Flynn Saunders

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Flynn Saunders
Home and Away character
Joel McIlroy as Flynn Saunders
Portrayed byMartin Dingle-Wall (2001–02)
Joel McIlroy (2003–06)
Duration2001–06
First appearance13 July 2001
Last appearance13 February 2006
ClassificationFormer; regular
Introduced byJohn Holmes
In-universe information
Occupation
  • Doctor
  • Counsellor
  • Caravan Park owner
  • Foster parent
Father
Ashley Saunders
WifeSally Fletcher (2003–06)
DaughtersPippa Saunders

Flynn Saunders is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Home and Away, played by Martin Dingle-Wall from 2001 until 2002 and by Joel McIlroy from 2003 to 2006 . He first appeared in the episode broadcast on 13 July 2001 and died on 13 February 2006.

Development

Flynn was a doctor and social worker, who arrived in

Susie Rugg), whom he chased down the beach after mistaking her for Ashley.[1]

Storylines

Flynn first arrives in the Bay to help Shelly Sutherland out at the Sarah McKay drop-in centre as a counsellor. It is soon revealed a few weeks after that he is also a trained doctor. Flynn soon falls for

Stephanie Chaves-Jacobsen
) to save his life in surgery and they are successful.

Flynn later searches for his younger sister, Ashley, when their father,

Leah Patterson (Ada Nicodemou). Flynn and Sally take in homeless teenagers Ric Dalby (Mark Furze) and Cassie Turner (Sharni Vinson
) and they form a close bond with them.

In late 2005, Flynn is diagnosed with terminal skin cancer which has spread to other areas of his body and is told he only has three months to live. After deciding against chemotherapy, Flynn faces a tough moment when he tells Sally that he wants to take his own life, in order to save himself the pain and humiliation of dying a slow death but Flynn realises how precious his final weeks are and decides to die naturally. When Flynn encounters runaway Belle Taylor (Jessica Tovey), she knocks him over while fleeing, exacerbating his weakened state. Flynn spends his final hours reminiscing with Sally, Ric, Cassie and Alf Stewart (Ray Meagher) over photos and memories. Flynn shares one last dance with Sally before dying in her arms.

Reception

For his portrayal of Flynn, Dingle-Wall received a nomination for the

Australian Writers' Guild Award for Best Episode in a Television Serial in 2006.[6] Flynn's death was also voted the second most gripping storyline in a TV Week reader's poll in December 2006.[7]

An Inside Soap columnist branded the character "handsome" and "dashing".[1] Of the recast, Matt Bramford of What's on TV stated "It's quite obvious to everyone that Home and Away didn't even TRY to find someone who looked like Martin Dingle-Wall when he left Summer Bay in 2002. Instead they cast Joel McIlroy..."[8] Debi Enker of The Age thought Sally and Flynn's wedding "could well be the soap wedding of the year."[9]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "In like Flynn". Inside Soap (208): 15. 22 June – 5 July 2002.
  2. ^ Ede, Charisse (3 April 2002). "TV's longest night is back". Illawarra Mercury. Retrieved 7 December 2011.
  3. ^ "Vote in the Inside Soap Awards 2002". Inside Soap (212): 42. 17–30 August 2002.
  4. ^ "Last hurrah for moonface?". The Age. 4 April 2006. Retrieved 7 December 2011.
  5. ^ "Vote in the 2006 Inside Soap awards". Inside Soap (27): 50–52. 8–14 July 2006.
  6. Australian Writers Guild. Archived from the original
    (PDF) on 29 October 2012. Retrieved 7 December 2011.
  7. ^ "Bindi Irwin Tops Reader Poll". news.com.au. Retrieved 6 December 2011.
  8. ^ Bramford, Matt (19 September 2014). "18 Best Soap Recastings!". What's on TV. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  9. ^ Enker, Debi (19 June 2003). "Previews". The Age. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
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