Michael Ross | |
Occupation | Boat shed owner |
Gender | Male |
Relationships | Cynthia Ross (ex-wife) Pippa Ross (wife) |
Family | Cynthia Ross (ex-wife) Pippa Ross (wife) Haydn Ross (son) Dale Ross (son; deceased) Kate Ross (daughter) Christopher Fletcher (adoptive son/stepson) Sally Fletcher (adoptive stepdaughter) |
First Appearance | 22 October 1990 |
Last Appearance | 30 April 1996 |
Portrayed by | Dennis Coard |
Michael Ross was the second husband of Pippa Ross and the ex-husband of Cynthia Ross.
He was the father of Haydn Ross, stepfather to Sally Fletcher and adoptive father of Christopher Fletcher.
Storylines[]
Michael arrives in Summer Bay as the new owner of the boatshed and begins staying in the caravan park. He is soon joined by his teenage son, Haydn, who is unhappy at having to leave his posh boarding school and moving to a state school in a hick town.
Ben Lucini takes an instant dislike to Michael because he and his wife Carly were on the verge of purchasing the business themselves. He thought Michael had deliberately gazumped them which wasn't the case. When that misunderstanding is cleared up, Ben comes to work for Michael in the boatshed.
Michael is attracted to Pippa almost straight away but she is unsure of her feelings because her husband Tom Fletcher had died only six months earlier. She finally admits she likes him after he kisses her under the mistletoe in her house. They agree to start seeing each other but to take it slowly.
Pippa's adoptive daughter, Sally feels uncomfortable with their relationship as she feels Michael is trying to replace Tom but ultimately accepts him. Haydn isn't happy either because he still thinks his parents didn't try hard enough to save their marriage.
The morning after Pippa and Michael's first proper date and kiss, his ex-wife Cynthia arrives in the Bay. She is hoping to give their marriage another go and manipulates Pippa into breaking up with Michael. Pippa also pushes Michael into giving his marriage another go, even though he is reluctant and she is heartbroken. The attempted reconciliation doesn't work out so Cynthia leaves, taking Haydn with her for several weeks.
Michael and Pippa resume dating straight away and soon admit that they love each other. The very next night, Michael nearly drowns in an accident at the boatshed but survives thanks to Pippa raising the alarm. He proposes to her the next morning but turns him down because she's scared of getting hurt again. Michael is heartbroken but gets the chance to propose to her again a shortly afterwards. This time she says yes and they marry a few weeks later.
Michael adopts Pippa's son, Christopher as well as taking responsibility for various foster children. After a few months, he falls out with Haydn who returns to live with his mother in the city.
The following year, Michael and Pippa learn they are expecting their first child. The baby is born and they name him Dale, but within a few weeks, Dale dies of SIDS, leaving them devastated. Dale's death puts a severe strain on their marriage but they overcome that.
A year later, Haydn returns to Summer Bay out of the blue. Although he convinces Michael that he wants to settle in the area and to set up a surf shop, it is all an elaborate ruse. He is a gambling addict with large debts that need paying. He takes off with the money Michael has borrowed from the bank to help him get started in his new business venture. He leaves his father in debt, something that has repercussions further down the line. Although Michael tries to help Haydn deal with his addiction, it doesn't work. Haydn just can't stop gambling and he flees Summer Bay again.
Left heavily in debt because of Haydn's stunt, Michael puts the boatshed up for auction. It doesn't sell but Alf Stewart later saves the day when he steps in as a silent business partner. Still, the stress of paying off Haydn's debt, trying to run the boatshed, the caravan park, a kiosk in the surf club and raising 6 kids takes its toll on him. He starts to feel he is being taken for granted by the kids. Worse still, Pippa is the one making all the decisions and making him feel redundant. They start arguing and their marriage begins to crumble despite their best efforts.
Just before Christmas 1994, Michael decides that the only way to save their marriage is for him to move out. He goes to live in the store-room over his boatshed but things are uneasy between him and Pippa. On Christmas Day, Sally runs away because of her upset over the problems at home. Irene Roberts suggests to Michael that he and Pippa might want to try marriage guidance counselling. Michael makes contact with a counsellor and that is the catalyst for them getting back together again. He moves back home again.
Michael's friendship with Alf Stewart (Ray Meagher) takes a hit when they fall out over a new time-share development but they put their quarrel to one side and resume their friendship.
When a small seaplane crashes in the outback Michael, Joe Lynch, Jack Wilson, Shane Parrish go out to find the 6 missing occupants. They find Shane's wife, Angel Brooks, her son, Dylan Parrish and schoolteacher Teresa Lynch alive. The pilot did not survive. They soon realize that 2 other passengers are missing and Michael sets out to find them. He discovers a handmade bag with shells in it before he finds the body of the Yugoslavian man. He finds his daughter Maya Krakajcek and takes her to hospital. With both her parents deceased and there being no other relatives, Maya is forced to stay with the Ross's but Jan Connolly takes her back to Yugoslavia. Michael is devastated because he had really bonded with the little girl.
When a large flood devastates Summer Bay as a result of the storm, Michael and Jack go out into the night to pick up Sam Marshall, who has been late in returning home. Sam falls into a flooded stream and Michael jumps in to save him. Sam makes it safely to land but Michael finds himself in difficulty. Jack tries to hold on to him but the current is too strong and Michael is swept downstream. Several days later, Michael's body is found and Steven Matheson breaks the news to Pippa.