Matt Wilson (Home and Away)
Encyclopedia
Matthew "Matt" Wilson is a fictional character in the Australian soap opera
Home and Away
, portrayed by Greg Benson. He appeared in the pilot with one line of dialogue, credited as "Surfer", but the decision was taken to make him a recurring character, with him eventually being added to the show's title sequence.He disappeared from the show after 1991 without any explanation but returned for a guest stint in 2002.
, Lynn Davenport and Sally Keating
were exploring Summer Bay
, with Carly in particular being immediately taken by him. In order to get his attention, Carly followed Bobby Simpson's advice and pretended to drown, only to nearly end up drowning for real. Matt was in Carly's year at school and it was partly because she was trying to impress him that Carly felt embarrassed that her foster father Tom Fletcher
was working with the road gang, unaware Matt's father was a garbage collector.
Matt and Carly were cast as the leads in the school play, an experience that Carly, who had been raped not long before, found uncomfortable. Matt had to leave Summer Bay when his family moved away but returned a few months later to take Carly to the school formal.The pair moved to the city together but a few weeks later Matt returned to town and told Carly's foster brother Steven Matheson
that Carly had moved out of their flat and was hanging around with a bad crowd and drinking.
Matt tried to support Carly when she tried to kick her alcohol addiction but no longer had feelings for her. He hung around with Roo Stewart
to avoid her and then dated former school bad girl Alison Patterson, even though he didn't like her. When Alison was responsible for revealing that Morag Bellingham
was Bobby's mother, Matt broke up with her to show her what it was like to be treated badly. He dated Carly for a while, thinking her family were going to move to London
and the relationship would end naturally, but when she offered to stay in the Bay with him he finally ended things.
Matt took a job working for Bobby and Ailsa
at the new Diner. When Celia Stewart
tried to set up a counselling service in the back room, Matt joined Steven and Dodge in playing tricks on her by pretending he was in love with an older woman and describing Celia herself. He later applied for a job as a life saver and found himself in competition with Adam Cameron
. There was some ill-feeling when Matt got the job but he and Adam sorted it out and ended up sharing a flat.
Some years earlier, Matt's elder brother Shane had been shot and killed. Al Simpson, Bobby's adopted father, returned to town and tried to blackmail Don Fisher
by claiming he was the killer. Instead Don, convinced of his guilt, turned himself in but Matt and Bobby refused to believe it and managed to expose Al as the real murderer.
Matt and Adam began renting the beach house and invited Marilyn Chambers to move in with them. Matt's stay at the house was beset by problems, including crooked landlord Ernie Jacobs repeatedly trying to evict them and Adam and Marilyn's on-off romance, which saw them asking Matt to decide which of them had to move out. The final straw came when a botched DIY job by Adam left Matt trapped in the bathroom for hours. He moved into Grant Mitchell's flat instead.
Matt and Adam played a joke on Blake Dean when he asked to join the surf club by setting him up with a punishing training regime that left him exhausted until Grant set him straight. He and Steven were later responsible for working out that Grant's sister Kim was a drug addict. Matt was shocked when an old girlfriend came to town and turned out to be terminally ill and ended up spending her last weeks with her.
Matt made his last appearance in the penultimate episode of 1991, last seen walking into a cupboard. He is generally assumed to have left town soon afterwards. He returned in 2002 for Summer Bay's sesquecentenary celebrations. Even though they were both now married to other people, he was Carly's date for the celebratory boat cruise. When the boat capsised, they were quickly rescued and Matt joined the hunt for the missing passengers and crew. He was part of the team that found Sally, Blake and Sophie
but had to return home before the search was completed.
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...
, portrayed by Greg Benson. He appeared in the pilot with one line of dialogue, credited as "Surfer", but the decision was taken to make him a recurring character, with him eventually being added to the show's title sequence.He disappeared from the show after 1991 without any explanation but returned for a guest stint in 2002.
Fictional history
Matt was first seen when Carly MorrisCarly Lucini
Carly Lucini is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Home and Away. The character was played by actress Sharyn Hodgson appearing in its pilot episode in 1988...
, Lynn Davenport and Sally Keating
Sally Fletcher
Sally Louise Fletcher is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Home and Away, played by Kate Ritchie...
were exploring Summer Bay
Summer Bay
Summer Bay is the fictional town featured in the Australian soap opera, Home and Away. Palm Beach, north of Sydney, is used for the show's exterior scenes in order to depict the Bay. Lane Cove River Tourist Park at Macquarie Park is the current location for filming of scenes involving the Summer...
, with Carly in particular being immediately taken by him. In order to get his attention, Carly followed Bobby Simpson's advice and pretended to drown, only to nearly end up drowning for real. Matt was in Carly's year at school and it was partly because she was trying to impress him that Carly felt embarrassed that her foster father Tom Fletcher
Tom Fletcher
Thomas Michael "Tom" Fletcher is an English singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He is best known as one of the lead vocalists and guitarists of English pop rock band McFly, in addition to being the group's founder and principal songwriter...
was working with the road gang, unaware Matt's father was a garbage collector.
