Sally Louise Fletcher (also Copeland and Keating) is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera ''
Home and Away
''Home and Away'' (often abbreviated as ''H&A'') is an Australian television soap opera. It was created by Alan Bateman and commenced broadcast on the Seven Network on 17 January 1988. Bateman came up with the concept of the show during a tri ...
'', played by
Kate Ritchie
Katherine Leigh Ritchie is an Australian actress, radio presenter and children's author, she remains best known for her long-running role as original character Sally Fletcher on the television soap opera ''Home and Away'', for which she won tw ...
. She made her first screen appearance during the serial's pilot episode, which was broadcast on 17 January 1988. Sally became the longest running original female cast member. She departed on 3 April 2008. Ritchie earned various awards and nominations for her portrayal of Sally. In February 2013, it was announced that Ritchie would be reprising her role. Sally returned during the episode broadcast on 15 July 2013 with her daughter. They departed on 5 September 2013.
Casting
Ritchie auditioned for the role of Sally in front of executive producer John Holmes in 1987.
Her audition scene was all about strawberry jam and Sally's imaginary friend Milco.
Ritchie told Jason Herbison of British magazine ''
All About Soap
''All About Soap'' was a fortnightly UK magazine founded in October 1999. It was released on Tuesdays. Storylines of the shows it covers are from soap operas shown in the United Kingdom and from Australia, including '' EastEnders'', '' Cor ...
'' that she could remember reading Sally's scenes for Holmes, before auditioning for the director who recorded it on video.
She added "I remember when my mum told me I got the part of Sally. I didn't want her to tell anyone because I was really embarrassed."
Holmes revealed Ritchie had stood out among the other actresses auditioning for the role. He said "Actors always choose themselves for a role and in this case Kate Ritchie shone head and shoulders above all the rest."
During flashbacks to the character's childhood, Sally was played by Chloe Shelsher.
In 2008, Ritchie said of her role, "I well and truly know the girl that is Sally Fletcher. If only I had realised earlier she wasn't my enemy, she wasn't the embarrassing little sister always trying to spoil my fun but, in fact, the best friend I ever had....In my Logie acceptance speech last year I said ''Home and Away'' had always been my constant and the same goes for Sally. We have spent the past 20 years side by side....Sally is a good person. She is the true meaning of the word good, often a quality that goes unnoticed and is most definitely underrated. Sounds crazy, but it is true."
Departure and return
After twenty years, Ritchie departed ''Home and Away'' and her last episode aired on 3 April 2008.
Ritchie admitted that she had thought about leaving the show for years, but finally made her decision to go in 2007. She filmed her final scenes in December that year.
Ritchie compared her exit from the show to ending a romantic relationship, writing "My decision to leave ''Home and Away'' could draw many similarities to breaking up with the boyfriend you just knew you had to... You still loved him, you always would and no doubt you were going to miss him like crazy – after all, you're not sure you even remember life before he came along. But something just wasn't right any more and the time had come for the inevitable parting of ways. Melodramatic? Perhaps. Only because I am desperate to normalise a situation that seems harder to explain as each day passes and for every one of those days I get closer to having to say goodbye to Sally Fletcher."
Ritchie called Sally's exit storyline "perfect",
while critic Farah Farouque stated "the last episode featuring Sally is a TV moment of note."
On 10 February 2013, it was announced that Ritchie would be reprising her role for "a special story arc".
Of her return, Ritchie stated "There will be a wonderful sense of familiarity stepping back into Sally’s shoes for a while. Summer Bay is a very different place these days and I am looking forward to working with all the fresh faces that have continued to take ''Home and Away'' from strength to strength. It will be a good opportunity to catch up with some old mates too! Those cast and crew I worked with for so many years are who I have missed the most."
Ritchie said that her decision to reprise her role depended on Sally having a great return story, as she did not want to come back and change sheets.
The actress began filming Sally's return on 25 February.
