they were seen sharing a kiss on Anzac Day 2024.
Ada later confirmed their romance in a magazine interview. Speaking on Mamamia's No Filter podcast, the actress explained that she had only told a small group of people she was "close with" on set before "word got around" about the couple's off-screen relationship. "I figured I didn't need to tell anyone else," she said. "We didn't need a group email, people just worked it out."
From Longtime Friends to Romantic Partners
Elsewhere in the interview, Ada admitted that growing feelings for her television co-star James was "weird" at first. "Jimmy and I have known each other for 25 to 30 years and there were no feelings for a really, really long time. So I was shocked when I started having feelings," she confessed. "There was this chemistry for the first time—this spark that happened that wasn't there before and it was weird."
In July 2024, Ada finally broke her silence on her romance with James after months of speculation. The lovebirds were first linked earlier that year when they were seen sharing a kiss on Anzac Day. It has since been claimed that things were getting serious between the pair and they were considering moving in together, though they remained tight-lipped about their romance at the time.
Confirming Their Relationship Publicly
Ada confirmed she was dating her longtime co-star James in an interview with Stellar Magazine, describing their romance as "unexpected." "Jimmy and I are together, yes. It's only early days. It's very recent and unexpected. I'm super happy. It's really lovely," she told the publication. However, she insisted that their Home and Away characters getting married on-screen was not an early sign of their real-life romance.
The couple began dating after Ada split from her ex-partner Adam Rigby just before Christmas last year and James finalised his divorce from Sarah Roberts in March 2024. Their engagement now represents a beautiful new chapter for both actors, who have transitioned from decades-long friends and colleagues to romantic partners and now fiancés.
