| Roo Stewart | ||
 | ||
| Residence | Summer Bay House | |
| Gender | Female | |
| Relationships | Frank Morgan (ex-husband) Brett Macklin (ex-boyfriend) David Lee (ex-boyfriend) Simon Yates (ex-boyfriend) Tim Graham (ex-boyfriend) Sid Walker (ex-boyfriend) Harvey Ryan (ex-husband) James Edmunds (ex-fiance) James Mayvers (ex-boyfriend) Evan Slater ( boyfriend deceased ) Owen Harper ( ex boyfriend) | |
| Family | Alf Stewart (father) Martha Stewart (mother) Ailsa Hogan (stepmother; deceased) Owen Dalby (half-brother) Duncan Stewart (half-brother) Quinn Jackson (half-sister) Kieran Baldivis (half-brother) Frank Morgan (ex-husband) Harvey Ryan (ex-husband) Martha MacKenzie (daughter) Lindsay MacKenzie-Harris (granddaughter; deceased) ( [[]] () (;) Gordon Stewart (grandfather) Sarah Stewart (grandmother) Morag Bellingham (aunt) Celia Stewart (aunt) Barbara Stewart (aunt) Debra Stewart (aunt) Colleen Smart (aunt) Ric Dalby (nephew) Bryce Stewart (nephew) Ryder Jackson (nephew) Alan Fisher (cousin) Rebecca Nash (cousin) Bobby Simpson (cousin; deceased) Lance Smart (cousin) (--) Jack Holden (son-in-law; deceased) | |
| First Appearance | 20 January 1988 | |
| Portrayed by | Justine Clarke (1988-1989) Georgie Parker (2010-present) | |
Ruth "Roo" Martha Stewart (also Ryan & Morgan) is the daughter of Alf Stewart and Martha Stewart. She's the half-sister of Owen Dalby, Duncan Stewart and Quinn Jackson. She's the niece of Morag Bellingham, Celia Stewart, Barbara Stewart and Colleen Smart. She's the ex-wife of Harvey Ryan and Frank Morgan.
She's also the mother of Martha MacKenzie. She's the aunt of Ric Dalby, Bryce Stewart and Ryder Jackson, and the mother-in-law of Martha's husband, Jack Holden.
Storylines[]
1988-1989[]
Roo lives with her widowed father Alf who spoils her rotten but she resents his relationship with Ailsa Hogan. Roo begins dating newcomer Frank Morgan and they start a band with Lance Smart and Martin Dibble.
When she sees Alf's relationship with Ailsa becoming more serious, her dislike of her father's girlfriend becomes steadily worse. This drives a rift between her and Frank. Roo makes contact with her aunt Morag Bellingham who is a judge. She asks her to do a background check on Ailsa and Morag hits paydirt. At Alf and Ailsa's engagement party, Roo reveals that Ailsa went to prison for killing her abusive father. The fallout from this bombshell aren't what Roo had intended. Ailsa's friends, Alf and Frank all side with her. It also ignites a feud between her and Bobby Simpson who is close friends with Ailsa. Tired of her behaviour, Alf sends Roo to boarding school in Sydney.
Roo begins dating Brett Macklin and she gets pregnant. Brett's reaction to this to book an abortion for her. In the meantime, Frank had travelled to see her at boarding school, which opens up the possibility of a reconciliation. Roo returns to Summer Bay with deception in mind. She pretends to accept Alf and Ailsa's relationship so she will be allowed to stay. She also sleeps with Frank for the first time and arranges for Alf to catch them together. She also tells her gossipy aunt Celia Stewart that she is pregnant with Frank's baby.
Frank agrees to marry her. Meanwhile Alf and Ailsa have tied the knot in secret and she tries to accept their marriage. She is surprised when Brett turns up and tells her that he has had the mumps. This has left him infertile and he now wants the baby. Roo refuses to let him back into her life. Brett, who hails from a wealthy business family, makes contact with the snobbish Morag. She tries to talk Roo into changing her mind about Brett.
Roo and Frank continue with their wedding plans. However, in the middle of the wedding Roo reveals that Frank is not the father of her baby. Furious, Frank drives away from the church at speed and swerves off the road while trying to avoid Bobby. He is badly injured and is hospitalised.
