Peter "Tug" O'Neale is a fictional character from the Australian Channel Seven soap opera Home and Away, played by Tristan Bancks.
Tug's storylines include bullying Damian Roberts (Matt Doran), behavioural issues, a feud with Shane Parrish (Dieter Brummer), relationships with Sarah Thompson (Laura Vasquez) and his school teacher Beth Armstrong (Toni Pearen).
He swiftly set about terrorising the neighbourhood, he was the playground bully, thumping anyone who got in his way, starved of love and finding it impossible to form relationships.
[7] Tempany Deckert who plays Selina Roberts described Tug as a "rough renegade" who had lost his way but "finally got back on the straight and narrow with the help of various foster parents".
[8] A writer from the show's official website described Tug as a "hardened, streetwise tough kid, who lived up to his nickname".
[9] Bancks told Monroe of TVTimes that he thought Tug "had a much harder time" in life because the writers decided upon a "such a silly name".
magazine reported that Tug would go "b-for-bonkers" at his headteacher Donald Fisher (Norman Coburn), burn his tie and walk out of the school.
[12] Their feud was still prominent in 1993 when Tug discovers that Shane is planning to kiss his love interest Sarah Thompson (Laura Vasquez).
In the book Home and Away – Official Collector’s Edition, Andrea Black wrote that Tug is left "absolutely furious" by Shane's actions.
[13][14] In 2008, Bancks said that some of his favourite scenes featured Brummer and their character's on-screen rivalry crossed over into real life.
[9] Inside Soap's Oliver wrote that Tug and Shane were always involved in battles but Bancks and Brummer were a "formidable pair" on the "teen scene" appearing on magazine covers alongside one another as a result of the storyline.
's Lisa Anthony that filming the embrace proved "quite nerve-racking" due to an entire "circle of school kids" surrounding them.
Bancks told Fletcher that he could understand how Tug felt and his predicament was made worse without any parents to offer guidance.
[1] Bancks told Fletcher that "spending eight hours a day as [the] teenage sweethearts" Tug and Sarah had created a mutual attraction between himself and Vaquez.
This annoyed producers because they felt that it was spoiling the image Home and Away had created and the actors quickly denied a relationship.
[19] A reporter from Inside Soap noted that this was a "scandal" storyline and Tug and Beth's romance rocked Summer Bay.
[21] Pearen explained to Ally Oliver from Inside Soap that the relationship develops because Beth is "really lonely, she's got a new job in a brand new town and she doesn't have any friends".
[22] A writer from TV Week first reported that Tug had been axed alongside the characters of Sarah, Luke Cunningham (John Adam) and Roxanne Miller (Lisa Lackey).
[10] Bancks told Fiona Parker and David Hancock from the Daily Mirror that he had a great two and half years working on Home and Away, but was content in pursuing other projects.
Damian's friends Blake Dean (Les Hill) and Simon Fitzgerald (Richard Norton) warn Tug and physically threaten him.
Tug reappears when his father Roy's (Mervyn Drake) bear traps injure Damian's friend Shane.
Sarah then moves in with Alf (Ray Meagher) and Ailsa Stewart (Judy Nunn) while Tug takes her old room at Bobby's place.
Bobby's husband Greg Marshall (Ross Newton) is not keen on him staying but changes his mind when Tug saves Sarah's life after she suffers an asthma attack in the bush.
When Sarah is cast in the lead role of the school musical, Tug is concerned that she will be starring opposite Shane.
Tug's jealousy causes a temporary split with Sarah and he begins spending time with Michelle Carter (Zoe Emmanuel).
On the night of the performance, Shane overdoes the kiss and Tug storms the stage and punches him, ruining the play.
Things look up when Roy (now played by Russell Kiefel) is released from prison and asks him to move back to the farm.
[26] A writer from Inside Soap said that the storyline in which Tug brings a stray cow home and teaches Irene to milk it had "hilarious results".
[27] While another columnist from the publication said that "Tug does his best to look tough and streetwise in front of his girlfriend, [but] he fails to save face when he finally meets his wayward father."
"[3] In Fletcher's article in Woman's Own she opined that Bancks "turned the troubled Tug into one of Summer Bay's most interesting residents, with a huge following of young fans.