Pippa Fletcher/Ross - Vanessa Downing & Debra Lawrance

[Ryan]

Yeah, it inculdes both Pippa. Pippa was on the show for 10 years and 3 months, Leah near enough the same, but the seasons have dropped a few weeks here and there in recent seasons.

[j.laur5]

I think the main problem with Pippa was that her storylines kept repeating.

She lost two husbands and had two babies.

I think ten years was a good run for Pippa and seeing her departure episode recently it was so badly written. I wish they had shown a bit more emotion in her leaving. I would have liked a phone call at the end of the episode from the foster service asking if Pippa could take in a new child and Sally saying she can't . It would have been the first time ever Pippa has turned down taking in a child.

But I guess something happened to Sally and Leah. Their storylines repeating a couple of times. But at least Leah was the sort of character that didn't need to be in full storylines because she runs the diner which is one of the main venues in the show.

Edited July 6, 2010 by john003au

[Cat3]

I Liked the first Pippa the best.

Edited July 15, 2010 by Cat3

[Dibble Investments Inc]

Vanessa Downing = the REAL Pippa

[aussiesoapfan]

I was born in the late and Vanessa left uk screens about 1991 or 1992ish so I didn't really remember much about her. I vaguely remember the headswap though. Blonde one minute brunette the next. So I mainly grew up with Pippa 2 and Michael. I always thought darkhaired Pippa seemed a bit downtrodden and unhappy. - Probabaly because she missed Michael. But now after watching almost all Vanessa's episodes, I prefer her because she seems more real. She is fiesty and upbeat. She has coolness about her but she is still mumsy and caring. I've also seen some early Debra episodes and at the start you could tell they were still writing for Vanessa Downing. - This didn't totally suit Debra. Debra is a good actress though. I definitely count Vanessa as the proper Pippa. But as people have said in the past they needed to recast at short notice and Debra was probably the best they could find. But it's a shame Vanessa left

[j.laur5]

I was born in the late and Vanessa left uk screens about 1991 or 1992ish so I didn't really remember much about her. I vaguely remember the headswap though. Blonde one minute brunette the next. So I mainly grew up with Pippa 2 and Michael. I always thought darkhaired Pippa seemed a bit downtrodden and unhappy. - Probabaly because she missed Michael. But now after watching almost all Vanessa's episodes, I prefer her because she seems more real. She is fiesty and upbeat. She has coolness about her but she is still mumsy and caring. I've also seen some early Debra episodes and at the start you could tell they were still writing for Vanessa Downing. - This didn't totally suit Debra. Debra is a good actress though. I definitely count Vanessa as the proper Pippa. But as people have said in the past they needed to recast at short notice and Debra was probably the best they could find. But it's a shame Vanessa left

You said that perfectly.

Does anyone think Pippa was the most talked about recast in any tv/movie history?

Debra, however, made the most touching scenes and my favourite quote ever on H&A is when she said to Sally, "Leaving Summer Bay was the hardest thing I ever had to do." However, I do think Vanessa would have nailed that line as well.

But I think once you accept that it's the same character then you get used to Debra playing her.

[shyongirl]

I am surprised at how good an actress she is. I hope she carries on the good work.

[sindikatas]

Considering the fact that Vanessa played Pippa really shortly compared to Debra and still being considered as the proper Pippa by many says really much about the actress.

[JamesC10]

Considering the fact that Vanessa played Pippa really shortly compared to Debra and still being considered as the proper Pippa by many says really much about the actress.

Yeah I agree with you but I think Debra did a fantastic job when she took over from Vanessa.

[c120701]

I think Aussiesoapfan has a point about Debra's Pippa missing Michael, when we saw the Sally's non-wedding episodes from 2000, Jack made a comment about how he tried to hold on to Michael that night and Pippa's reaction was almost like 'I wish you had' before actually saying "I know you did".