Christine Jones (Home and Away)

Home and Away

Industry	Television
Founded	January 17, 1988 (1988-01-17)
Headquarters	Australia
Area served	Australia
Website	7plus.com.au/home-and-away

Home and Away is a long-running Australian soap opera that premiered on the Seven Network on 17 January 1988. This section details the characters introduced throughout 2008, a year overseen by series producer Cameron Welsh. The show's twenty-first season commenced on 28 January 2008. Bob Baines joined the cast in February portraying deputy principal Martin Bartlett. In March, Trent Dalzell appeared as Axel Hay, David Downer took on the role of Ross Buckton, and Celeste Dodwell portrayed Melody Jones. April saw the arrival of Tessa James as Nicole Franklin. In May, Jordan Rodrigues and Oliver Davis were introduced as Jai Fernandez and Oliver Phillips, respectively. June welcomed Esther Anderson and Rebecca Breeds in the roles of Charlie and Ruby Buckton. On 8 July, Luke Jacobz and Paul Pantano made their debuts as Angelo Rosetta and Elliot Gillen. Finally, in November, David Jones-Roberts began portraying Xavier Austin.

Martin Bartlett

Martin Bartlett, played by Bob Baines, made his first appearance on 12 February 2008. Introduced as the deputy principal at Summer Bay High, he succeeds Donald Fisher in this role. Following an incident where Sally Fletcher is stabbed, Martin is elevated to principal by the school board. He initially hires Jazz Curtis as his secretary but dismisses her after she blackmails him concerning his involvement in an illegal fight. Subsequently, he employs Kirsty Sutherland as his secretary and develops feelings for her despite her relationship with Miles Copeland.

Martin's narrative arc includes taking accountability for an injury sustained by Kirsty's son Oliver during babysitting duties. He reveals his background of being raised by a single mother. Upon discovering Kirsty is working as an escort—a profession Martin secretly engages in himself—he terminates her employment, creating friction with Miles. During a senior formal event hosted by Martin, a car accident occurs resulting in injuries to several attendees including Martin.

He later coordinates a commemorative school trek honoring Dan Baker's memory. The event turns perilous when students Jai Fernandez and Annie Campbell go missing and Trey Palmer takes others hostage with a bomb that is eventually defused by Hugo Austin. After these incidents, Martin leaves Summer Bay to embark on a cruise, appointing Gina Austin as his replacement principal.

Axel Hay

Axel Hay, portrayed by Trent Dalzell, first appeared on screen on 19 March 2008.

Before his departure from the series, Axel and fellow student Jai Fernandez (Jordan Rodrigues) are struck by a drunk driver, Larry Jefferies (Paul Gleeson), who then flees the scene. Actor Todd Lasance, who plays Aden Jefferies, explained that while Jai sustains minor injuries, Axel is hospitalized with serious conditions. Both boys suffer memory loss regarding the accident but recall seeing a silver station wagon, prompting Aden to suspect his father’s involvement.

Axel initially appears alongside classmate Aden at a party hosted by Nicole Franklin (Tessa James), where he makes unwelcome advances toward Belle Taylor (Jessica Tovey). He later attempts to assault Melody Jones (Celeste Dodwell), leading to a confrontation with Geoff Campbell (Lincoln Lewis). After being physically assaulted and hospitalized, Axel refuses to cooperate with police investigations, casting suspicion on Geoff and Aden. Belle deduces Aden’s involvement due to his behavior following the incident. Axel’s standing deteriorates; he apologizes to Melody and forms a friendship with Jai. Axel ultimately dies from injuries sustained in the hit-and-run caused by Aden’s father and later appears as a hallucination during Melody’s nightmares.

Ross Buckton

Ross Michael Buckton, portrayed by David Downer, makes his initial appearance on 21 May 2008 as a detective assigned to the investigation of Sam Holden's (Jessica Chapnik) death. Throughout the inquiry, he questions principal suspects such as Martha MacKenzie (Jodi Gordon) and Jazz Curtis (Rachel Gordon). Although he initially suspects homicide, Ross ultimately determines, based on evidence provided by Morag Bellingham (Cornelia Frances), that Sam's demise was self-inflicted.

Ross and Morag, who had a previous relationship following her separation from Richard, renew their romance despite objections from Ross's daughter Charlie. After Ross proposes, the couple marries quietly and embarks on a honeymoon across Europe.

Upon his return the subsequent year, Ross exhibits symptoms of memory impairment and unpredictable conduct. After being diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease by Rachel Armstrong (Amy Mathews), he consents to move into a care facility with Morag's encouragement.

When the body of Grant Bledcoe (Clayton Watson) is discovered, suspicion falls on Charlie, resulting in her suspension. Ross admits to having killed Grant years earlier in retaliation for Grant's assault on Charlie, leading to charges of murder. Ross passes away in 2011, with his funeral taking place in Summer Bay.