The incident leaves Roo an outcast within the town. Morag tries to persuade her to move to the city with her, but Celia talks her out of it. Brett applies for custody, but Roo suggests they sort it out between themselves. She begins helping Brett's family as they establish a property development business in the Bay.
She is pleased when Alf and Ailsa's differences over the proposed Macklin development causes them to split up. Ailsa leaves the Bay altogether, returning briefly to be Christopher Fletcher's godmother, Roo fakes stomach pains to stop Alf attending the christening.
However, by hyperventilating she sends herself into premature labour and gives birth to a baby girl, who she names, Martha. She is pleased when Frank seems to take an interest, until she learns that he is dating Bobby.
Brett tries to force Roo into giving him custody of Martha. When that doesn't work, he kidnaps the baby and goes on the run with her. He eventually returns her after learning the hard way that he can't handle a baby on his own. Roo refuses to press charges and the couple realise that they cannot raise Martha. They agree to give her up for adoption. Roo then begins to accept Ailsa, when she and Alf reconcile.
Roo decides to take a break from the Bay and when she returns, she reveals that she has a new boyfriend, David Lee. Alf and Celia are slightly shocked as David is Chinese and they are uncomfortable with Roo being in a mixed race relationship. Alf eventually gives the pair his blessing, but David later leaves town. Frank and Bobby marry and Roo is stunned to learn Bobby is Morag's daughter and thus her cousin. Roo takes a job at the Macklin Corporation.
Her manager, Nicholas Walsh sends nasty letters to Ailsa and frames Roo, with help from Morag. With Alf and Ailsa believing the letters are from her, Roo moves in with Celia and then with Morag. When Alf discovers the truth, he apologises and Roo moves back in. She then starts dating Simon Yates.
Ailsa becomes pregnant, which pleases Roo. Alf and Tom Fletcher go missing on a fishing trip and Ailsa goes into premature labour. Roo stays as her half-brother Duncan is born, shortly before Alf is found. Roo finds herself working closely with Frank and when he is offered a promotion in the city, he celebrates by kissing Roo. She feels guilty about the kiss and when Frank goes to the city without Bobby, everyone assumes he and Roo had an affair.
Roo is upset when Sally Fletcher blames her for the break-up. Bobby tells her that she and Frank would have broken up anyway and gives them her blessing. Roo then goes to the city to meet Frank and tells him she wants to give their relationship another go. Frank and Roo marry, but they split by the time Frank returns to town. Roo later moves to New York, where she is joined for a time by both Martha and Duncan. In 2005, Roo has a near fatal car-accident and Alf and Morag fly to New York to be with her while she recovers.
2010-present[]
Five years later, Roo returns to Summer Bay. Alf is shocked to see her and Roo tells him that she has come for a visit as a job fell through and she had some frequent-flyer miles to use up. Roo starts receiving texts and calls from her boyfriend, Tim, and her bank manager. Colleen Smart is also shocked to see Roo and starts mentioning all the bad things she did in the past, until Alf tells her to stop.
Robert Robertson questions Roo about Martha and Hugo Austin for the Federal Police and she states that she has not been in contact with them. Roo later tries to persuade Hugo's mother, Gina to give them the money Hugo left behind, but Gina is reluctant. Gina runs a credit check on Roo and discovers that she is broke.
Roo denies wanting the money for herself. Roo advises Alf to get a lawyer when rumours begin to circulate that he killed Penn Graham. Gina gets Roo to take a job with John Palmer who pays her with Hugo's money. Roo attends Bianca Scott's bridal shower and wedding, before leaving for the States.
On her return, Roo finds Alf has gone travelling and her aunt Morag has been placed in charge of the caravan park. Roo goes to the relaunch of Angelo Rosetta's restaurant where she gets drunk and wakes up in bed with Miles Copeland. Angelo offers Roo a room at his place and tries to make a pass at her. John hires Roo to organise sponsorship for the upcoming surf carnival. Roo becomes close friends with Nicole Franklin and Marilyn Chambers.
She also gets on well with Marilyn's partner, Sid Walker. Roo supports Nicole during her pregnancy and she asks her to be present at the birth. Roo also supports Romeo Smith's attempts to start a charter business. Laura Carmody arrives in the Bay and reveals she and Roo are old friends.
