Home and Away's Ada Nicodemou shares "surreal" challenges of soap fame

 "I did
it all, because I thought I had to."

Home and Away star Ada Nicodemou has opened up on the tougher aspects of fame, revealing that she has faced "surreal" challenges over the years.

Speaking to TV Week, the Leah Patterson star explained that welcoming her son Johnas in 2012 was a pivotal moment for her as she questioned how much of her personal life she wanted to share with the world.

"There is [a greater] intensity with
Home and Away than other shows I've worked on," she said. "People want to know more about you and your private life, which can be a juggle sometimes."

She added: "I bought into it all [social media], I did
it all, because I thought I had to. I thought I had to announce the birth of Johnas and what have you.

"But, looking back at it, the fact that you give birth
and are indoors for five days because a magazine is going to come out with photos of your child or you'll be followed by paparazzi is surreal.

"The problem is, opening yourself up that much, naively, when something bad or heartbreaking happens, you feel the responsibility to do it again. You can't just post the positives, you're already on that journey. So reflecting on that has been quite interesting."

Nicodemou, who is one of Home and Away's longest-serving stars, added that she is now "not buying into the fame", saying: "I work hard and this is just what Mum does."

The actor, who is in a real-life relationship with her on-screen husband James Stewart (Justin Morgan), also shared that she never expected to be part of the soap for so long, explaining that she was originally determined to stay for less than a year after appearing on former soap Breakers.

"After Breakers [wrapped], the head writer [of the show] had gone to work
on Home And Away. They had written the character of Leah for me and asked if I would do it," she said.

"However, that [Breakers] was my first experience on a soap and it was a difficult show to work on for many different reasons. It left a bad taste in my mouth."

As a result, she agreed to join Summer Bay for six months "and no longer" - but has ended up staying for 25 years.

"I genuinely love it," she said. "It's a real achievement [in this industry] and I don't take it lightly... Half of my life has been spent in Home and Away and while I never expected to be here, I'm so proud of it."