Home and Away's Alf Stewart hides a secret from John Palmer

 Alf's retuned to the Bay.

Home and Away's Alf Stewart is keeping a secret from John Palmer, in scenes airing in the UK next week.

Viewers in Australia already know that Alf has returned to Summer Bay with new hearing aids. And he is in such a good mood that he smiles through a Surf Club committee meeting with John, who's immediately suspicious when Alf seems to agree with him on every point.

Marilyn Chambers is buoyed to see Alf doing so well, but John is convinced his hearing aids must not be working, explaining that it's out of character for Alf to side with him.

Marilyn and Leah Patterson-Baker insist that Alf is a changed man, but John remains convinced something is off.

Later, at the Diner, John puts Alf to the test, grilling him about their previous meeting. Confronted with some evidence, Leah has to admit that something's strange in Alf's behaviour.

While Marilyn and John are too scared to tell Alf that his hearing aids might not be working as he'd hoped, Leah agrees to speak to him.

She broaches the subject with Alf but doesn't find any answers.

When Alf overhears Leah and Marilyn talking about him, they're forced to confront him. Alf cheekily admits the truth, revealing he's been turning his hearing aids off when John speaks. How will John react?

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.