A promotional trailer for Sally's return was released on 20 June. It shows Sally returning to Summer Bay and stating that she had to come back, but is afraid to tell anyone why. Sally returned with her daughter on 15 July 2013.
Storylines
Backstory
Twins Sally and
Miles
The mile, sometimes the international mile or statute mile to distinguish it from other miles, is a British imperial unit and United States customary unit of distance; both are based on the older English unit of length equal to 5,280 Engli ...
lived together with their alcoholic father Aaron (Timothy Walter) and mother Diana. Aaron used to beat Diana, so she left him. Diana and new husband Derek Wilson had been killed in a boating accident. She went to live with her grandmother
Mrs. Keating, but she developed Alzheimer's Disease. Sally was soon fostered by
Tom (
Roger Oakley
Roger Oakley (born 21 August 1943) is a New Zealand actor and theatre director noted for his performances in television serials, mini-series, feature and television films. He is also active as a theatre performer, director and voice-over. Oakle ...
) and
Pippa Fletcher
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. Dow ...
(
Vanessa Downing
Vanessa Downing (born 5 May 1958) is an Australian actress and singer, voice artist and lawyer
Downing was appearing with singing group ''The Madrigals'', an acapella group who were performing at the Sydney Opera House, when she was given ...
;
Debra Lawrence
Debra Lawrance (born 1 January 1957) is an Australian actress.
She is best known for her role on ''Home and Away'', as Pippa Ross, which she played from 1990 to 1998, and has made a number of return appearances as the character, the most re ...
). Sally had an imaginary friend named Milco. Aaron and Miles went to find Sally, but after seeing Sally was better off with the Fletcher family, they left.
1988–2000
Sally and her family move to
Summer Bay
Summer Bay is the fictional coastal town featured in the Australian soap opera, '' Home and Away''. Palm Beach, the most Northern beach of Sydney, is used for the show's exterior scenes in order to depict the Bay. Between 2010 and 2014, the ...
and she takes an instant dislike to
Bobby Simpson (
Nicolle Dickson
Nicolle Dickson (born 29 January 1969) is an Australian former actress, who was best known for playing the original character of teenage tearaway Bobby Simpson in soap opera ''Home and Away'' from 1988 to 1993. She left the acting profession a ...
). However, they become close friends when Tom and Pippa foster Bobby. Sally runs away in 1989 when she is teased by new foster child Dodge, and this makes Tom and Pippa realize just how much she means to them and they decide to adopt her. When Tom dies and Pippa begins a relationship with
Michael Ross (Dennis Coard), Sally is resistant and frequently rude to Michael. Sally later warms to Michael after he and Pippa marry. She is overjoyed when Pippa has another baby,
Dale
Dale or dales may refer to:
Locations
* Dale (landform), an open valley
* Dale (place name element)
Geography
;Australia
* The Dales (Christmas Island), in the Indian Ocean
;Canada
* Dale, Ontario
;Ethiopia
* Dale (woreda), district
;Norway
* ...
(Olivia Alfonzetti), but is devastated when he dies of SIDS. Further tragedy occurs when Bobby is killed in a boating accident. As Sally grows, she is attracted to many boys; the first of whom is
Damian Roberts
Damian Roberts is a fictional character from the Australian Channel Seven soap opera ''Home and Away'', played by Matt Doran. The character debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 6 November 1991, and departed on 15 March 1996. Ben Hamil ...
(
Matt Doran
Matthew James Doran (born 30 March 1976) is an Australian television and film actor. He is perhaps best known for his roles as Damian Roberts in the Australian soap ''Home and Away'' from 1991 to 1996, "Mouse" in the 1999 film ''The Matrix'', ...
), her foster brother. Sally kisses Damian while he is asleep only to be witnessed by Pippa. Pippa and Michael begin having financial problems caused by Michael's son
Haydn
Franz Joseph Haydn ( , ; 31 March 173231 May 1809) was an Austrian composer of the Classical period. He was instrumental in the development of chamber music such as the string quartet and piano trio. His contributions to musical form have led ...
