Celia Stewart is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Home and Away played by Fiona Spence.
Originally heralded as the chance for Celia to reconnect with her on-screen brother, Alf Stewart (Ray Meagher), it was later revealed that she was hiding a shameful secret.
[1] Writer David Brown said Spence had been cast in the major role of "town busybody" Celia Stewart.
[2] In the Annual written by Kesta Desmond, she was described as the youngest sister of Alf Stewart (Ray Meagher), but "unlike him she has never married" which turned her into the "stereotypical spinster" and "keen church goer" with a "bitter life".
[3] In the book Home and Away Special Celia and her older sister Morag Bellingham (Cornelia Frances) are described as being "two sides of a coin".
In the book Home and Away: Behind the Scenes, Spence told James Oram that Celia is very different from the character she previously played on Prisoner.
Spence said that her funniest night shoot occurred while filming Alf cooking bunyip burgers and Celia selling tea towels.
"[10] Other than Spence, Celia has been portrayed by Gilda Ferguson, Tatham Lennox, and Annie Buckley in flashback sequences.
Lucy Addario told a writer from Home and Away Official Collector’s Edition that "Ceila is returning, so that is a treat for long-time fans and it is nice to tell a story about Alf connecting with his sister who he hasn't seen for years.
"[19] It later was revealed that Celia would return for the wedding of Roo Stewart (Georgie Parker) and Harvey Ryan (Marcus Graham).
Spence told a reporter from TV Week that "just as Celia is about to leave, there are tears and a confession that she can't go anywhere.
She concluded that her return had been a "pleasure" because of the chance to work with Meagher and having Morag and Colleen on-screen offered Celia familiarity.
In her youth, she was engaged to Les Palmer (Graham Lancaster) but he was killed in the Vietnam War and Celia never married.
She supports former brother-in-law Donald's attempts to have mentally disabled resident Nico Pappas (Nicholas Papademetriou) sectioned but changes her mind quickly once Tom Fletcher (Roger Oakley) speaks to her.
Alf and Ailsa try to set her up by inviting her and local police sergeant Bob Barnett (Robert Baxter) to dinner.
Local doctor Philip Matheson (John Morris), a friend of the youngsters and fellow tenant, persuades Celia to give them a few months to move out.
Celia is shocked when she learns Frank's new wife Bobby Simpson (Nicolle Dickson) is Morag's daughter from an affair with Donald and, thus, her niece.
Celia unwittingly reveals the truth when reporter James Donahue (Richard Morgan) begins asking questions.
Celia causes more turmoil when her nephew Duncan (Allana Ellis) suffers an allergic reaction to an old family christening gown she provides.
Celia receives attention from Ian McTavish (Noel Trevarthen), a Scottish explorer searching for the legendary Summer Bay bunyip, but quickly ends their date when she suspect he is merely after local information.
She buys Lance Smart (Peter Vroom) and Martin Dibble's (Craig Thomson) hot dog business and asks them to work for her.
Alf's niece Emma Jackson (Dannii Minogue) and her friends decide to have some fun with the idea, convincing Reverend Flowers (Philip Ross) that Celia has a drinking problem when she asks him to perform an exorcism.
Andrew, Alf, and Celia get their revenge by interrupting a party the youngsters are holding at the house with a staged haunting.
Celia's judgmental streak is present when she is the only person to believe that teacher Grant Mitchell (Craig McLachlan) has sexually molested his student, Vicki Baxter (Nana Coburn).
Reverend Christopher Goodhope (Ron Becks) arrives in the Bay and Celia decides to become a missionary and joins him in Africa.
She quickly discovers Duncan (now played by Brendan McKensy) and his new friend Nick Smith (Chris Egan) getting into trouble and takes them to task.
She lectures Heath Braxton (Dan Ewing) and Bianca Scott (Lisa Gormley) on public displays of affection.