Where are the original Home and Away stars now? The cast of Summer Bay, nearly 40 years on

It’s been nearly 40 years since Home and Away first introduced us to the sunny shores of Summer Bay.

With its iconic theme tune, ‘You know we belong together, you and I forever and ever’ bosses at Channel 5 have decided to give viewers the chance to start watching the Australian soap all over again from the very beginning.

Last week it was announced that the beloved Australian soap will be airing again in its entirety on new channel 5Drama, launching on October 21.

Actor Ray Meagher, who is the only cast member to have been in the soap since the very first episode in 1988, said: ‘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.

‘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.’

While actress Emily Symons, who joined the soap as Marilyn Chambers a year later in 1989, said: ‘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.

‘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.’

But as the channel prepares to transport us back to the Summer Bay of 1988 where are the original cast members now?

Here we take a look at some of the biggest characters from the soap’s early days, and reveal where they are now. And there’s certainly one or two surprises in there….

Nicolle Dickson: Bobby Simpson from 1998-1993 

AGE: 53

Nicolle played rebellious foster child Bobby Simpson who had a confrontational attitude and was prone to throwing the odd punch, making her an instant hit with the viewers.

She was fostered by Tom and Pippa Fletcher, before later discovering that her biological parents were head teacher Donald Fisher and powerful lawyer Morag Bellingham.

Morag had kept her pregnancy a secret from Donald following their affair and gave Bobby up for adoption the moment she was born.

During her five years on the show she had a long-running feud with Roo Stewart, who left foster brother Frank Morgan at the altar. Bobby went on to marry Frank but quickly realised he was still in love with Roo. She then met Greg Marshall and the pair tied the knot in 1992.

The following year she was tragically injured in a speedboat accident and later died in hospital after being declared brain dead.

In 1995, she made a surprise return to Summer Bay as a ghost when Ailsa Stewart took some out of date pills following a brutal mugging in the diner.

Nicolle left Home and Away at the height of her fame after marrying real estate agent James Bell in 1990 but struggled to get acting roles.

The couple went on to have two sons Lincoln and Winston after she left the soap and while juggling motherhood with her work she picked up guest appearances in Australian television shows All Saints, G.P and Murder Call.

It was then that she decided to retrain as an accountant and bookkeeper.

In 2006, she was back in the limelight when she took part in Australian Celebrity Survivor, and made it to the final four. In 2015, she renewed her wedding vows with husband James after 25 years together. The couple live together in New South Wales.

Roger Oakley: Tom Fletcher 1988 – 1990

AGE: 83

New Zealand actor Roger Oakley played down-to-earth foster dad Tom. He arrived in Summer Bay to run the caravan park with wife Pippa and their motley crew of foster kids after losing his job.

He decided to leave the show after two years and bosses killed off his beloved character which saw him have a heart attack at the wheel of his car while driving home with foster kids Steve Matheson, Bobby Simpson and Sophie Simpson as passengers.

While driving he clutched his chest, lost control of the car and crashed. He was the first major character to be killed-off on the show but reappeared again in 2008 during foster daughter Sally’s near death experience.

Roger was already a well-known actor on Australian television when he got the role of Tom having appeared in hits such as Sons and Daughters, A Country Practice, The Flying Doctors and The Sullivans.

He has been professionally working as an actor for the last 60 years and went on to appear in a number of television shows, films and theatre productions.

He is also a director and voice-over artist. In 2008, he joined rival soap Neighbours for a short stint as Jim Parker and in 2023, he played Father Terrance in the Australian dark comedy Deadloch.

Vanessa Downing: Pippa Fletcher 1988-1990

 AGE: 68

Vanessa Downing was given the role of matriarch foster mum Pippa Fletcher while appearing at the Sydney Opera House with an acapella singing group.

She arrived in Summer Bay with husband Tom and their foster kids, and quickly built up a friendship with Ailsa Hogan. In those early days the majority of Pippa’s storylines revolved around the children or money, with Tom struggling to find work.

The couple provided a happy, stable and loving home for all of their children Vanessa decided to leave Summer Bay shortly after the departure of her on-screen husband Roger Oakley. But in one of the most famous ‘change of heads’ in soapland she was replaced by Debra Lawrence. In July 1990, during foster daughter Carly Morris’ wedding to Ben Lucini Vanessa’s ‘Pippa’ was at the wedding to watch the nuptials but when they posed for the family pictures Debra’s ‘Pippa’ had taken her place in the line-up.