's (
Andrew Hill) gambling debts. New student
Joe Lynch (
Justin Rosniak
Justin Rosniak (born 11 May 1977) is an Australian television and film actor, best known for his appearances in the television series '' Packed to the Rafters'', ''Police Rescue'', ''Squinters'' and ''Mr Inbetween''.
Career
Rosniak appeared ...
) bullies Sally for a while, but eventually owns up when he is confronted by
Donald Fisher
Donald George Fisher (September 3, 1928 – September 27, 2009) was an American billionaire businessman and philanthropist. He co-founded The Gap Inc. clothing stores with his wife Doris F. Fisher.
Early life and education
Fisher was born i ...
. Sally dates
Gus Bishop (
Samuel Johnson
Samuel Johnson (18 September 1709 – 13 December 1784), often called Dr Johnson, was an English writer who made lasting contributions as a poet, playwright, essayist, moralist, critic, biographer, editor and lexicographer. The ''Oxford ...
), but is scared off by his criminal antics. Sally then begins seeing
Nelson McFarlane
''Home and Away'' is an Australian soap opera first broadcast on the Seven Network on 17 January 1988. The following is a list of characters that first appeared in 1995, by order of first appearance. They were all introduced by the show's then e ...
(
Laurence Breuls
Laurence Breuls is an Australian actor. Breuls made his television debut portraying the character Nelson McFarlane on ''Home and Away'' in 1995, and his film debut playing the lead role of Jared in the 1997 film ''Blackrock''. Breuls performance ...
), but Nelson is badly burned in a bushfire caused by
Jack Wilson (
Daniel Amalm
Daniel Amalm (born 16 February 1979) is an Australian actor and musician.
Early life
Amalm's mother is Maltese and his father is Swedish. Amalm's father introduced him to guitar from an early age. Amalm's first performances were as a busker ...
). He pushes Sally away, upsetting her. She then falls for Jack, but they break up after Jack's jealousy over Brendan Coyne (Billy Mitchell).
Peter Moss (
Ron Haddrick
Ronald Norman Haddrick (9 April 1929 – 11 February 2020) was an Australian actor, cricketer, narrator and presenter. In 2012, he received the Actors Equity Lifetime Achievement Award for his long and distinguished career in media, spanning s ...
), a man staying at the caravan park, believes Sally is the
reincarnation
Reincarnation, also known as rebirth or transmigration, is the philosophical or religious concept that the non-physical essence of a living being begins a new life in a different physical form or body after biological death. Resurrectio ...
of his daughter. Sally remembers a song Moss used to sing even though she never heard it. Sally and
Shannon Reed
Shannon Reed is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera '' Home and Away'', played by Isla Fisher. She made her first on screen appearance on 16 September 1994. She departed on 6 August 1997. Ashley Murray played a young Shannon in ...
(
Isla Fisher
Isla Lang Fisher (; born 3 February 1976) is an Australian actress and author. Born to Scottish parents in Oman, she moved to Australia at age six where she began appearing in television commercials. Fisher came to prominence for her portrayal ...
) are involved in a car accident and Moss is killed. Soon after, Michael drowns while saving
Sam Marshall
Sam Marshall (previously Nicholls) is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera '' Home and Away'', played by former actor Ryan Clark. He made his first on screen appearance on 3 April 1991. Sam remained in ''Home and Away'' until 20 ...
's (
Ryan Clark) life and Sally loses a 'father' for the fourth time. To cheer her up, Shannon and
Selina Roberts
Selina Cook (also Roberts) is a fictional character from the Australian Channel Seven soap opera ''Home and Away'', played by Tempany Deckert. She debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 5 May 1994. Deckert was given the role of ...
(
Tempany Deckert
Tempany Deckert (born 2 March 1978) is an Australian actress and author, who now resides in Los Angeles, California, USA. She is perhaps best known for her role as Selina Roberts on popular soap opera '' Home and Away'' from 1994 to 1997, and ...