Melody Jones

Melody Jones, enacted by Celeste Dodwell, was cast in December 2007 shortly after completing her drama Higher School Certificate. Dodwell originally auditioned for the role of Nicole Franklin, which was ultimately awarded to Tessa James. Drawn by the character description of Melody, she accepted the part but later departed the series to pursue drama studies in the United Kingdom.

Nicole Franklin

Nicole Franklin, played by Tessa James, made her debut on 18 April 2008. Her casting was publicized in January 2008, with Executive Producer Cameron Welsh commending her as a vibrant new talent expected to connect well with viewers. James relocated to Sydney for this role and regarded her experience on the show as invaluable professional development. Notably, Celeste Dodwell had initially auditioned for Nicole. Among Nicole’s prominent story arcs were rekindling romance on a deserted island and being taken hostage, underscoring her dramatic significance. Media outlets labeled her a "flighty minx" and a "fiery favourite," while TV Week highlighted James as one of the series’ most promising actresses with potential for Hollywood success.

Jai Fernandez

Jai Fernandez, portrayed by Jordan Rodrigues, first appeared on 19 May 2008. Transitioning from theatre to television, Rodrigues described this role as an entirely new challenge and appreciated the recognition it brought from audiences. Jai’s background involves losing his entire family during the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami, creating a connection with established character Miles Copeland (Josh Quong Tart), who also experienced family loss. This bond prompts Miles to bring Jai to Summer Bay, despite initial friction due to Miles having left Jai behind in Phuket during the disaster.

Rodrigues exited the show in 2009 to join ABC's Dance Academy. His performance earned him a nomination for "Most Popular New Talent" at the 2009 Logie Awards.

Jai is introduced seeking refuge in an urban environment and initially keeps his distance from Miles, who promises support following the death of Jai’s parents William and Nadieen in the tsunami. Eventually settling in Summer Bay, Jai struggles with school integration but forms a friendship with fellow outsider Axel Hay (Trent Dalzell). Their friendship leads to reckless acts such as a scooter ride that ends tragically with Axel’s death. Subsequently, Jai exhibits reckless confidence demonstrated by stunts like leaping from Jump Rock.

He develops a romantic relationship with Annie Campbell (Charlotte Best) after bonding over shared feelings of guilt and connection. Their guardians—Miles and Irene Roberts (Lynne McGranger)—initially resist but later accept their relationship.

The couple faces adversity including Annie becoming trapped in a storm drain, from which Charlie Buckton (Esther Anderson) rescues her. Jai endures bullying from Trey Palmer (Luke Bracey) and retaliates by threatening to reveal Trey’s past weight issues to halt false allegations against Miles and Kirsty Phillips (Christie Hayes).

Their relationship suffers when Jai drunkenly confesses at Ruby Buckton's (Rebecca Breeds) birthday party that he desires to sleep with Annie, leading to their breakup. Later, Jai is accidentally shot with an antiquated shotgun found on Martha MacKenzie's (Jodi Gordon) farm but conceals his wound until collapsing during a school hike. He recovers but becomes jealous when Annie shows interest in Dexter Walker (Tom Green).

Jai’s spirits lift when old foster friend Romeo Smith (Luke Mitchell) arrives; however, Romeo’s attraction toward Annie causes tension. To avoid conflict, Jai agrees to participate in a student exchange program in Japan but initially hesitates after Kirsty miscarries Miles’ child; he remains to support them and encourages Annie to take his place instead. Ultimately, both Jai and Annie depart together for Japan after farewells.

Oliver Phillips

Oliver "Ollie" Phillips is the child of Kirsty and Kane Phillips. His first appearance occurs when Irene Roberts collects him due to illness, which results in hospital admission. Despite efforts by medical staff and police, Ollie remains uncommunicative. Kane, who is on the run, secretly visits Ollie before Kirsty takes him from the hospital to escape following Kane's unsuccessful robbery attempt. Subsequently, Kane is apprehended by authorities.

Ollie and Kirsty reside with Irene, but their presence creates friction by revealing Belle Taylor's romantic involvement and disrupting her professional life. They relocate first to a caravan park and later move into a house shared with Miles Copeland, establishing a family unit alongside Miles and Jai. After Kane's release from custody, Ollie recognizes him; Kane briefly reunites with the family but departs again due to relationship difficulties. Kirsty experiences a pregnancy but suffers a miscarriage; during this period, Ollie meets his grandmother Shelley Sutherland, who eventually takes them to live with her family in the city.