Vanessa went on to appear in a number of Australian TV shows including A Country Practice, Melba, G.P, Big Sky and Mr Inbetween.

She has also appeared on stage in King Lear, Much Ado About Nothing, and The Taming of the Shrew. In the early 2000s, while juggling her acting work she decided to retrain as a lawyer. Vanessa graduated in 2006 and continued to juggle her acting work with the law. She specialises in immigration law and worked for a law firm in Sydney.

Alex Papps: Frank Morgan 1988-1989, 1991-1992

AGE: 57

With his trademark mullet Alex Papps became the show’s very first heart-throb as foster kid Frank Morgan.

He moved to Summer Bay with his foster parents Tom and Pippa, and his foster siblings, to start a new life.

His relationship with Roo Stewart kept viewers gripped in those early months as dad Alf didn’t approve.

He sent Roo away to boarding school in the city where she gets a new boyfriend called Brett.

Roo returns to Summer Bay hiding the fact that she’s pregnant and convinces Frank to sleep with her.

She then tells him that she’s pregnant and the baby is his.

The young couple decide to get married but at the altar Roo confesses everything before running out of the wedding. Devastated Frank turns to foster sister Bobby, who had always loved him, and the pair get married in 1989.

The marriage is short-lived as Frank is still in love with Roo and he leaves to be with Roo a short while after. He returns to Summer Bay two years later following their split as Bobby is about to marry Greg Marshall. He leaves again when she chooses Greg over him.

Alex left Home and Away in 1989 to join hit Australian show The Flying Doctors as mechanic Nick Cardaci before returning to the show in 1991.

He went on to appear in a number of guest roles on Australian television shows including Blue Heelers, MDA, Stringers and The Saddle Club. In 2006 he joined ABC’s long-running children’s show Play School alongside his former co-star and love interest Justine Clarke, who played Frank’s love interest Roo. In 2014 he released an album of children’s songs called Let’s Put the Beat in Our Feet, and is still a presenter on the Australian children’s show today.

Justine Clarke: Roo Stewart 1988-1989

AGE: 54

Justine Clarke auditioned for a number of roles including foster kids Carly Morris and Bobby Simpson before being invited back to audition for Roo Stewart which she won.

Roo was boy crazy, and always got what she wanted, which led to Justine getting booed while attending promotional appearances for the show. Her on-off relationship with hunky foster kid Frank Morgan had fans gripped, and their ‘shotgun wedding’ was watched by eight million viewers in the UK.

Roo left Frank at the altar after confessing that the baby she was carrying wasn’t his. Justine left the soap as Roo in 1989 to pursue other television projects and despite being asked to return she has refused.

The character was recast in 2010 with Georgie Parker taking over the role.

Justine went on to star in a number of television shows and films following her departure from Home and Away. In 1997 she starred alongside Heath Ledger in the film Blackrock. Other television credits include Tangle, Look Both Ways, All Saints, and more recently, Fisk and Return to Paradise.

But it’s been her long-running role as a presenter on ABC kids television programme Play School, that Justine has become known for down under.

She joined the show in 1999, the same year she married fellow actor Jack Finsterer, that led to her getting her own music television series, The Justine Clarke Show, as well as well as a number of hit children’s songs and albums.

Among her top songs are Watermelon, I Like to Sing, and Dinosaur Roar. Justine has three children with her husband Jack and lives in Sydney.

Sharyn Hodgson: Carly Morris, 1988-1991

AGE: 58

Sharyn was cast as one of Tom and Pippa’s foster kids Carly Morris when she was just 17 years old.

During her time on the show Sharyn was involved in a number of hard-hitting storylines including rape, alcoholism and relationship problems. She also played her identical twin-sister Samantha who tried to destroy her home life in Summer Bay.

Carly did find her happily ever after with Ben Lucini, played by Julian McMahon, and the couple decided to start a new life together away from Summer Bay in 1991. 

Sharyn decided to turn her back on acting to become a mum.

And despite being very proud of her time on the show she didn’t think she was cut out to be in showbiz for the long haul.

She now works as a natural therapist and childcare worker, and like her on-screen parents, she has fostered children alongside husband Stuart. She lives with her husband and daughter Bella-Rai on the south coast of New South Wales.

Speaking about being a foster mum like Pippa, Sharyn said: “Our experiences have been overwhelmingly positive. The rewards you get absolutely outweigh the trying times.”

