Mud Roberts

Murdoch, or Mud as he was appropriately nicknamed, was referenced numerous times over the years of the Roberts family living in Summer Bay. In the mid-1980s, he left the family home in the city to go out and buy cigarettes and never returned.

Years after having run out on the family, Mud returned, surprising Irene when she ran into him in Summer Bay. Desperate for an explanation, Irene questioned him about his disappearance ten years earlier, and he explained he’d shot through to go fruit picking up north. His arrival in Summer Bay was purely coincidental, with his car having broken down. When it turned out it would take some time to fix, he rented a van at the caravan park. He saw photos of his children in the Summer Bay House and approached Irene wanting to know about them. After filling them in on what their children were up to, Mud revealed why he’d left: he couldn’t take her alcoholism anymore and thought if he was out of the picture, she would clean up her act. Mud realised he had hurt Irene and apologised.

After a few days in town, Mud asked Michael and Pippa for credit on his caravan, which they refused. It also emerged that he hadn’t paid the mechanic for the fixes on his car, meaning he wouldn’t be getting his car. Selina saw Mud preparing to sleep on the beach, and informed Irene who invited him to stay with her. Selina was horrified to see Mud in the house, even more so when he shot her a creepy smile. The next night, Mud and Irene bonded over a story from their past and Mud kissed her. She pushed him away, but began to cry afterwards, upset about the past. Mud told her that he would move on, but Irene gave him to his charm and the pair spent the night together.

Mud made his presence around Selina known, first by making a comment about her working out and then by walking in on her getting changed in her bedroom. He began to peep on her through her window. Irene mistook Selina’s reluctance to be around Mud as allowing them to have time together. Meanwhile, Mud was offered a job in the city, which upset Irene. Upon thought, Mud offered to stay in town and give things another shot with Irene, which she gratefully accepted. Selina was rocked by this and as his harassment continued, she confided in Marilyn. When Marilyn informed Irene, the trio devised a plan to leave Mud with Selina alone. He prepared himself and entered Selina’s bedroom, telling her it was time for them to finally take things to the next level. However, when he pulled the blanket back, Irene was hiding underneath. Furious, she ordered him to pack his bags and leave town.

Following the bushfire that ripped through the bay, Shannon stumbled across a charred body in the bush. After an autopsy was conducted, it was revealed that not only was the person already deceased before the fire started, but that it was Mud’s body. Despite the investigators believing that both Irene and Selina may have been the culprits, it emerged some weeks later that he had been murdered by Dodge Forbes, who was Nathan’s cellmate in prison, and was paid to kill him.