Elijah Johnson is a fictional character from the Australian Channel Seven soap opera Home and Away, played by Jay Laga'aia.

Producers created Elijah as a new love interest for established character Leah Patterson-Baker (Ada Nicodemou).

Laga'aia said the fact that Elijah is a "6'2″ Polynesian man with a white collar" who looks more suited to playing rugby is a lot for viewers to understand.

In 2010, the serial focused on their journey as the couple faced problems such as prejudice from the Religious Sector, interference from Elijah's parents and the prospect of a long distance relationship.

He married Grace Johnson (Clare Chihambakwe) so she could gain access into Australia to seek medical help for her ill son.

In November 2009, it was announced that Jay Laga'aia had been cast into the serial to play a new local reverend, Elijah Johnson.

[4] In September 2010, it was announced that Laga'aia had agreed to rejoin the cast Home and Away and said he was returning to filming at the end of the month.

[3] Elijah doesn't fit into your stereotypical vision of a reverend – muscular, tough and handsome with a charming smile, he looks more like a jujitsu instructor than a man of the church.

But the work of God is his calling, and for Elijah that means rolling up his sleeves and dealing with the community at a practical, hands-on level.Elijah's backstory has played a factor in his characterisation.

However, Elijah is prone to feeling lonely because he is so focused on his career "he hasn't had time to find a special someone in his life" until he arrives in Summer Bay.

[6] Laga'aia describes Elijah as not being a typical Reverend and when you see him in normal clothing people would mistake him for a rugby player.

While their romance was reported in the media prior to Elijah's arrival, Nicodemou later revealed details of the storyline during an interview with Sunrise.

Nicodemou was delighted about the pairing and said that "it's nice and it's really fun and happy and comedy - a lot of warm and fuzzy moments.

"[8] When Laga'aia's contract was coming to an end, the serial devised an exit storyline for Elijah, which involved him travelling to Africa to carry out missionary work for earthquake victims.

Nicodemou explained that Elijah had carried out this type of work in his backstory, but Leah thought "he was ready to settle down".

"It's not something she feels she can compromise on any longer" because her previous husband Dan Baker (Tim Campbell) died while working abroad.

He arrives with a new wife Grace Johnson (Clare Chihambakwe) whom he has married to help her ill son, Thabo Manthenga (Joshua Mbakwe) receive treatment.

Laga'aia found it hard to adjust to Elijah's decision to marry Grace, he added "I just had to get my head around everything and run with it.

While Leah "fell very hard" and formed a life and future with Elijah, she would never take him back as a married man.

[14] Laga'aia told Inside Soap that "Elijah only married Grace so that they could bring Thabo to Australia for medical treatment."

[15] The serial then planned more upset for the character when they devised a new relationship for Leah with Elijah's best friend Miles Copeland (Josh Quong Tart).

[16] In February 2012, Colin Vickery of the Herald Sun reported Laga'aia had finished filming with Home and Away the previous year.

[17][19] Elijah gives advice to Geoff Campbell (Lincoln Lewis), who then decides to leave Summer Bay.

Elijah reveals to Leah that her previous husband, Vinnie Patterson (Ryan Kwanten) had died in a farming accident.

She asks Elijah to move in and invites his parents Song (Jon-Claire Lee) and Lijuan (Mémé Thorne) to come and stay.

Leah is shocked by their constant arguing and thinks that if she stays with Elijah they will end up like Song and Lijuan.

A columnist for the Daily Record said it was no wonder that Leah went "gaga" over Elijah because he is "tall and hunky and looks as though he's no stranger to handing out cuddles."

[20] Newspaper The Age opined that while "Home and Away is never going to be Emmy material", the addition of Laga'aia to the cast "certainly provided some zing".

[23] Inside Soap asked its readers to decide who their favourite "clergyman" was out of Elijah, Hollyoaks' Father Francis (Richard Winsor) and Emmerdale's Ashley Thomas (John Middleton).

[27] They opined that reporting Elijah to the authorities was a "mean-spirited betrayal" but said it was "inevitable" with the "small-town gossip" present in Summer Bay.