Debra Lawrence, Australia’s favourite mother, has undergone a remarkable transformation. – written by Erin Doyle
It’s been more than three decades since veteran actress Debra Lawrence first set foot in Summer Bay to play Pippa Fletcher, one of Home and Away’s most beloved mothers (later Pippa Ross).
Debra has since appeared in high-profile shows such as long-running soap Neighbours and Josh Thomas’ irreverent hit Please Like Me, but her role as Pippa will always hold a special place in the hearts of Home and Away fans.
The actress has come a long way since her days as the fictitious foster mother on the Australian soap in the 1990s..
She debuted her new look on Instagram this week, showing off her current gorgeous hairstyle to her fans.
She captioned her selfie, “Fresh hair… many thanks to Toni who lives around the corner #nowmywigwillfit #poweringoinggrey,” with fans praising her.
As one fan complimented Debra on her new look, they couldn’t help but think back to some of Pippa’s unforgettable Home and Away plotlines.
I’m watching the early seasons of Home and Away online, and I’m on episode 730 or so, and Pippa just said yes to Michael after initially turning him down because of something Donald said about loss, a fan told Debra, adding, “Your hair looks perfect.”
In the early years of the Channel Seven season, Debra’s character Pippa (originally played by Vanessa Lawrence before Debra took over) was a stalwart. Debra was the town’s main matriarch from 1990 to 1997, with many guest appearances in the years since.
Sally (Kate Ritchie), Shannon (Isla Fisher), and Sophie Simpson were among the characters she fostered (Rebekah Elmaloglou).
Debra talked candidly about her experience playing the famous character in a 2007 interview with fan site Back to The Bay.
“I’ve always felt like a mother figure to them,” she says. She described her on-screen children as “career guidance counsellors, acting coaches, relationship advisers, nutritionists, mentors, and disciplinarians.”
Debra also confirmed that fans of Home and Away continue to associate her with the character even after she left the show.
I’ll never be free of my attachment to Pippa because of the public! she revealed to the publication
That isn’t always a negative thing… Pippa’s attributes hold a special place in my heart… warmth, mindful mothering, discipline, and the confidence she instils… Both of these attributes seemed to elicit a positive response from the audience.
