Twenty-five years ago, Ingo Rademacher made his television debut as a sandy-haired teenager in the Aussie soap Paradise Beach.
The series was cancelled after just two seasons. But for Ingo, it was one of the best experiences of his life.
“The Gold Coast [in Queensland, where Paradise Beach was filmed] is one of my favourite places in the world,” he tells TV WEEK.
“I never wanted to leave. But the show was cancelled after a year-and-a-half. I was like, ‘Oh, man – what am I going to do now?'”
As he reflects on the Aussie soap, the 46-year-old comes to realise how much time has passed. The drama series, which ran from 1993 to 1994, also starred Isla Fisher and Michael Caton.
“You don’t think you’re getting older until you realise it [the show] was 20-something years ago and you think, ‘Whoa!'” Ingo exclaims.
“I remember owning the Motorola ultra-sleek mobile phone and it was the size of a brick – that’s how long ago it was!”
Ingo (centre) and the Paradise Beach cast.
For the German-born actor, who moved to Australia as a child and currently lives in Los Angeles, the mention of Paradise Beach is also a reminder of home.
And while his Aussie twang is all but gone, Ingo insists he’s itching to come home.
“It’s really good fun, and I gained a lot of acting experience on that show,” he recalls. “I can’t wait to get back.”
These days, Ingo is far removed from his time on the sand. The actor currently plays businessman Thorne Forrester in US soap The Bold And The Beautiful.
He’s no stranger to the genre – he starred in General Hospital regularly from 1996 to 2017. But his latest role is unlike anything he’s done before.
“It’s so different to General Hospital, because they didn’t have much of an overseas market,” Ingo explains.
“Bold is so popular around the world. It’s strange and kind of cool to experience that shift.”
More than 10 years have passed since Ingo returned to Australia. It’s a fact that’s not lost on him.
“I was last there in 2005,” he says. “We’ve tried [to visit] for the past few years, but then we had another baby. We also wanted the boys to remember the trip. Now they’re a bit older, we hope to get there.”
The trip to Australia will be the first for Ehiku and the kids. But don’t expect to see the family visiting tourist attractions – Ingo believes nature is the country’s biggest drawcard.
“We want to get a caravan and hit the parks on the way up from Sydney to Noosa [on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast],” he says.
“It’ll be great for the kids. I just can’t wait to get home!”