Charlie Buckton

'Charlie Buckton made her debut on 6 June 2008, played by Esther Anderson, a former model brought in to enhance Home and Aways appeal with added "sex appeal." Anderson, an avid fan of the series, embraced the role enthusiastically. She exited the show in late 2011 to pursue opportunities in Hollywood acting.

Anderson received several award nominations for her role as Charlie, including "Sexiest Female" at the 2008 Inside Soap Awards and "Best Daytime Star" in 2010. Additionally, she was nominated for "Most Popular Personality on Australian Television" and "Most Popular Actress" at the Logie Awards. The episode featuring Charlie's death was recognized with a nomination from the Australian Writers' Guild. Critics lauded Charlie as an alluring sergeant and a prominent figure among crime-fighting characters.

Ruby Buckton

Ruby Buckton, portrayed by Rebecca Breeds, first appeared on 20 June 2008. Created by executive producer Cameron Welsh, Ruby is depicted as carefree on the surface but concealing deep emotions. Mourning her mother's passing, she internalizes her grief while maintaining a strong exterior. Ruby is independent, indifferent to others’ judgments, and somewhat reserved. Breeds described Ruby as spirited, deeply devoted to family, and resilient.

In June 2012, Breeds filmed her final scenes on Home and Away. Bound by contractual terms, she refrained from discussing her departure but confirmed Ruby remained integral to ongoing storylines. Breeds received a Logie Award nomination for "Most Popular New Female Talent" at the 51st Logie Awards in 2009 and was later nominated for "Most Popular Actress" in 2010. She also earned a nomination for "Best Daytime Star" at the 2012 Inside Soap Awards. A significant storyline involved Ruby managing her father's illness while cleverly handling a prank conducted via Skype.

Angelo Rosetta

Angelo Rosetta, played by Luke Jacobz, debuted on 8 July 2008. Jacobz secured this role shortly after McLeod's Daughters was canceled, where he had held a recurring part. Initially contracted for six months, Jacobz relocated from South Australia to Sydney and was preparing for manual labor work before landing this role. In February 2011, it was announced that Jacobz would be leaving Home and Away, with his final scenes broadcast in subsequent months.

According to the official show website, Angelo comes from a tightly knit family with three brothers and was initially portrayed as a brash individual unlikely to succeed. Jacobz earned a nomination for 'Most Popular Actor' at the 2010 Logie Awards and was also shortlisted for "Best Daytime Star" at the Inside Soap Awards that same year.

Elliot Gillen

Elliot Gillen, played by Paul Pantano, was featured on-screen from 8 July to 26 August 2008. Pantano received recognition in Digital Spy's gay spotlight segment. Within the plot, Elliot poses a significant threat to the safety of Roman Harris (Conrad Coleby), Nicole Franklin (Tessa James), and Geoff Campbell (Lincoln Lewis). Motivated by vengeance for his brother Mark’s demise, Elliot holds Roman accountable and menaces Nicole. He wounds Geoff using a speargun while setting up a dangerous ordeal for Roman.

Elliot arrives in Summer Bay with the intent to locate Roman. His brother Mark had served alongside Roman in the SAS and was killed during an Afghanistan deployment. As the anniversary of Mark’s death nears, Elliot demands explanations despite an official investigation. Roman recounts how their unit was ambushed, Mark went missing and was presumed dead; however, Elliot refuses to accept this and manipulates Roman by initiating a relationship with his daughter Nicole. When this relationship ends, Elliot abducts Nicole, issues ransom demands through a video, and forces her onto a boat. Geoff attempts to intervene but is shot in the leg by Elliot.

Roman complies with Elliot’s conditions, enduring a series of traps including an arrow injury and life-threatening situations before ultimately subduing Elliot and facilitating his arrest. While in custody, Roman reveals that Mark had threatened to shoot a fellow soldier to avoid capture, prompting Roman to shoot Mark first; Mark was subsequently killed by enemy forces. Overcome with emotion, Elliot confesses Nicole’s whereabouts and faces charges of kidnapping and attempted murder.

Xavier Austin

Xavier Austin, portrayed by David Jones-Roberts, made his first appearance on 20 November 2008 and departed on 3 July 2012, relocating permanently to Goulburn. Jones-Roberts underwent four auditions before securing the role, describing the accomplishment as "all the more awesome" given the persistence required. His casting was confirmed during a pay-phone call while he was surfing. The soap opera website Holy Soap identified Xavier's standout moment as witnessing Brendan instigate a severe car crash using a catapult.