) take her out on a raft built by Liam Tanner (
Peter Scarf) and
Joey Rainbow
Joey Rainbow is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera '' Home and Away'', played by Alex O'Han. He made his first screen appearance during the episode broadcast on 20 June 1996. O'Han joined the serial while he was still in high sc ...
(Alex O'Han). The raft breaks and Sally is sent adrift and washes up in the bush. She is found by Jamie Grace (Jamie Oxenbould), a man with learning difficulties, and then rescued by
Steven Matheson (
Adam Willits). Sally begins seeing Tim O'Connell (Nick Hardcastle), losing her virginity to him, until he is arrested. Sally then self-destructs and has sex with Scott Irwin (
Heath Ledger
Heath Andrew Ledger (4 April 1979 – 22 January 2008) was an Australian actor and music video director. After playing roles in several Australian television and film productions during the 1990s, Ledger moved to the United States in 1998 to ...
). She also steals exam papers from Donald Fisher's office for him. When Tim returns to town after the charges are dropped, Sally feels guilty and confesses all to him. Scott takes revenge on Sally after she reveals the truth by attempting to plant some of Donald's things in her locker. However,
Aaron Welles (Ritchie Gudgeon) witnesses this and moves the items into Scott's locker resulting in Scott's expulsion.
Pippa decides to leave town to live with her new boyfriend Ian Routledge (Patrick Dickson) and Sally assumes she will let her and Tim move into the house. She is angry when instead she asked
Travis (
Nic Testoni
Nicolas John Testoni, billed as Nic Testoni is an Australian actor and television presenter. He took the role of Travis Nash on TV soap opera, '' Home and Away'', from 1995 to 1999. He won the Most Popular New Talent category at the Logie Awards ...
) and
Rebecca Nash
Rebecca Nash (also Fisher) is a fictional character from the Australian television soap opera '' Home and Away''. The character was played by actress Jane Hall in 1989, Danielle Carter in 1994, and Belinda Emmett from 1996 to 1999. Megan Conn ...
(
Belinda Emmett
Belinda Jane Emmett (12 April 1974 – 11 November 2006) was an Australian actress and singer. She was best known for her roles in the TV drama series '' Home and Away'' and '' All Saints'' as well as the sitcom '' Hey Dad..!''. She was married ...
) to move in. However, she and Pippa reconcile before Pippa's departure. Sally ends things with Tim after he gets jealous of her and accuses Travis of liking young girls after seeing Sally hug him. Sally then moves into Travis' old house with
Vinnie Patterson
Vincent "Vinnie" Patterson is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera ''Home and Away'', played by Ryan Kwanten. He made his first on screen appearance on 14 July 1997 and departed on 1 March 2002.
Development
In 1999, Vinnie was d ...
(
Ryan Kwanten) and
Jesse McGregor
Jesse McGregor is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera ''Home and Away'', played by actor Ben Unwin. He made his first screen appearance during the episode broadcast on 20 May 1996. The actor departed in 2000, but returned in 200 ...
(
Ben Unwin
Ben Denis Unwin (15 August 1977 – 14 August 2019) was an Australian actor and music video director, best known for portraying Jesse McGregor on the television soap opera ''Home and Away'' from 1996 until 2000, and again from 2002 to 2005. For ...
). She briefly has a fling with
Sean Ellis
Sean Ellis (born 1970) is a British film director, writer, producer and fashion photographer. He is best known for his films '' Cashback'' (2004), '' The Broken'' (2008), ''Metro Manila'' (2013), in the Tagalog language, and '' Anthropoid'' (201 ...
(Mark Gerber) but he cheats on her with his ex-wife
Tanya
Tanya may refer to:
* Tanya (Judaism),an early work of Hasidic philosophy by Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi.
* Tanya (name), a given name and list of people with the name
* Tanya or Lara Saint Paul (born 1946)
* List of Mortal Kombat characters#Tany ...
