The 2000 season

[cymbaline]

I think there's more to be read into her turning 30 and clocking up 20 years of being Sally. If she wanted to compete for other acting roles or to try something else, then it was time to do it. Being Sally seems to have been a double-edged sword for her. Hopefully she can get her life back on track after her recent troubles. 

[c120701]

I think what most likely happened is because the show put Kate front and centre she then started be offered things like It Takes Two and get nominated for awards as herself, not as Sally, which kind of gave her that confidence to go out and see what was out there for her as Kate, however I wouldn’t blame her if Sally kind of being stuck in a rut gave her a push too, she was in that house with the kids, trying to move on from Flynn and the School Principal, where was there left to go? The Milco story was refreshing in that regard and it’s a shame we didn’t see more of her & Miles together.

[adam436]

6 hours ago, c120701 said:

however I wouldn’t blame her if Sally kind of being stuck in a rut gave her a push too, she was in that house with the kids, trying to move on from Flynn and the School Principal, where was there left to go? 

I assume Brad Armstrong was written out so that Sally's exit was about her, rather than her just getting married and riding off into the sunset - if that makes sense. 

Had Kate not quit in 2007, I assume Brad would have just become the next Mr Sally Fletcher/head of Summer Bay House for the next few years. 

 

6 hours ago, c120701 said:

The Milco story was refreshing in that regard and it’s a shame we didn’t see more of her & Miles together.

I enjoyed the story too, and thought it was a great way to link the iconic Milco, but it was strange for them to be finally reunited and then just leave each other after a few weeks. I wonder what the reasoning was - was the idea to have a link to Sally remain in the show?

[Dan F]

58 minutes ago, adam436 said:

I enjoyed the story too, and thought it was a great way to link the iconic Milco, but it was strange for them to be finally reunited and then just leave each other after a few weeks. I wonder what the reasoning was - was the idea to have a link to Sally remain in the show?

Here's what Bevan told us at the time:

"I felt we had to somehow keep the spirit of Sally in the show after she had gone and I was wondering who could take her place at the heart of Summer Bay House. And a little voice from the creative void whispered in my ear "Milco"."

It was also for that reason that Josh Quong Tart was actually given a four-year contract from the off.

[Homeandawayfan.]

I know when Sally had an imaginary friend Milco in the very early years of the show who at the time was assumed to be a random "person" she had as an imaginary friend, but then years later in 2000/2001 was based on her twin brother Miles Copeland. I am not 100% sure of the ins and outs of the Miles reveal as I had a new job and did not watch H&A for years. 

Reminds me of how my cousin had an imaginary friend Peter, but he was a random "person" she had, and she claimed to have seen him in bed one night, a classic case of the brain playing tricks due to "talking to Peter". 

Edited July 21, 2025 by Homeandawayfan.

[James Martin]

I think it was also a way to tie it into the 20th Anniversary of the show itself.  Neighbours had gone full send a few years previously (which probably influenced the 4000th episode storyline) and I think there was an expectation that Summer Bay would follow where Erinsborough led.

Obviously knowing Kate was leaving meant there was scope to do quite a few separate things, mostly revolving around Sally, before bringing Kirsty & Kane back later in the year.

[Wadsy]

2000 was one of the best years of that decade and the end of the original era in my opinion. However, a lot of bad things happened that year like the landslide, Bayside Diner fire (best diner by far) and of course the death of Ailsa Stewart. 

It is also the start of a newer era with the Sutherlands arriving, whom I am not really a fan of. 

Short term characters leave and some with 2-3 year stints like Justine. 

I was never a fan of Judith or Edward to be honest.

Good year and certainly better than most from the decade, although 2004-2005 were also contenders. Honestly, not as big a fan as I was the 90's. The 90's was where I was really invested and felt that the show was in its peak. 

[adam436]

On 29/03/2026 at 19:50, Wadsy said:

2000 was one of the best years of that decade and the end of the original era in my opinion. However, a lot of bad things happened that year like the landslide, Bayside Diner fire (best diner by far) and of course the death of Ailsa Stewart. 

So much bad things happening to the Stewarts, but it kind of makes sense if the show is being propelled into a new era that the changes will have the biggest impact on the characters who have been around the longest. It was just all those three events happened in the space of about 6-7 weeks, rather than spread out over the year. 

 

On 29/03/2026 at 19:50, Wadsy said:

I was never a fan of Judith or Edward to be honest.

Edward is one my all-time favourite characters, but I could take or leave Judith. I loved her and Edward's relationship, but otherwise she didn't add much to the show. She wasn't overly memorable as the school principal (though I'd argue that about everyone except Donald Fisher) and her romance with Joel was pretty much just a fill-in story to give both characters something to do until their contracts ended.

I'd love to know if there was a long-term plan or Edward and Judith and they were cut short with the the revamp, or whether they were always intended to be such short-term characters. Edward's illness meant it was unlikely he'd ever become a veteran character like Leah, but there was so much potential to tell his story over a 2-3 year arc. This would have given Judith and Peta a longer-lasting purpose too. 

I feel like so much potential was lost in 2000 in terms of those short-lived characters - not only Edward and Peta's story, but also the Nashes. Joel and Natalie for example, could have become the next Pippa and Michael/Tom. Joel definitely had long-term potential as both the patriarch figure at Summer Bay House, but also in terms of dependable small-town cop - a bit of a Frank Gilroy or Tom Croydon vibe, who were mainstay middle-aged police officers on A Country Practice and Blue Heelers respectively. Joel and Natalie only really ended up with a few months as the "elders" of Summer Bay House in the end, since they spent most of 1999 sharing it with Travis and Rebecca, and then were gone by 2000. I didn't have any strong feelings about Tom Nash, but I did enjoy his friendship with Vinnie and his relationship with Gypsy. I definitely would have like to have seen him stay a little longer if Joel and Natalie did. 

[j.laur5]

I am surprise they didn’t just write out Joel and Natalie together in 2000 instead of whole baby lie to break them up and for Natalie to leave y and for Natalie  returns few months later to reconcile with Joel and wouldn’t it be easier just write both out together before Sutherlands arrive. 
 

I like Judith but understand why she was written out as she had no other kids living with her and Donald could return as principal but I do think if Judith had other children or if Donald was no longer on show then Judith would had more purpose to sick around. 
 

I was under impression PTB were choosing between Judith  or Colleen to write out in late 2000 and they chose keeping Colleen since she had more link to history by being recurring character in early years and mother to Lance original  character and guest Colleen was as character that could use as comic relief now that Marilyn was gone and Colleen sir up trouble at times with her being interfering and gossiping busybody .

[c120701]

21 hours ago, j.laur5 said:

I was under impression PTB were choosing between Judith  or Colleen to write out in late 2000 and they chose keeping Colleen since she had more link to history by being recurring character in early years and mother to Lance original  character and guest Colleen was as character that could use as comic relief now that Marilyn was gone and Colleen sir up trouble at times with her being interfering and gossiping busybody .

Interesting, I wonder if they knew by then that Judy Nunn wasn’t going to renew her contract and that swayed the decision.