Home and Away - Switch of Pippa

Scenes from the last episode with Vanessa Downing and a couple of scenes from the first episode with Debra Lawrance. Episodes 585-586, year 1990.

[@kylereece1979]

I remember this Shocked people at the time with Irish fans! The show , especially in the first 10-15 years was absolutely massive in Ireland. Huge. Everyone sat around at tea time to watch it. I love looking at classic clips like this all the time, and havent seen the show regulary in ages. But when I meet old friends, and childhood , old TV memories comes up ,the "Switch" of Pippas in Home and Away gets a mention still😀😀☘.

[@cianog]

Same in the U.K. Neighbours was always more popular but H&A was really big too.

[@BlueSmurf10]

It’s never taken me so long to get used to a recast. Months later it still felt weird. I think it was partly because it was rare for such a central character to be recast, but also because there was no break. Usually in those days with a recast they’d go off to visit a sick relative for a couple of months before the changeover - this was literally one episode to the next.

[@terminalfrost87]

I still remember the episode where they switched Pippas because it happened out of the blue. It felt so weird at the time and it took me a while to warm to Debra's Pippa (aka Fake Pippa in our house). Now, I like both Pippas equally but I've never been able to accept them both as being the same person. I think I see Pippa 2 as another woman who simply moved into the house and kept things going. In the end, it worked out for everyone (especially Debra!) and H&A is associated with an iconic head switch.

[@brimai1]

Fake Pippa 😂😂😂 I try and imagine in my head she just decided to die her hair brown hahaha

[@allknowingoracle3277]

I liked both portrayals. Debra seemed more motherly to me though and her crying was incredible.

[@Harry-fk5of]

I remember this being very surreal at the time

[@madeleine1972]

So let’s get this straight, Pippa #1 was last seen in Fishers house. That means he still has her locked up somewhere and then bought in an imposter Pippa #2 to run the caravan park and nobody noticed.

[@asafmn1983]

thanks for that. it's like a completely different character. maybe they should have shipped Pippa to take care of her parents and bring her sister (Debra Lawrance) instead..

[@Hulk2k6]

They kind of gave it away in the CH7 trailers on the Friday before and the opening titles. This is one of a few recasts that was better than the original on this show. Plus it sparked a real life love that's lasted 3 decades when they wrote Dennis in as Michael a few months later. Can't fake that chemistry.

[@goodneighbours3217]

Couldn't stand Michael...wasn't keen on Debra's Pippa either tbh but that was down to the jarring recast mainly..they should have just written out the character of Pippa and brought Debra in as a new character.

[@OldAussieAds]

This is one of the few recasts I think were better than the original. Pippa #2 seemed to be warmer and more like what I’d imagine a caring foster carer would be like. Debra Lawrence did a good job. Better actress all round I reckon.

[@cianog]

This show was massive for a time in England. When the switch happened it seemed insane because you had no context behind it. This was yrs before the internet so you had no idea why it happened.

[@chloejones1548]

I was too young to remember the original Pippa. Debra Lawrance was a much better actress but I preferred the unit of Michael and Pippa. Pippa on her own was a rather drab person!

[@juliem64]

I remember watching this as a kid and wondering why they were calling someone else pippa when it wasnt her haha but have to say Deborah Lawrence made that role her own ,she was great as Pippa

[@radfordkelly]

She made it her own and is so associated with the character. :)

[@goodneighbours3217]

@@radfordkelly I thought she was really good as Susan's sister in Neighbours...the complete opposite to her role as Pippa.

[@realemmcee]

It's hard for me to see Debra as Pippa because I'm used to seeing her as Josh Thomas' mum in please like me.

[@joeyroberts2425]

Both Pippas are great but I always feel as if the character changed. The first Pippa was more feisty and the second more maternal.

[@startracker5895]

The character should have been maternal as she was a foster mum. So the second one played her better.

[@PaulWillliams]

Debra was the more mumsy Pippa. However, we have to remember Vanessa was well established by the time Debra took over hence everyone being shocked by the recast. I hated the recast at the time took me like a hundred episodes or so to get used to Debra, but now i love both Pippas equally, both were perfect in the role.

[@cianog]

I remember they used to do temporary cast changes that lasted a month😅😅

[@prisonerconnection]

The question is, did Fisher also fancy the new Pippa? 😂

[@myristicina.]

probably not 💀

[@Murgatroydian]

🎶 Living in Summer Bay 🎶 Living in Summer BAYYY

[@boldbeautifulau]

It’s odd there was no voiceover to announce the change in actor (like they do on the US soaps)

[@aaronpeaty6619]

ok since i am in Australia and know Home and Away's history when the director's decided to kil the character Tom Fletcher off who died in the show of a heart attack before a car accident Vanessa felt that to her the show would never be the same since Vanessa and Roger Oakley ( Tom Fletcher) are very good friend's in real life so Vanessa agreed at the time would finished playing pipa until the end of the year so when home and away came back to channel 7 in 1991 Debra Lawrance was cast to continue the role of pipa for the rest of the show's history

[@scottmcphee2076]

I stopped watching Home and Away in early 1993. When Pippa was switched I didn't care too much. Last weekend I went to see a stage version of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. Debra Lawrence had a role in this. She did a good job. When I got home I felt compelled to watch Debra's first appearance on Home and Away.

[@JamieRichardson-q1r]

Like dr who when the dr regenerates

[@SejTunnicliffe]

I think they should bring back pippa and sally to the bay

[@crevrath7374]

Liked both Pippas. Vanessa as the original as she was there from the start with Tom. Debra eventually made the role her own. Shame Roger Oakley quit after two years. Vanessa left soon after, her decision to leave was influenced by Roger.Preferred Tom to Michael though.

[@mr.thegreat557]

I never understood why they cast someone completely different to the original actress.

[@ענתמשי]

You are so right

[@boldbeautifulau]

Use your brain. Vanessa wanted out and didn’t ask for a new contract.

[@kalicunningham9139]

2nd pippa will always be pippa! However when they changed hayley, just no!!! Rebecca cartright forever!

[@godjenta66]

I agree.

[@--Fish]

Did the switch happen in the same episode?

[@godjenta66]

No, the next episode.

[@--Fish]

@godjenta66 thank you

[@daniellefrancis1476]

No that would have been a little too weird! 🙈😂

[@stephenmcconnell1000]

🤣 I'm dying 😂😂😂 Yes not only did it happen in the same episode but it happened in the same scene hahaha, just joking

[@--Fish]

@stephenmcconnell1000 lol I can't believe I asked that 🤣🤣🤣🤣 what was I even thinking?! 😂😂😂😂😂

[@oliprj8676]

Why was she recast? What was the reason?

[@godjenta66]

@@oliprj8676 The actress who played the original Pippa wanted to quit, and the producers wanted Pippa to stay on the show.

[@myristicina.]

glow down fr.

[@geoffreyhansen9962]

Did the producers think about saying that Pippa had plastic surgery,?

[@PaulWillliams]

Pippa would never get plastic surgery she was too sensible and not a vain person so that would not have been believable at all

[@ianlacey8323]

Besides the plastic surgery storyline had been done in Sons and Daughters when Patricia Hamilton became Alison Carr.

[@daniellefrancis1476]

The first Pippa wasn’t a great actress! 🙈. At least the second one could act well.