(
Antonia Murphy
Antonia Murphy is an Australian former actress, best known for her role as Lynn Palmer Hardy in the television soap opera '' Sons and Daughters''.
Other television credits include '' Prime Time'', ''Brides of Christ'', ''The Dingo Principle'', ...
).
Murray
Murray may refer to:
Businesses
* Murray (bicycle company), an American manufacturer of low-cost bicycles
* Murrays, an Australian bus company
* Murray International Trust, a Scottish investment trust
* D. & W. Murray Limited, an Australian who ...
(
Scott Major
Scott Ian Major (born 4 July 1975) is an Australian actor and TV and film director, best known for his roles as Peter Rivers in the 1994 television teen drama series ''Heartbreak High'' and Lucas Fitzgerald in soap opera ''Neighbours''.
Career
...
), a drifter holds up the Bayside Diner, Sally is shot in the leg during siege but recovers. Sally and Vinnie are surprised when they fall for each other and begin a relationship. However, although they soften each other's hard edges a bit, it becomes evident they are ultimately too different and split after just a year.
2000–2008
Sally goes to
Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
and returns with fiancé,
Kieran Fletcher (
Spencer McLaren
Spencer McLaren (born 28 February 1973, Sydney) is an Australian theatre actor and television actor. The 1999 NIDA graduate is most well known for his starring role on the Australian television drama, ''The Secret Life of Us'', as Richie Blake; ...
). She moves in with
Shauna Bradley
Shauna Bradley is a fictional character from the Australian television soap opera '' Home and Away'', played by Kylie Watson. The actress received an audition for ''Home And Away'' in February 1999, but decided not to attend it as she did not th ...
(
Kylie Watson
Kylie Watson (born 7 May 1978) is an Australian actress, interior designer and model. She is best known for playing Shauna Bradley in the Australian soap opera '' Home and Away'' between 1999 and 2002. She is now a successful interior designer ...
) and
Leah Poulos (
Ada Nicodemou). At her wedding
Gypsy Nash
The Romani (also spelled Romany or Rromani , ), colloquially known as the Roma, are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group, traditionally nomadic itinerants. They live in Europe and Anatolia, and have diaspora populations located worldwide, with sign ...
(
Kimberley Cooper
Kimberley Cooper (born 24 April 1980) is an Australian television actress known for her character of Gypsy Nash on the Australian soap opera ''Home and Away''.
Early life
Kimberley Cooper was born on 24 April 1980 in Sydney, New South Wales, A ...
) announces Kieran has been making advances towards her. Sally blames Gypsy but sees sense. Upset Sally starts suffering from
obsessive compulsive disorder. Kieran's best man,
Luke Harvey (Nick Flint), arrives to help Sally through her troubles. The pair soon develop feelings for each other and become engaged. Sally abandons her plans to become an
archaeologist and decides to become a teacher. Principal
Judith Ackroyd (
Anna Hruby) appoints Sally as Summer Bay High's new history teacher. Sally and Luke become distant due to work.
Harry Reynolds Harry Reynolds may refer to:
* Harry Reynolds (''EastEnders''), fictional character
* Harry Reynolds (''Home and Away''), fictional character
* Butch Reynolds (born 1964), American 400 meters sprinter
* Harry Reynolds (cyclist) (1874–1940), I ...
(
Justin Melvey
Justin Melvey (born 7 May 1969) is an Australian actor who has appeared in a number of television series in Australia and the US.
Career
Melvey is best known to Australian audiences for his role as Harry Reynolds in the evening soap opera ''Ho ...
) kisses her and she realises she has to call the wedding off. She starts dating colleague Brett Egan (Emmanuel Marshall), however she reports him for assaulting
Noah Lawson
Noah Lawson is a fictional character from the Australian Channel Seven soap opera '' Home and Away'', played by Beau Brady. The character debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 6 September 2000.
Characterization
Jacqueline Maley writi ...
