Channel 5 will rerun Australian soap Home and Away from its 1988 beginning on new channel 5Drama, launching on October 21. The announcement means British viewers can watch the entire history of Summer Bay again from the premiere episode nearly 40 years ago, accompanied by its famous theme tune featuring the lyrics, "You know we belong together, you and I forever and ever."
Ray Meagher, who played Alf Stewart and is the only actor to remain in the cast continuously since 1988, welcomed the rerun. "It’s fantastic to know that Home and Away is continuing to find new audiences in the UK, and now viewers can go right back to the beginning on 5Drama," Meagher said. "There’s a lot of history in those early episodes and a lot of memories for Alf and the whole Summer Bay community. I hope fans enjoy taking a trip back to where it all began."
Emily Symons, who joined the soap as Marilyn Chambers in 1989, said seeing the initial episodes again brings back special memories. "It’s so special to think that UK fans can revisit the very beginning of Home and Away on 5Drama. Marilyn has been such a huge part of my life, and seeing those early episodes again is a wonderful reminder of where her story began," Symons said. "I know there are so many Home and Away fans in the UK who have grown up with these characters, so I hope they love going back to Summer Bay and rediscovering some of those early stories."
Rebellious foster child Bobby Simpson
Nicolle Dickson, now 53, played rebellious foster child Bobby Simpson from 1988 to 1993. Known for her confrontational attitude and throwing the odd punch, Bobby became an instant hit with viewers. Fostered by Tom and Pippa Fletcher, she later discovered her biological parents were headmaster Donald Fisher and lawyer Morag Bellingham, who had kept her pregnancy secret from Donald after an affair and gave Bobby up for adoption at birth.
During her five years on the show, Bobby maintained a long-running feud with Roo Stewart, who had left foster brother Frank Morgan at the altar. Bobby married Frank, but soon realised he was still in love with Roo. She subsequently married Greg Marshall in 1992.
In 1993, Bobby was tragically injured in a speedboat accident and died in hospital after being declared brain dead. She made a surprise return in 1995 as a ghost when Ailsa Stewart took out-of-date pills following a brutal mugging in the diner.
Dickson left Home and Away at the height of her fame after marrying real estate agent James Bell in 1990, but struggled to land acting roles. She had two sons, Lincoln and Winston, after leaving the soap. While balancing motherhood with guest appearances on Australian television shows All Saints, G.P. and Murder Call, she retrained as an accountant and bookkeeper. Dickson returned to television in 2006 on Australian Celebrity Survivor, reaching the final four. In 2015, she renewed her wedding vows with James after 25 years together, and the couple live in New South Wales.
Original foster parents Tom and Pippa Fletcher
New Zealand actor Roger Oakley, now 83, played down-to-earth foster father Tom Fletcher from 1988 to 1990. Tom arrived in Summer Bay to run the caravan park with wife Pippa and their foster children after losing his job. Oakley decided to leave after two years, and bosses killed off Tom in a car crash after he suffered a heart attack at the wheel while driving home with foster children Steve Matheson, Bobby Simpson and Sophie Simpson. He was the first major character killed off on the show, though he reappeared in 2008 during a near-death experience for foster daughter Sally Fletcher.
Oakley was already a prominent actor in Australia prior to Home and Away, with roles in Sons and Daughters, A Country Practice, The Flying Doctors and The Sullivans. He has worked professionally for 60 years across television, film and theatre as an actor, director and voice-over artist. He later joined rival soap Neighbours in 2008 for a short stint as Jim Parker, and played Father Terrance in the 2023 Australian dark comedy Deadloch.
Vanessa Downing, now 68, played matriarch foster mother Pippa Fletcher from 1988 to 1990. Downing was cast while performing at the Sydney Opera House with an acapella singing group. She moved to Summer Bay with husband Tom and their foster kids, building a close friendship with Ailsa Hogan. Her early storylines focused on raising the children and money troubles while Tom sought work.
Downing left Summer Bay shortly after Oakley's departure. In a famous soap recasting in July 1990, Debra Lawrence replaced Downing during foster daughter Carly Morris's wedding to Ben Lucini. Downing played Pippa watching the ceremony, but Lawrence took her place in the family lineup photographs.
Downing went on to appear in series including A Country Practice, Melba, G.P., Big Sky and Mr Inbetween, as well as stage productions of King Lear, Much Ado About Nothing and The Taming of the Shrew. In the early 2000s, she retrained as a lawyer, graduating in 2006. She specialises in immigration law for a Sydney firm alongside her acting career.
Heart-throb Frank Morgan and boy-crazy Roo Stewart
Alex Papps, now 57, played mullet-haired foster child Frank Morgan from 1988 to 1989 and 1991 to 1992, becoming the soap's first heart-throb. He moved to Summer Bay with Tom, Pippa and his foster siblings.
Frank's relationship with Roo Stewart kept viewers hooked. Roo's father Alf Stewart disapproved and sent her to a city boarding school, where she met a boyfriend named Brett. Roo returned pregnant, convinced Frank to sleep with her, and claimed the baby was his. At the altar, Roo confessed and ran out. Devastated, Frank married foster sister Bobby Simpson in 1989, but left her shortly after because he still loved Roo. He returned in 1991 following their split, just as Bobby was about to marry Greg Marshall, but left when Bobby chose Greg.
