News and Spoilers > May 2006

Two Home and Away stars have been announced as part of the line up for the Seven Network's latest celebrity competion series.

Mark Furze (Ric) and Silver Logie winner Kate Ritchie (Sally) will form two of the ten celebrities to take part in the series. Former Home and Away star Judy Nunn (Ailsa) will also take part.

The show, which had the working title "Singing with the Stars", features each of the celebrities, not known for singing, paired with some of Australia's more well known performers. Each week they will sing a duet with their partner.

Based on the popular British format Just the Two of Us and co-produced by BBC Worldwide, it will be aired live from Seven's Melbourne studios where Dancing with the Stars was also presented from.

Kate is said to be looking forward to spending more time with her boyfriend Chris Walker who is based in Melbourne playing for the Storm.

It Takes Two premieres Sunday May 28th at 6.30pm on Seven, Prime, GWN.

Back to the Bay would like to congratulate the cast and crew of Home and Away for winning 4 Logie Awards in 2006.

Home and Away picked up Most Popular Australian Drama, and cast members Kate Ritchie (Sally), Jodi Gordon (Martha) and Paul O'Brien (Jack) all picked up Silver Logies.

Home and Away was the only free-to-air drama series to have wins in any Silver Logie category, and the popular Seven Network soap was the only show to win four awards.

Accepting the award for Most Popular Australian Drama was Kate Ritchie (in place of an absent Ray Meagher). With the core cast and producers Julie McGauran and Daniel Bennett behind her on stage, Kate thanked the cast and crew and also the viewers. Although not on stage, Cornelia Frances (Morag) was seen holding back tears, clearly overwhelmed by the win.

Kate attributed Home and Away's success to working on the show being "a job that we absolutely love" but also said without the viewers the show "still wouldn't be here after all this time".

"We make two and a half hours a week of quality drama," she said.

"We're a financial success for our network - we go to over 50 countries and are watched by over 50 million viewers per day.

"And I think thats not just something that us here at Home and Away can be proud of - but everyone involved with Australian drama production in this country."

Ritchie, who plays Sally Fletcher, also won the Silver Logie for Most Popular Actress - her first ever Logie and the first year she has been nominated in the 18 and a half years she has been in the role. Kate said in her acceptance speech that she is determined not to cry but is very emotionally attached to the show and refered to her current and former collegues as family, especially thanking Ray Meagher (Alf) and former Home and Away actors Judy Nunn (Ailsa), Norman Coburn (Donald Fisher), Debra Lawrence (Pippa) and Production Manager Sherree Black.

Newcomers Jodi Gordon (Martha) and Paul O'Brien (Jack) won awards in the Most Popular New Talent categories.

Overall, Home and Away (or a cast member of) won every category it was nominated in except for Most Popular Actor (where Joel McIllroy missed out to John Wood), and the Gold Logie where Ada and Kate also missed out to John Wood.

The Winners
* Home and Away, Most Popular Australian Drama Series
* Kate Ritchie (Sally), Most Popular Actress
* Paul O'Brien (Jack Holden), Most Popular New Male Talent
* Jodi Gordon (Martha), Most Popular New Female Talent

Images: Channel Nine