(
Beau Brady
Beau Brady (born 11 October 1981) is an Australian actor from Sydney, Australia.
Biography
Brady attended high school at Oak Hill College where he took up Drama in year eight. In 1999 he debuted in the acting world by guest starring on the ...
) and he leaves her. She and Gypsy become good friends.
When
Flynn Saunders
Flynn Saunders is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera '' Home and Away'', played by Joel McIlroy. The character was originally played by Martin Dingle-Wall from 2001 until 2002. He made his first appearance during the episode bro ...
(
Martin Dingle-Wall
Martin Dingle-Wall is an Australian actor, producer and screenwriter. He originated the role of Flynn Saunders on the Australian soap opera '' Home and Away'' in 2001. He departed the show in 2002. Dingle-Wall has appeared in '' Satisfaction'' ...
) starts working at the Drop-In Centre, he and Sally start a romance. Sally is angry when she finds out Shauna has tried to seduce Flynn and ends her friendship with her. While she is in the hospital, Sally discovers that she has
ovarian cancer
Ovarian cancer is a cancerous tumor of an ovary. It may originate from the ovary itself or more commonly from communicating nearby structures such as fallopian tubes or the inner lining of the abdomen. The ovary is made up of three different c ...
and has to have a
hysterectomy. Before the operation she has some of her eggs frozen. Sally realises she cannot have children and thinks Flynn will leave her. Sally, Sophie and
Blake Dean (
Les Hill) become lost in the bush after a boating accident, but they are soon found. Sally moves in with
Charlotte Adams (
Stephanie Chaves-Jacobsen), but when she dies, Sally agrees to let Flynn move in. Sally decides she wants to find a surrogate mother and Sophie agrees to do it. At the first ultrasound they find out she is carrying two babies with different parents: one is Sally and Flynn's, the other Blake and Sophie's. Soon after, Sophie miscarries Sally's baby.
Sally becomes acting principal and
Angie Russell
Angie Russell is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera '' Home and Away'', played by Laurie Foell. She made her first screen appearance during the episode broadcast on 26 September 2002. Foell departed on 21 March 2003, but her ch ...
(
Laurie Foell
Laurie Foell (born Laurence Foel on 10 February 1968) is an Argentinian-born Australian actress. She is best known for her portrayal of both Angela "Angie" Russell and her cousin Josie, in the successful Australian television soap opera '' H ...
) plots to get rid of her by triggering her OCD once more. Sally hands her job to
Paris Burnett
''Home and Away'' is an Australian soap opera. It was first broadcast on the Seven Network on 17 January 1988. The following is a list of characters that first appeared in 2002 by order of first appearance. They were all introduced by the show's ...
(Rhett Giles), but after she proves that Angie tried to seduce student,
Nick Smith (
Chris Egan), she becomes the new deputy principal and clashes with Barry Hyde (
Ivar Kants
Ivar Kants (born 19 July 1949) (commonly credited as ''Ivor'' Kants or Ivar Kanz) is an Australian actor of Latvian descent who has played numerous roles in soap operas including ''A Country Practice'', ''G.P.'', '' All Saints'', '' Water Rats' ...
). Sally and Flynn get married and Leah offers to be a surrogate mother for them. Sally turns a blind eye to the various problems during Leah's pregnancy, such as Flynn and Leah kissing. Leah gives birth to a girl and Sally and Flynn name her
Pippa. Sally moves back into the house at the caravan park and begins fostering
Ric Dalby
Eric "Ric" Dalby is a fictional character from the Australian Seven Network, Channel Seven soap opera ''Home and Away'', played by Mark Furze. He appeared in the series from 15 September 2004 until 24 July 2008. Furze was cast into the role after ...
(
Mark Furze
Mark Furze (born 7 May 1986) is an Australian actor and musician.
Career
Furze starred in several productions by the Orange, New South Wales, Orange Theatre Company, playing the lead role in a version of ''Oliver!'' aged 10. His first TV appea ...