Matt and Carly were cast as the leads in the school play, an experience that Carly, who had been raped not long before, found uncomfortable. Matt had to leave Summer Bay when his family moved away but returned a few months later to take Carly to the school formal.The pair moved to the city together but a few weeks later Matt returned to town and told Carly's foster brother Steven Matheson
Steven Matheson
Steven "Stevo" Matheson is a fictional character from the Australian Channel Seven soap opera Home and Away, played by Adam Willits. Steven was created by Alan Bateman as one of the serial's original characters and he first appeared in the pilot episode. Willits received the role after being one of...
that Carly had moved out of their flat and was hanging around with a bad crowd and drinking.
Matt tried to support Carly when she tried to kick her alcohol addiction but no longer had feelings for her. He hung around with Roo Stewart
Roo Stewart
Ruth Martha "Roo" Stewart is a fictional character from the Australian Seven Network soap opera Home and Away, played by Justine Clarke from 1988 to 1989. The character made her first on-screen appearance on 20 January 1988. Clarke quit the role in 1989 and the character was written out...
to avoid her and then dated former school bad girl Alison Patterson, even though he didn't like her. When Alison was responsible for revealing that Morag Bellingham
Morag Bellingham
Morag Bellingham is a fictional character from the Australian Channel Seven soap opera Home and Away, played by Cornelia Frances. She debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 17 June 1988. She appeared until 1989 and briefly appeared in 1993. She returned yearly from 2001 until 2009 and...
was Bobby's mother, Matt broke up with her to show her what it was like to be treated badly. He dated Carly for a while, thinking her family were going to move to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and the relationship would end naturally, but when she offered to stay in the Bay with him he finally ended things.
Matt took a job working for Bobby and Ailsa
Ailsa Stewart
Ailsa Stewart is a fictional character from the Australian 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...
at the new Diner. When Celia Stewart
Celia Stewart
Celia Stewart is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Home and Away. She was played by Fiona Spence. The character was a regular on the show from 1988 to 1990...
tried to set up a counselling service in the back room, Matt joined Steven and Dodge in playing tricks on her by pretending he was in love with an older woman and describing Celia herself. He later applied for a job as a life saver and found himself in competition with Adam Cameron
Adam Cameron
Adam Cameron is a fictional character from Australian soap opera Home and Away, played by actor Mat Stevenson. Adam first appeared during the episode airing on 23 June 1989 and departed on 2 March 1994. He returned in July 1999 for a two month guest stint....
. There was some ill-feeling when Matt got the job but he and Adam sorted it out and ended up sharing a flat.
Some years earlier, Matt's elder brother Shane had been shot and killed. Al Simpson, Bobby's adopted father, returned to town and tried to blackmail Don Fisher
Donald Fisher (Home and Away)
Donald Fisher is a fictional character in the Australian television soap opera Home and Away played by actor Norman Coburn as a regular character, from the soap's inception in 1988 to 2003. Coburn has since returned for brief appearances in 2004, 2005 and 2007...
by claiming he was the killer. Instead Don, convinced of his guilt, turned himself in but Matt and Bobby refused to believe it and managed to expose Al as the real murderer.
Matt and Adam began renting the beach house and invited Marilyn Chambers to move in with them. Matt's stay at the house was beset by problems, including crooked landlord Ernie Jacobs repeatedly trying to evict them and Adam and Marilyn's on-off romance, which saw them asking Matt to decide which of them had to move out. The final straw came when a botched DIY job by Adam left Matt trapped in the bathroom for hours. He moved into Grant Mitchell's flat instead.
Matt and Adam played a joke on Blake Dean when he asked to join the surf club by setting him up with a punishing training regime that left him exhausted until Grant set him straight. He and Steven were later responsible for working out that Grant's sister Kim was a drug addict. Matt was shocked when an old girlfriend came to town and turned out to be terminally ill and ended up spending her last weeks with her.
Matt made his last appearance in the penultimate episode of 1991, last seen walking into a cupboard. He is generally assumed to have left town soon afterwards. He returned in 2002 for Summer Bay's sesquecentenary celebrations. Even though they were both now married to other people, he was Carly's date for the celebratory boat cruise. When the boat capsised, they were quickly rescued and Matt joined the hunt for the missing passengers and crew. He was part of the team that found Sally, Blake and Sophie
Sophie Simpson
Sophie Simpson is a fictional character from the Australian Channel Seven soap opera Home and Away, played by Rebekah Elmaloglou. She debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 22 January 1990 and appeared as a regular until 1993...
but had to return home before the search was completed.