Cameron Welsh - H&A Producer DS Interview

[alan45]

Home and Away is enjoying a successful year with memorable moments including the arrival of the River Boys, Charlie and Brax embarking on their secret romance, the return of Roo Stewart, Indi and Romeo's Hawaii wedding and Marilyn resorting to desperate measures over baby George. As part of Digital Spy's Producer Season 2011, we recently chatted with the show's series producer Cameron Welsh to hear his thoughts on recent events in Summer Bay and what the future holds for its residents.

Looking back over the past year or so, which Home and Away storyline has been your favourite?
"I've enjoyed the Charlie and Brax storyline. Both actors are doing a great job, the chemistry is great and the tension keeps building!"

Is there a single episode that stands out as one you're particularly proud of?
"It's hard to choose a single episode. I look at the week as a whole or a storyline that may play out over several episodes. There have been a few weeks this season particularly where I've felt the balance has been spot on."

Home and Away's ratings took a dip in Australia last year, but the show now seems to have bounced back again. Do you think there was a particular turning point for the show?
"Ratings are a difficult thing to analyse. There's raw numbers, audience share percentage, key cities, demographics etc. I tend to leave that to the programming department and just try and make the best show we possibly can. At the end of the day, it's all about good stories."

Do you have any particular plans for moving the show forward in the coming months? Is there anything that Home and Away should be doing more of, or less of?
"I think it's always about balance. Light and shade, action and comedy, drama and romance. When we get the balance right, the show really soars."

Having Roo, Marilyn and Morag all on screen at the same time recently has been a real treat for long-term fans. We know Gypsy is coming back, but are you planning to bring back any other faces from the past in the foreseeable future?
"It's great having Cornelia [Frances] return so regularly and it was fantastic to have such a well-known and loved character like Gypsy pop back in too. This is something that the show has always done and will probably always do. It keeps the current world of Summer Bay and the history of the show connected."




Fans were quite surprised earlier this year when Cornelia revealed that she'd prefer to stick around in Home and Away rather than popping in and out. As Morag is such a popular character, is the show missing a trick by not signing her up permanently?
"It's about storylines. It's great to have Morag back when there's a strong story for her, but you do a great disservice to the character to have her sit around and do nothing when the stories aren't there."

Could we ever see Kate Ritchie return as Sally?
"The door will always be open to Kate's return. We have always loved Kate and Sally, and still do!"

In recent years, Home and Away has become known for compelling, long-term plots such as the Sarah Lewis saga, the Summer Bay stalker and the Hugo storyline among others. We haven't really seen anything like that this year, so are there any intriguing long-running plots on the horizon?
"There are loads of long-term story arcs, but most of them are character-driven rather than plot-driven like the ones you've suggested. There are a few more plot-driven arcs coming up, but I think the most satisfying are the character-driven stories - they all have great, and in most cases, completely unexpected conclusions that really affect the characters and the town as a whole."




The River Boys seem to have enjoyed the biggest reaction of any new characters for a while! What do you make of the response and what are your future plans for them?
"We're obviously really pleased with the response and we'll do everything we can to maintain the sharp edges of the characters and keep them true to who they are. That's probably what has made them successful so far."

We've had lots of readers asking why Charlie's bisexuality is barely mentioned despite the success of her storyline with Joey. Would you ever consider exploring this in the future, or has it been brushed under the carpet?
"The Charlie and Brax relationship has received a great response and there is plenty of story left in them before we consider any other romance for Charlie."

Viewers still seem to be missing the Home and Away opening titles, which were apparently cut due to time restrictions. Is this something that you'd ever try to find a solution for, or perhaps shoot credits for the international market even if they can't be aired in Australia?
"We haven't made a decision on changing our current opener yet but will consider it for next year."




We had another reader question asking whether the show has missed opportunities to explore interesting relationships, such as Marilyn and Irene's friendship after Marilyn returned last year, and Morag and Roo's relationship more recently...
"There are some good story opportunities for Marilyn and Irene coming up which I think viewers will enjoy. It's sometimes difficult to stick characters together if their storylines are moving in different directions. It feels a bit contrived when you do that."

Some viewers were surprised that the decision was made to film episodes in Hawaii rather than the UK again or in Ireland, which could have tied in well with promotion and given the overseas fans a treat. What are your thoughts?
"Hawaii was a great location for the show. Logistically it worked well - it's only ten hours away for a start - and the storyline was right for there. Having said that, I would absolutely love to see the show record episodes in London again or anywhere in the UK. I would LOVE to see Home and Away in Ireland too - that has been a dream of mine since I've been on the show."

It's been slightly quieter on the stunt/disaster front lately! Are there any on the way?
"The biggest stunt/disaster storyline that we have ever undertaken is in the final stages of post-production. It's coming very soon…"

We know that Alf Stewart will be back on our screens later in the year, so can you give us any teasers on what he'll be getting up to upon his return?
"Alf and Romeo get thrown together for a good storyline and it's great to watch. Luke and Ray work very well together."

Lynne McGranger has teased that there's a big storyline on the way for Irene. Can you tell us anything about it?
"No, I can't! It's a big storyline and has been a challenge for Lynne. She's really thrown herself into it and done some lovely work."

What will Gypsy be getting up to when she returns to Summer Bay?
"Gypsy does what Gypsy has always done - she creates chaos! We also see her with Lily and you get to enjoy a different side of the character - Gypsy as a mother."

Does Liam still have a long journey ahead following his stint in rehab? Can he and Bianca pull through their problems?
"The Bianca and Liam arc is a really interesting journey. They face huge obstacles for the rest of this season and it will really test whether they truly belong together."




Will it be plain sailing for Indi and Romeo after their wedding or are there more obstacles ahead?
"They are young newlyweds and they will face all the challenges that come with that. They discover that marriage is hard work and their relationship will be put under enormous strain."

Xavier and Ruby spend a lot of time in romance storylines, but are there any other plans for those characters?
"They do get involved in romantic stories but there are plenty of other plots that they get involved in along the way and will continue to do."

In the aftermath of the baby saga, can you tell us what your future plans for Marilyn are?
"We see Marilyn returning to her more comedic stories - something which Emily excels at. It was great to see her do something so different for the character but it's always great to see her back in her element."

Out of the characters that we haven't mentioned, are there any that we should be keeping an eye on in the months ahead as they have big stuff on the way?
"There are great storylines coming up for Sid and the Walker clan - a shocking season finale twist is in store for them. Also, April and Dex have great stories coming up, as do the River Boys and Leah and Miles. Really, by the end of this season, every character will have had big storylines and something huge happen to them - you'll just need to keep watching to see what happens to who!"