) and
Cassie Turner
Cassandra "Cassie" Turner is a fictional character from the Australian Channel Seven soap opera '' Home and Away'', played by Sharni Vinson. She debuted on-screen during an episode that aired on 18 March 2005. Vinson originally auditioned for ...
(
Sharni Vinson
Sharni Vinson (born 22 July 1983) is an Australian actress and dancer. She is known for her roles in the television soap opera ''Home and Away'', and in the films ''Bait 3D'', '' Step Up 3D'' and '' You're Next''.
Early life
Born in Sydney, ...
). She is pushed from a ladder by the Summer Bay Stalker and suffers a
brain haemorrhage
Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), also known as cerebral bleed, intraparenchymal bleed, and hemorrhagic stroke, or haemorrhagic stroke, is a sudden bleeding into the tissues of the brain, into its ventricles, or into both. It is one kind of bleed ...
. Someone tampers with her life support machine in an effort to kill her. Upon her release from hospital, Sally is abducted by the culprit,
Eve Jacobsen
''Home and Away'' is an Australian soap opera. The following is a list of characters that first appeared in 2005, by order of appearance. They were all introduced by the show's series producer Julie McGuaran. The 18th season of ''Home and Away'' ...
(
Emily Perry), who ties her up in an abandoned building full of gas, Sally manages to escape the resulting explosion.
Diesel Williams (Marcus Jacometti) one of Sally's students, claims they have been having an affair. Sally is investigated by both the police and the Department of Education. Diesel later holds Sally hostage and Flynn saves her. Flynn is diagnosed with
skin cancer
Skin cancers are cancers that arise from the skin. They are due to the development of abnormal cells that have the ability to invade or spread to other parts of the body. There are three main types of skin cancers: basal-cell skin cancer (BCC) ...
and his condition is too advanced to operate. His health slowly deteriorates and he dies. Alf Stewart moves in with Sally for support. Sally becomes attracted to
Brad Armstrong (
Chris Sadrinna
Chris Sadrinna (born 26 February 1975) is an Australian actor.
Biography
He appeared in '' Home and Away'' as Brad Armstrong, during 2006 and 2007. Sadrinna played Lucy in the movie ''Garage Days'', and also starred in Ivan Sen's debut featur ...
), but is disappointed to learn he is marrying
Emily Vincent (Libby Richmond). When Emily dies from
Leukemia
Leukemia ( also spelled leukaemia and pronounced ) is a group of blood cancers that usually begin in the bone marrow and result in high numbers of abnormal blood cells. These blood cells are not fully developed and are called ''blasts'' or ' ...
, it is revealed that she gave her blessing to Sally and Brad starting a relationship.
Sally tries to turn
Rocco Cooper
''Home and Away'' is an Australian soap opera. It was first broadcast on the Seven Network on 17 January 1988. The following is a list of characters that first appeared in the Australian soap opera ''Home and Away'' in 2006, by order of first ap ...
's (
Ian Meadows
Ian Meadows is an Australian actor, playwright and writer.
Early life and education
Born and raised in Collie, Western Australia, Meadows trained at Curtin University and the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA), graduating ...
) life around. However, she is unsuccessful and Rocco is drawn back into his brother
Johnny's (
Callan Mulvey
Callan Mulvey (born 23 February 1975) is an Australian actor. He is best known for his roles as Mark Moran on the Australian drama ''Underbelly'', Sergeant Brendan 'Josh' Joshua in '' Rush'', and as Bogdan 'Draz' Drazic in ''Heartbreak High''. ...
) gangster world. Johnny threatens to kill Rocco if he does not get rid of Sally, so Rocco stabs her and leaves her to die. Sally survives, but Johnny kills Rocco and Ric is imprisoned for the murder. The incident brings Sally and Brad closer and he moves in. Sally becomes principal again when Brad is forced to step down. Brad proposes to Sally, but she turns him down. However, when he becomes lost at sea she changes her mind. On their wedding day, Sally jilts Brad and he later moves out. Alf hits Pippa with his car and Sally throws him out, but later forgives him. When Sally shares a kiss with Brad, she hopes they can reconcile and arranges some counselling. But when she realises Brad wants something different, she accepts that they are over.
