Alf Stewart has been voted the most popular Home and Away character of all time just weeks before the show’s 35th anniversary, in a poll by Australian soap website Back to the Bay.
The website asked viewers to vote for their favourite Home and Away character from the past 35 years, with thousands of votes received from across the world.
Alf Stewart (Ray Meagher) came first, followed by Dean Thompson (Patrick O’Connor) and Ziggy Astoni (Sophie Dillman) in second and third place respectively. Kate Ritchie’s character Sally Fletcher came in at #12, showing her memory lives on 9 years since she was last seen in Summer Bay.
Alf Stewart has been in Home and Away since the very first episode aired in Australia on 17th January 1988, and he has been a fan favourite ever since. He was the resounding winner, with 53% of fans voting for him as one of their top five favourite characters.
Second place Dean Thompson, played by Patrick O’Connor, made his debut appearance on 1st February 2018 in Australia, and on 16th March 2018 in the UK. He was the first full-time River Boy to call Summer Bay home since the departure of the infamous Braxton brothers.
Also making the top 100 list were a number of actors who’ve gone on to have phenomenal success since leaving the show.
At #57 is Kim Hyde, played by Chris Hemsworth; at #49 is Angel Parrish, played by Melissa George, and #60 is Shannon Reed, played by Isla Fisher.
Home and Away celebrates its 35th birthday on 17th January 2023, the saga made its debut in the UK on ITV in 1989, filling the slot vacated by Crossroads the previous year. The Summer Bay set serial moved to Channel 5 in 2000 with the broadcaster celebrating the show’s forthcoming anniversary with a selection of classic episodes airing on My5 in a six week celebration.
Ray Meagher on the anniversary:
“I’ve been fortunate enough to be a part of the Home and Away family since the very beginning, and I couldn’t be prouder of the work our talented cast and crew put in to making our show the success it continues to be today…”
The Top 10 Home and Away Characters
1. Alf Stewart (Ray Meagher)
2. Dean Thompson (Patrick O’Connor)
3. Ziggy Astoni (Sophie Dillman)
4. Marilyn Chambers (Emily Symons)
5. Irene Roberts (Lynne McGranger)
6. Tane Parata (Ethan Browne)
7. Darryl Braxton (Stephen Peacocke)
8. Felicity Newman (Jacqui Purvis)
9. Leah Patterson (Ada Nicodemou)
10. Cash Newman (Nicholas Cartwright)
