Pippa Ross

Pippa Routledge
Home and Away character
Portrayed by	Vanessa Downing (1988-90) Debra Lawrance (1990-2009)
Duration	1988-98, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009
First appearance	17 January 1988
Last appearance	8 May 2009
Classification	Former; regular
Profile
Home	Carrington Ranges
Occupation	Nurse , Foster mother.
Family Husband Tom Fletcher (1975-90) Michael Ross(1991-96) Ian Routledge (1999-) Father Bert King Mother Coral King Brothers Danny King Sons Christopher Fletcher Dale Ross Adoptive daughters Sally Fletcher Granddaughters Pippa Saunders

Phillipa "Pippa" Routledge OAM (née King, previously Fletcher and Ross) is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Home and Away. Actress Vanessa Downing originated the role from 1988 to 1990, then Debra Lawrance took over from 1990 to 1998. The character has made guest returns in 2000, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009, . Actress Carol Willesee, former wife of prominent Australian journalist Mike Willesee, was actually the first person to be cast as Pippa, but she was replaced before her scenes were aired.^[1]

Casting

In 1997 Lawrance quit the role and Pippa departed in 1998.^[2]

Storylines

In the pilot episode, Pippa and Tom foster wildchild Bobby Simpson. Pippa has a brother Danny that is only seen in the first season a few times, first time over for ANZAC day as he and Tom were Vietnam vets. He also asked Pippa to help him commit suicide as he was left in a wheelchair from the war which she declined to do.

Foster child Frank was going to marry his fiancee Roo, until he found out that she was pregnant by another man. Frank later married fellow foster child Bobby Simpson in 1989. They eventually divorced. Pippa and Tom later adopted Sally.

Pippa and Tom fostered children as Pippa had rheumatic fever as a child, it weakened her heart and doctors warned her that she should not have children.^[3] Tom had a vasectomy to prevent her falling pregnant but against all odds they conceived one biological child together, who they called Christopher. Tom died in 1990, following a heart attack and stroke. Pippa married Michael Ross in 1991 and fell pregnant in 1992, giving birth to Dale Ross. Unfortunately, Dale died from SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome). Michael later drowned in the 1996 floods. Pippa left in 1998, marrying Ian Routledge in 1999.

In 2000, Pippa, along with many other past residents, returned to Summer Bay for Sally's failed wedding to Kieran Fletcher.

In 2002, she made video for Sally at Summer Bay's 150th anniversary celebrations. Four of her former foster children (Sally, Steven, Sophie, and Carly) were among those involved in the Miragini disaster.

Pippa returned to The Bay again in 2003 for Sally's wedding to Flynn and in 2005 for Alf's 60th.

She returned again 2006 when Flynn died and then she returned to The Bay twice in 2007.

Pippa made two appearances in 2008, the first to be there for Sally after her second stabbing, the next to help with her departure.

When Irene left on her trip in 2009, Alf called Pippa to look after Geoff and Annie and stayed for week.

Some of Pippa's Foster Children throughout the years:Sally Keating /Fletcher, Frank Morgan, Carly Morris, Lynn Davenport, Steven Matheson, Sophie Simpson (also her daughter Tamara) Finlay and Damian Roberts, Sam Marshall, Sarah Thompson, Jack Wilson, Shannon Reed, Liam Tanner, Tiegan Brooks and Justine Wells to name a few.

Recast

Pippa was played by Vanessa Downing from the pilot episode in 1988 to 1990, when Vanessa left series (apparently due to missing working with her former co-star Roger Oakley, who played her on screen husband Tom). Debra Lawrance took over the role from July 1990 until 1998 and has subsequently returned to guest star.

References

1. ^ Home and Away Trivia
2. ^ Mercado, Andrew (2004). Super Aussie soaps: behind the scenes of Australia's best loved TV shows. Pluto Press Australia. p. 263. ISBN 1-86403-191-3. http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=i-U_OkpqpKMC&printsec=frontcover&dq=super+aussie+soaps&cd=1#v=onepage&q&f=false. 
3. ^ [1]