Sally looks after a homeless man named Miles (
Josh Quong Tart
Josh Quong Tart (born 18 September 1975 in Sydney) is an Australian actor.
Early life
Tart attended the McDonald College before he was accepted into National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) in 1994, graduating in 1997 with a bachelor's degre ...
) and learns that he is her long lost brother. She does not initially believe him, but he explains that he is the "Milco" she used to imagine. They get to know each other and catch up on lost time. Johnny escapes from prison and stabs Sally, who nearly dies. She has a near death vision of her adoptive father Tom, who shows her what life would be like in Summer Bay without her. Sally resigns from the school after
Martin Bartlett (
Bob Baines
Robert Alan Baines (born 15 November 1952) is an Australian actor. He has starred in many television shows including '' Water Rats'' and ''Home and Away'' as school principal Martin Bartlett.
Filmography
* 2015 – ''The Dalfram Dispute 1938 ...
) takes her job and realises that she no longer has any responsibilities in the Bay. Sally and Cassie make plans to go travelling, so Ric and Miles organise a leaving concert at the school. Pippa, Carly and Steven return for her send off. Sally signs half of the house and caravan park over to Miles, before saying goodbye. She then joins Cassie in Phuket. Later on, Miles joins his sister there, after she finds him a teaching job.
2013
Five years later, Sally returns to Summer Bay with her daughter Pippa (now played by Piper Morrissey). Sally shows Pippa around her favourite places and shows concern for her health. Sally turns up at beach one day and shocks Alf when she reveals she is back for a while. Sally then reveals to Alf that Pippa has
Mitochondrial disease
Mitochondrial disease is a group of disorders caused by mitochondrial dysfunction. Mitochondria are the organelles that generate energy for the cell and are found in every cell of the human body except red blood cells. They convert the energy of ...
, which is incurable but later she finds a cure in America so she asks Alf for the money for the treatment and he gives it to her.
Reception
For her portrayal of Sally, Ritchie garnered various awards and nominations. At the 2006
Logie Awards
The Logie Awards (officially the TV Week Logie Awards; colloquially known as The Logies) is an annual gathering to celebrate Australian television, sponsored and organised by the magazine ''TV Week''. The first ceremony was held in 1959 as the ...
, Ritchie won the Most Popular Actress award and earned a nomination for
Most Popular Personality on Australian Television. The following year, Ritchie was nominated in both categories again and she went on to win the awards. In 2008, the actress won both the Most Popular Actress and Most Popular Personality awards once again. 2009 saw Ritchie gather nominations in the same categories. At the first
Digital Spy Soap Awards
Digital Spy (DS) is a British-based entertainment, television and film website and brand and is the largest digital property at Hearst UK. Since its launch in 1999, Digital Spy has focused on entertainment news related to television programmes, ...
, Ritchie received a nomination for Most Popular Actress. The episode featuring Sally standing Brad Armstrong up on their wedding day earned the episode's writer Margaret Wilson an Australian Writer's Guild award in 2008.
Of the character, executive producer John Holmes said "Sally is the most loved character on the show and the viewers feel passionately about her survival...No character over the last 19 years compares in popularity to Sally though, except maybe Ray Meagher (who plays Alf). Viewers have seen Sally grow up from an eight-year-old little girl and don't want to see her go."
[As quoted in]
Does Sally Fletcher die?
" ''The Age'' (12 January 2007).
References
External links
Character profileat the official AU ''Home and Away'' website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fletcher, Sally
Home and Away characters
Adoptee characters in television
Child characters in television
Fictional schoolteachers
Fictional principals and headteachers
Fictional twins
Female characters in television
Fictional people from New South Wales
Television characters introduced in 1988
Fictional foster carers