Home and Away newcomer Jessica Redmayne opens up over real-life friendship with on-screen sister

 "It was really nice to walk on to the show with her."

Home and Away newcomer Jessica Redmayne has opened up on the real-life friendship she shares with co-star Ally Harris.

Australian audiences have already been introduced to Redmayne's character Harper as part of a mysterious new storyline, with UK viewers set to see her arrive in Summer Bay with her sister Dana (Harris) next week.

Speaking to New Zealand based outlet Stuff about her role, the actress revealed that she and Harris worked on their on-screen chemistry prior to filming.

"We had each other to lean on and we both still to this day kind of reassure each other that we've got each other," Redmayne said, explaining that they had made sure the sisters had a strong sisterly bond.

"We spent a lot of time together to get that chemistry and we really do relate to our characters quite closely in that. It was really nice to walk on to the show with her."

Following their arrival on the show it was revealed that social worker Harper already has connections to a current Summer Bay resident, being an old friend of police officer Cash Newman.

It's later revealed that Harper needs help from Cash in order to clear her sister's name after Dana was framed for storing drugs in her apartment by her boyfriend and is now on the run.

However it is then revealed that corrupt Detective Madden is working against Harper and Cash - with events later taking a sinister turn for Dana.

Speaking about her character, Redmayne added: "I'm at a point in my life, maturity wise, where I am ready to do a character like this. She's not an easy character to play because she's got quite a lot of, I guess, history. She's done quite a bit."

Home and Away airs weekdays at 1.45pm on Channel 5 and 6pm on 5STAR. First-look screenings air at 6.30pm on 5STAR and the show also streams on My5. In Australia, the show airs Mondays to Thursdays at 7pm on Channel 7 and streams on 7plus.