The 2000 season

[c120701]

On 07/07/2025 at 22:26, adam436 said:

Wasn't the idea of Sally as the central foster mum floated either in 1998 when Pippa left or 2000 when Summer Bay House was empty again, but it was decided Sally was too young at the time?

I vaguely recall reading that somewhere, but I can't remember which year they toyed with the idea. Then Dan Bennett(?) decided 2004 was when the timing was right

I think Coral Drouyn wanted it at some point earlier than 2004 (possibly why Sally was left unable to have kids so 2001/2002 ish), but Kate Ritchie was against it.

[adam436]

That rings a bell - thanks.

It also explains why they recast Flynn. Sally and Flynn weren't yet married or on their journey to have a child when Martin Dingle-Wall left, so it's likely the producers felt strongly enough about Sally's long-term future they were willingly to recast Flynn rather than start over again with a new love interest. 

[Dan F]

The quote that Coral originally gave us:

The one thing that did surprise me was that she was so adamant she did NOT want to move into the Caravan Park and play Pippa to foster children - and I had to promise to her I wouldn't do that to the character - who was way too young. I hope she did, in the end, enjoy those years of following in Pippa's footsteps. After all, it's where it all began.

[adam436]

Interesting. Kate Ritchie gave her notice within a few years of being instilled as "Pippa" (from memory, the news broke in late 2006), but that may have been a coincidence. 

I think it was a nice touch the show came full circle, but there were many issues with the set up. Having her only two foster children becoming a couple, Mark Furze and Sharni Vinson looking way too old to play teenagers (especially when hanging out with Henry and Matilda) and only having two children of the same age. The Fletchers/Rosses worked because we had a spread of ages of the children. Then Joel McIllroy leaving within a year or so didn't help either.

[Red Ranger 1]

7 hours ago, adam436 said:

(from memory, the news broke in late 2006),

I didn't hear anything until late 2007. I doubt they planned it a year and a half in advance!

[adam436]

Here is a cover from TV Week from December 2006 that made me think she announced it much earlier. I don't have he actual article though, so the wording could have been misleading to sell more copies

[Dan F]

3 hours ago, adam436 said:

Here is a cover from TV Week from December 2006 that made me think she announced it much earlier. I don't have he actual article though, so the wording could have been misleading to sell more copies

Yeah that was part of a massive (and very misleading) publicity drive to 'tease' Sally's departure after she'd been stabbed by Rocco in the season finale, with Kate coming out in various press to say she was looking forward to spreading her wings and exploring other opportunities. That particular one was her saying that she'd 'set a date', but she never knows whether she's going to stick to it or not.

Her actual departure wasn't announced until September 2007, three months before she wrapped filming.

[adam436]

Thanks Dan. I remember the very misleading Sally montage at the end of the 2006 finale too. Kate also had a role in a movie called Stepfather of the Bride which came out a few weeks before Sally was stabbed, which added further fuel to the fire too. 

I guess the fact that she was even making those comments publicly suggests that she had had enough, and if Kate was dead against Sally becoming "the next Pippa" before it happened and then leaving within a few years of it happening, it may have been a contributing factor in her decision to leave. 

[cymbaline]

If this interview from a few years ago is anything to go by, leaving was something Kate needed to do for herself. 

 

[Red Ranger 1]

21 hours ago, adam436 said:

if Kate was dead against Sally becoming "the next Pippa" before it happened and then leaving within a few years of it happening, it may have been a contributing factor in her decision to leave. 

She left three years after it happened. Some people aren't even on the show that long. I always feel people overstate how much she was against the idea, she may have felt it was the wrong timing in 2002 or whenever but I think she always knew it would happen eventually.