Judy Nunn: Ailsa Stewart, 1988-2000

AGE: 81

Judy was cast as Ailsa Stewart, who hid a dark secret from her husband Alf. It later transpired that Ailsa had served time in prison for manslaughter.

Aisle ran the local grocery store but when they burnt down she went into business with Bobby Simpson and the now iconic Summer Bay diner was created.

Aisla went on to have son Duncan with Alf and was involved in a hard-hitting postnatal depression storyline. During the sea one finale in 2000 Ailsa suffered a massive heart attack while moving some boxes in the diner and died in front of husband Alf.

When Ailsa was killed off Judy devoted her time to a career in writing books.

Her first three novels, The Glitter Game, Centre Stage and Araluen, set respectively in the worlds of television, theatre and film, became instant bestsellers. To date she has released 20 adult fiction books and sold over a million copies in Australia alone.

Her 2023 book Black Sheep, which explores generational dynamics within the family, confirmed Judy’s position as one of Australia’s leading fiction writers.

In 2015, Judy was made a Member of the Order of Australia for her ‘significant service to the performing arts as a scriptwriter and actor of stage and screen, and to literature as an author’. Her historical novels are published across Europe in multiple languages including German, French, Dutch and Spanish.

Norman Coburn: Donald Fisher, 1988-2003

AGE: 89

Norman played Summer Bay headmaster Donald Fisher after a successful acting career where he appeared on Australian television in hits such as Sons and Daughters and A Country Practice as well as a number of theatre productions.

During his time on the show he was revealed to be the biological dad of teenage tearaway Bobby Simpson, tragically lost his son Alan to a sudden brain aneurysm, and married ditzy beautician Marilyn Chambers.

The couple split up following the tragic death of their baby son Byron from cancer. Donald left Summer Bay after stepping down as Headmaster to start a new life with June Reynolds.

Norman retired from acting after leaving Home and Away aged 70. He moved to Bruny Island, Tasmania.

He did make a brief return in 2019, alongside former co-star Debra Lawrence. His daughter Nana Coburn followed in her dad’s footsteps and appeared on Home and Away as Vicki Baxter and Lisa Matthews.

Kate Richie: Sally Fletcher 1988-2008

AGE: 48

Child star Kate Richie played the youngest of Tom and Pippa’s foster kids Sally Fletcher who famously had an imaginary friend called Milco.

It later transpired that Milco was actually her estranged twin brother Miles Copeland.

During her 20 years on the show viewers watched little Sally grow up and marry Flynn Saunders who later died of cancer.

She went on to take over as the headteacher of Summer Bay High from Donald Fisher in 2003. Sally left Summer Bay to start a new life in America with foster daughter Pippa five years later. Kate won two Gold Logie awards for her portrayal of Sally.

Kate now co-hosts Nova FM’s drive-time show, Fitzy, Wippa and Kate, which is the most listened to radio show in Australia.

She married rugby league star Stuart Webb in 2010 and their daughter Mae was born in 2014.

The couple separated in 2019 after the police intervened to protect Kate following a domestic incident. She has also appeared as a judge on Australia’s Got Talent and Channel 7 drama series The Claremont Murders.

Adam Willits: Steven Matheson, 1988-1991, 1995-1998

AGE: 54

Adam was cast as foster kid Steven Matheson, who was taken in by Tom and Pippa after his parents tragically died in a house fire.

He was left devastated when foster dad Tom died from a heart attack. He had a thing for older women and had brief romances with Narelle Smart and Jennifer Atkinson. Following his initial stint in Summer Bay, Steven returned in 1995 to become a teacher at Summer Bay High

Adam stepped away from the spotlight in 2014 following a role in Rake to concentrate on a career in insurance.

Since that time he has kept a low profile, but is married to his wife Jenny, and the couple have one child together.

Peter Vroom: Lance Smart, 1988-1990

AGE: 57

Peter Vroom played lovely, slow-witted comedy character Lance who had an overprotective mum and a brief romance with Marilyn Chambers.

He leaves Summer Bay in 1990 after deciding that he doesn’t want to marry Marilyn and runs off to join the army. His mum later reveals that he’s become a sergeant and living in Queensland.

Over the years Peter has popped back for a number of guest stints on Home and Away.

Back in 2007 he decided to completely step back from acting and now works as a meditation teacher where he guides clients to connect with their spiritual side and learn how to meditate. He runs a YouTube channel @TheResoluteMind.