Ailsa Stewart
Encyclopedia
Ailsa Stewart is a fictional character
from the Australia
n soap opera
Home and Away
. She was married to Alf Stewart
and had a son Duncan
. She was played by actress Judy Nunn
for 13 and a half years. When Nunn left the show she was one of four original cast members.
She was briefly played by Nancye Hayes whilst Nunn was taking leave due to illness in 2000.
and minder of Bobby Simpson. She worked in the local shop. She and Alf married in a low-key ceremony and soon became pregnant. She gave birth to their son, Duncan, in 1989. Ailsa suffered from post-natal depression after giving birth to him, she even attempted to smother him in his cot.
Ailsa didn't get along with most of Alf's family, most notably, his daughter Roo and sister Morag. For a long time, she was a mother-figure to the people of Summer Bay. She was close to Pippa Ross
and her foster kids, Sally in particular. Ailsa owned the Diner with Alf and worked there for the most part. She and Alf often fostered troubled teens, which made son Duncan jealous.
In 1995, she was involved in a hold up at the Diner and had a bout of depression afterwards. She began suffering from hallucinations as a result of the medication she was taking and famously imagined seeing Bobby's ghost in the fridge.
In 1999 she was involved in a car accident with son Duncan. She went into a coma and was close to death. However, she woke. But had suffered brain damage as a result and had a complete personality change. The once nice natured Ailsa had turned cold and distant but her close friend Irene came to her aide put her back her old self again.
In 2000, her past came to haunt her when a young woman called Shauna Bradley came to the Bay. Shauna was Ailsa's long-lost daughter, conceived after Ailsa was raped by a prison guard while serving time for manslaughter (she murdered her abusive father). Ailsa and Shauna soon bonded and developed a close mother-daughter relationship.
Ailsa was devastated when the Bayside Diner burnt down, not only had her home and business gone up in flames, she also saw it as her last link to her beloved Bobby, who had founded the diner with her. Eventually, a new diner was built in its place called The Beachside Diner.
Ailsa suffered a massive heart attack while carrying boxes in the Diner in the 2000 finale.
Viewers found out she had died in the 2001 premiere. The whole of Summer Bay turned out for her funeral, and for a while Alf blamed himself for her death by allowing her to carry the heavy boxes which triggered her heart attack. .
In 2002/03 Ailsa's ghost returned in Alf's imagination while he was suffering from a brain tumour. Friend Donald Fisher and sister Morag were concerned about Alf's hallucinations and both tried to confront him which resulted in them both being injured. When he was diagnosed he was adamant that he didn't want it removed, as he did not want to stop seeing visions of Ailsa. Eventually though, he came to his senses and had the tumour removed.
Character (arts)
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
from the Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
Home and Away
Home and Away
Home and Away is an Australian soap opera that has been produced in Sydney since July 1987 and is airing on the Seven Network since 17 January 1988. It is the second-longest-running drama and most popular soap opera on Australian television...
. She was married to Alf Stewart
Alf Stewart
Alfred Douglas "Alf" Stewart is a fictional character from the Australian Channel Seven soap opera Home and Away, played by Ray Meagher. The character debuted on-screen during the serial's pilot episode on 17 January 1988...
and had a son Duncan
Duncan Stewart (Home and Away)
Duncan Stewart is a fictional character on the Australian soap opera Home and Away, the son of Alf and Ailsa. The character was portrayed by first by actress Allana Ellis in 1989 and was born in the episode airing on 9 June 1989. Actor Lewis Devaney portrayed Duncan from 1990 to 1998. Brendan...
. She was played by actress Judy Nunn
Judy Nunn
Judy Nunn is an Australian actress and author.-Acting career:Her breakout role was as the scheming bisexual reporter Vicky Stafford in the risque soap opera The Box. Her character became a popular cult figure in the series. Nunn continued in the role for the show's entire 1974–1977 run...
for 13 and a half years. When Nunn left the show she was one of four original cast members.
She was briefly played by Nancye Hayes whilst Nunn was taking leave due to illness in 2000.
Storylines
Ailsa was a firm but kind hearted woman with a dark past. She first appeared in the pilot episode, as the love interest of Alf StewartAlf Stewart
Alfred Douglas "Alf" Stewart is a fictional character from the Australian Channel Seven soap opera Home and Away, played by Ray Meagher. The character debuted on-screen during the serial's pilot episode on 17 January 1988...
and minder of Bobby Simpson. She worked in the local shop. She and Alf married in a low-key ceremony and soon became pregnant. She gave birth to their son, Duncan, in 1989. Ailsa suffered from post-natal depression after giving birth to him, she even attempted to smother him in his cot.
Ailsa didn't get along with most of Alf's family, most notably, his daughter Roo and sister Morag. For a long time, she was a mother-figure to the people of Summer Bay. She was close to Pippa Ross
Pippa Ross
Phillipa "Pippa" Routledge OAM 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...
and her foster kids, Sally in particular. Ailsa owned the Diner with Alf and worked there for the most part. She and Alf often fostered troubled teens, which made son Duncan jealous.
In 1995, she was involved in a hold up at the Diner and had a bout of depression afterwards. She began suffering from hallucinations as a result of the medication she was taking and famously imagined seeing Bobby's ghost in the fridge.
In 1999 she was involved in a car accident with son Duncan. She went into a coma and was close to death. However, she woke. But had suffered brain damage as a result and had a complete personality change. The once nice natured Ailsa had turned cold and distant but her close friend Irene came to her aide put her back her old self again.
In 2000, her past came to haunt her when a young woman called Shauna Bradley came to the Bay. Shauna was Ailsa's long-lost daughter, conceived after Ailsa was raped by a prison guard while serving time for manslaughter (she murdered her abusive father). Ailsa and Shauna soon bonded and developed a close mother-daughter relationship.
Ailsa was devastated when the Bayside Diner burnt down, not only had her home and business gone up in flames, she also saw it as her last link to her beloved Bobby, who had founded the diner with her. Eventually, a new diner was built in its place called The Beachside Diner.
Ailsa suffered a massive heart attack while carrying boxes in the Diner in the 2000 finale.
Viewers found out she had died in the 2001 premiere. The whole of Summer Bay turned out for her funeral, and for a while Alf blamed himself for her death by allowing her to carry the heavy boxes which triggered her heart attack. .
In 2002/03 Ailsa's ghost returned in Alf's imagination while he was suffering from a brain tumour. Friend Donald Fisher and sister Morag were concerned about Alf's hallucinations and both tried to confront him which resulted in them both being injured. When he was diagnosed he was adamant that he didn't want it removed, as he did not want to stop seeing visions of Ailsa. Eventually though, he came to his senses and had the tumour removed.