Others

Date(s)	Character	Actor	Role Summary
28 January–11 February	Aaron Copeland	Timothy Walter	Father to Sally Fletcher and Miles Copeland, Aaron appears through flashbacks that expose familial struggles involving alcoholism and domestic violence. Following his wife Diana’s passing, he attempts to regain custody of Sally but ultimately leaves her with foster parents Tom and Pippa Fletcher. Aaron later dies in 2000 due to alcohol-related causes.
11 February	Diana Wilson	Uncredited	Mother of Sally and Miles; her troubled marriage and fatal boating accident are pivotal elements of the family’s backstory.
11 February	Mrs Keating	Uncredited	Diana Wilson’s mother, depicted in flashbacks suffering from Alzheimer's disease while residing in a care facility.
18 February–23 August 2010	Anasthesist	Philip Dodd	Medical professional administering anesthesia to key characters following violent events.
28 February–23 May	Gavin Johnson	Daniel Feuerriegel	Editor at Coastal News; involved in workplace disputes and story arcs affecting Belle Taylor and Aden Jefferies.
4 March–13 June	Cara Phillips	Holly Robinson	Peer engaged in school-related plots including spying activities and interpersonal conflicts.
18 March	Steve Bradford	Nicholas Holland	Presents Leah Patterson-Baker with a $100,000 cheque as gratitude for saving a life.
20 March–16 April	Joe Stephens	Terence Hepburn	Bartender hired to attack Sam Holden; later provides critical information relevant to her death inquiry.
25 March–12 May	Logan Roth	Radek Jonak	Associate of Johnny Cooper; participates in underground fighting events leading to police involvement.
10 April–27 January 2009	Matthew Lyons	Ross Pirelli	Ninth-grade student engaged in bullying, online deceit, and drug-related storylines impacting fellow students.
14 April	Britt Grey	Meagan Drury	Estranged sister of Sam Holden who assumes custody of Rory Tolhurst amid investigations.
6–13 May	Danielle Hay	Katrina Risteska	Sister of Axel Hay; involved in school conflicts and classroom dynamics.
7 May–26 February 2009	Christine Jones	Elizabeth Alexander (actress)	Mother to Melody Jones; generates tension over educational matters, personal disputes, and pursues reconciliation prior to relocating to New Zealand.
19 May	Peter Randall	Richard Gyoerffy	Operator of a youth refuge; offers insights into Jai Fernandez’s withdrawn behavior.
30 May	Jamie Cooper	Shardyn Fahey-Leigh	Son of Julie Cooper; storyline focuses on overcoming fears related to swimming accidents.
12 June–5 November 2012	Georgina Watson	Jaclyn Albergoni	Police officer stationed at Yabbie Creek; experiences professional conflicts and earns promotion following significant events.
14 June–27 August	Jimmy Crawford	Adam Booth	Psychiatric patient with multiple hospital stays; develops attachments influencing other characters’ narratives.
20–27 June	Pat Jenkins	Lachlan Buchanan	Ruby Buckton’s boyfriend with a problematic history; relationship ends due to longstanding issues.
11 July	Mrs. Hay	Amelia Longhurst	Axel Hay’s mother; appears during critical hospital scenes following Axel’s accident and subsequent death.
15–24 July	Daisy Alexander	Jessica Smith	University roommate offering support to Matilda Hunter during personal challenges.
15–24 July	Nathan Cunningham	Andrew Lees (actor)	Resident advisor involved in university social situations affecting Matilda Hunter.
1 September–6 October	Edward Jones	Errol Henderson	Husband to Christine Jones; involved in Melody's mental health storyline and familial conflicts.
2 September 2008 – 3 February 2009	Bridget Simmons	Joy Smithers	Engages in a one-night stand with Tony Holden; becomes entangled in cons, blackmail, and kidnapping schemes leading to arrest.
3–4 September	Earl Pincus	Alan Cinis	Homeless man who interacts with Miles Copeland; involved in minor theft causing community concern.
15 September–10 November	Murray Buchanan	Ben Tari	Council employee uncovering corruption tied to toxic waste at development sites; disappears after receiving threats from developer Tim Coleman.
26 September 2008 – 27 January 2009	Tim Coleman	Keiran Darcy-Smith	Construction site owner implicated in criminal acts including threats, sabotage, and murder; arrested after complex investigations involving main characters.
22 October–5 November	Natalie Franklin	Adrienne Pickering	Roman Harris' former partner and Nicole Franklin's mother; involved in family disputes and eventual reconciliation before leaving town.
23 October 2008 – 3 February 2009	Brian Lawler	Ric Herbert	Con artist connected with Bridget Simmons; responsible for kidnapping VJ leading to arrest and implicating Bridget.
18–24 November	Eric "Nobby" Nobbes	Mark Casamento	Engaged in criminal activity related to Belle Taylor's assault case; acts as informant before dying under suspicious circumstances.

External links

• Cast and characters on the Official AU Home and Away site
• Cast and characters on the Official UK Home and Away platform
• Cast and characters at the Internet Movie Database