Papps left in 1989 to play mechanic Nick Cardaci on The Flying Doctors before his 1991 return. He went on to guest star in Blue Heelers, MDA, Stringers and The Saddle Club. In 2006, he joined ABC children's programme Play School alongside former co-star Justine Clarke. Papps released a children's album titled Let's Put the Beat in Our Feet in 2014 and remains a presenter on Play School.
Justine Clarke, now 54, played boy-crazy Roo Stewart from 1988 to 1989. Clarke had auditioned for Carly Morris and Bobby Simpson before landing Roo. Her character's antics led to Clarke getting booed at public appearances. Roo's shotgun wedding storyline with Frank Morgan attracted eight million UK viewers before she jilted him at the altar.
Clarke left in 1989 to pursue other television work and declined offers to return. Georgie Parker eventually took over the role of Roo in 2010.
Clarke starred alongside Heath Ledger in the 1997 film Blackrock and appeared in Tangle, Look Both Ways, All Saints, Fisk and Return to Paradise. She joined Play School in 1999, the same year she married actor Jack Finsterer. She launched her own series, The Justine Clarke Show, and released children's hit songs including Watermelon, I Like to Sing and Dinosaur Roar. Clarke lives in Sydney with her husband and three children.
Carly Morris, Ailsa Stewart and Donald Fisher
Sharyn Hodgson, now 58, was cast at age 17 as foster child Carly Morris, serving from 1988 to 1991. Her storylines covered rape, alcoholism and relationship issues, as well as playing her identical twin sister Samantha, who tried to ruin Carly's life in Summer Bay. Carly married Ben Lucini, played by Julian McMahon, and left Summer Bay in 1991.
Hodgson left acting to raise a family and now works as a natural therapist and childcare worker. She and her husband Stuart became foster parents themselves, living on the south coast of New South Wales with their daughter Bella-Rai. Hodgson said of fostering: "Our experiences have been overwhelmingly positive. The rewards you get absolutely outweigh the trying times."
Judy Nunn, now 81, played Ailsa Stewart from 1988 to 2000. Her character hid a past prison conviction for manslaughter from husband Alf. After her grocery store burned down, Ailsa partnered with Bobby Simpson to open the iconic Summer Bay diner. She suffered postnatal depression after giving birth to son Duncan, and died of a heart attack in front of Alf during the 2000 season finale.
Following her soap exit, Nunn became a successful novelist. Her first three books, The Glitter Game, Centre Stage and Araluen, became instant bestsellers. She has published 20 adult fiction novels and sold more than one million copies in Australia, including her 2023 title Black Sheep. Her historical novels are published in German, French, Dutch and Spanish. In 2015, Nunn was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for services to performing arts and literature.
Norman Coburn, now 89, played headmaster Donald Fisher from 1988 to 2003, following earlier roles in Sons and Daughters and A Country Practice. His storylines included discovering he was Bobby Simpson's father, losing son Alan to a sudden brain aneurysm, and marrying beautician Marilyn Chambers. The couple divorced after their infant son Byron died of cancer. Donald left Summer Bay upon retiring to live with June Reynolds.
Coburn retired from acting at age 70 and moved to Bruny Island, Tasmania, making a brief guest return in 2019 alongside Debra Lawrence. His daughter Nana Coburn also appeared on Home and Away as Vicki Baxter and Lisa Matthews.
Sally Fletcher, Steven Matheson and Lance Smart
Kate Ritchie, now 48, played Tom and Pippa's youngest foster child Sally Fletcher from 1988 to 2008. Sally originally had an imaginary friend named Milco, who was later revealed to be her estranged twin brother Miles Copeland. Viewers watched Sally grow up, marry Flynn Saunders before his death from cancer, and become headteacher of Summer Bay High in 2003. She departed for America with foster daughter Pippa in 2008.
Ritchie won two Gold Logie awards for her performance. She co-hosts Nova FM's drive-time radio show Fitzy, Wippa and Kate, and served as a judge on Australia's Got Talent and in drama series The Claremont Murders. She married rugby league player Stuart Webb in 2010, giving birth to daughter Mae in 2014, before the couple separated in 2019 following police intervention after a domestic incident.
Adam Willits, now 54, played foster child Steven Matheson from 1988 to 1991 and 1995 to 1998. Taken in by Tom and Pippa after his parents died in a house fire, Steven was devastated by Tom's death. He had brief romances with older women Narelle Smart and Jennifer Atkinson, and returned in 1995 as a teacher at Summer Bay High. Willits stepped away from acting in 2014 following a role in Rake to pursue a career in insurance. He lives a low-profile life with his wife Jenny and their child.
Peter Vroom, now 57, played slow-witted comedy character Lance Smart from 1988 to 1990. Lance had an overprotective mother and a brief romance with Marilyn Chambers before fleeing Summer Bay to avoid marrying Marilyn by joining the army. His mother later revealed he became a sergeant in Queensland. After making several guest appearances on the soap over the years, Vroom retired from acting in 2007. He works as a meditation teacher and runs the YouTube channel @TheResolutemind.
