Pippa Ross
| Pippa Ross | |||||||||||||||||||
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| Home and Away character | |||||||||||||||||||
Former; regular | |||||||||||||||||||
 Vanessa Downing as Pippa Fletcher | |||||||||||||||||||
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Philippa "Pippa" Ross (also Fletcher) is a fictional character from the Australian television soap opera Home and Away. Actress Vanessa Downing originated the role and made her debut during the pilot episode broadcast on 17 January 1988. Downing quit the role in 1990, and Debra Lawrance was then cast. Pippa departed on 18 March 1998, but Lawrance has reprised the role for numerous returns between 2000 and 2009.
Casting
Carol Willesee was initially hired for the "pivotal role of foster mother, and earth mother" Pippa Fletcher.[1] In his book Super Aussie Soaps, Andrew Mercado opined that casting the then wife of current affairs show host, Mike Willesee, was a publicity dream.[1] Of Willesee's casting, producer John Holmes said "She had just started acting and was pretty raw, but she had a warmth about her."[1] When filming began, the Seven Network became worried because Willesee had not signed a contract. The actress later revealed she had a verbal agreement that she could have time off during the school holidays, as well as later starts and early finishes, so she could spend time with her family.[1] The network realised that that situation would not work for a show scheduled to film five episodes per week and they decided to recast the character and reshoot the footage Willesee had already filmed.[1] Holmes explained that it would have been "irresponsible" to allow an unsigned actress to keep filming when she could walk out at any time.[1]
The pivotal role of Pippa was then given to Vanessa Downing at very short notice and the actress had to juggle a theatre production in which she was appearing along with the filming of the pilot episode of Home and Away. Downing made her debut as Pippa on 17 January 1988.[2] She appeared as Pippa until 1990, when she suddenly quit the series, apparently due to missing working with her former co-star Roger Oakley, who played her on-screen husband Tom.[3] Producers did not want to kill off the character, as she was crucial to the storyline, so they recast the part instead.[4] Auditions were held and it came down to two actresses; Jackie Woodburne and Debra Lawrance.[4] Lawrance commented "We were, and still are, very dear friends. She and I were short-listed together and after our call back audition we caught up for coffee. We both genuinely agreed that we didn't mind if the other got it."[4] Lawrance won the role and immediately took over from Downing in July 1990; there was no break in the storyline for the character, when Downing departed, Lawrance appeared as Pippa in the following episode with no attempt to explain the sudden change of appearance. Lawrance remained in the role until 1998 and has subsequently returned to guest star.[3]
Storylines
Pippa is the daughter of
Pippa then gives birth to a son,
Pippa then falls pregnant again and gives birth to another son,
In 2002 Pippa appears on a video with a special message she made for Sally during Summer Bay's 150th anniversary celebrations. The next year, she and Christopher (now played by
Reception
Pippa was placed sixth in TV Week's list of the "Top 10 Aussie TV mums".[5] A writer for the publication said "Kind-hearted Pippa helped dozens of fosters kids, along with her own son, Dale, get on the straight and narrow with reliable doses of tough love. Pippa oversaw Sally's (Kate Ritchie) progress from child to independent woman, and once Sally was on her feet, Pippa left town to make a new life. Being a good mum, Pippa has returned for all the family's rites of passage."[5] Writers for the publication later included Pippa at number six in their feature on the "Top 20 Home And Away characters of all time". They wrote that the character was "kind-hearted", but had "more than her share of grief".[6]
The episode featuring the death of Pippa's newborn son, Dale, won the Australian Film Institute award for Best Episode In A Television Drama Serial in 1993. It was presented to executive producer, Andrew Howie.[7]
References
- ^ a b c d e f Mercado, Andrew, p.252
- ^ Kilkelly, Daniel (17 January 2018). "Home and Away: 13 unforgettable moments as the Aussie soap turns 30". Digital Spy. Retrieved 3 August 2018.
- ^ a b Mercado, Andrew, p.263
- ^ a b c Molloy, Shannon (12 September 2014). "Neighbours star Jackie Woodburne went for part of Pippa on Home And Away". news.com.au. Retrieved 12 September 2014.
- ^ Ninemsn. Archived from the originalon 7 March 2012. Retrieved 21 February 2012.
- ^ "We rank the top 20 Home And Away characters of all time". TV Week. 16 January 2018. Retrieved 3 August 2018.
- ^ "AFI Award Winners Feature Categories 1958-2009". Australian Film Institute. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 September 2009. Retrieved 23 January 2012.
- Mercado, Andrew (2004). Super Aussie Soaps. Pluto Press Australia. ISBN 978-1-86403-191-1.