Roo invites Laura to stay with her and they work together on a hospital fundraiser. Roo invites Romeo to accompany her on a business trip to Hawaii and he brings Indigo Walker with them. When they announce that they are getting married, Roo calls Sid and he flies over. Sid kisses Roo, but she rejects him because he is with Marilyn. However, she runs after his taxi, but fails to stop him leaving.
When she returns home, Roo is shocked to learn Marilyn and Sid have broken up. She and Sid kiss again and agree to be a couple. Roo and Laura organise a ball at Sid's farm and Roo tries to make peace with Marilyn. Bianca is raped at the ball and Roo criticises Laura for selling tickets to the River Boys. Alf disapproves of Roo's relationship with Sid, as he is worried about how he will treat her. Roo and Marilyn eventually become friends again and Roo breaks up with Sid when she realises his family will always be a priority over her.
Roo takes over the running of the Diner due to staff shortages and she starts dating Harvey Ryan, despite being warned not to by Romeo, Indi and Sid. Roo and Harvey break up when she learns he sabotaged Alf's boat. Roo is disgusted when Harvey tries to blackmail John and she persuades Alf to stand against him during the council elections. Roo later takes a job alongside Harvey and becomes jealous of him and his girlfriend, Fleur Simpson. Roo and Harvey later get back together and she is surprised when his ex-wife, Mel and daughter, Lottie arrive in Summer Bay.
Sid tells Roo that Harvey had a young son who drowned and she becomes upset that Harvey did not tell her. Harvey admits to Roo that he and the Mayor rigged the election, so he would win. Harvey is arrested and Roo stands by him. She later tells Harvey that she loves him. Roo bonds with Lottie and agrees that she can move in with her and Harvey, when Mel goes to the city. Lottie and Mel eventually leave the Bay and Harvey asks Roo to marry him.
Roo's ex-boyfriend, Tim comes to the Bay and tries to win Roo back. Harvey and Roo marry and they take in teen runaways Maddy Osborne and Spencer Harrington. Harvey sails around the world with his best friend, Winston Markman. Winston returns a few months later to tell Roo that he lost Harvey. Roo holds a memorial service for Harvey and says goodbye.
Roo is delighted when Harvey eventually returns. However, he cannot cope being back in the Bay, causing problems with his marriage. Roo decides the best thing for them to do is get divorced. Harvey agrees and leaves the Bay.
When Colleen has an accident, Roo flies to Las Vegas to care for her. On her return, she becomes ill and collapses. She is diagnosed with meningitis and has to have fluid removed from her brain, but she shows no improvement. Nate Cooper discovers growths on her brain and her family learn that Roo went to Peru, where she had suffered a reaction to her inoculations. Roo is given antiviral drugs and recovers. Roo plans Marilyn and John's wedding.
At the reception, she is informed that Maddy has stolen her credit card to buy clothes. Maddy is later fired from the gym for stealing and Roo pays off her debt, preferring that Maddy owes her instead. When Maddy learns that she has ovarian cancer, Roo supports her through her treatment. Alf collapses during a school field trip to a war memorial and he is diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder.
He experiences mood swings and Roo encourages him to speak to a therapist. James Edmunds returns to the Bay and offers Roo a job as a lecturer at the university. She and James get on well and begin dating. Roo and Maddy then move in with James. He later proposes to her and she accepts. James and Roo try to get married quickly, but their wedding is stopped by Alf who thinks James lied about where he used to work. James and Roo then decide to put the wedding on hold. Roo later discovers James is already married with children, and has been lying to her all along. She calls off their engagement, but continues her relationship with him. After James confesses to Roo that he also lied to her about his parents being alive, she finally breaks up with him.
When Roo visits her brother Duncan in Hawaii, she meets James Mayvers and they begin a relationship. Roo initially tries to keep the relationship a secret due to the age gap between them, but Morag soon catches them together. Roo faints and is convinced by Morag that she is going through the menopause. However, she soon learns she is pregnant. James tells Roo that he does not want children and asks her to have an abortion, but she refuses and decides to the raise the child as a single parent. James's father David Mayvers offers Roo $250,000 with the condition that she or her child does not contact James. Roo turns the offer down. While driving back from the pharmacy, she collapses in pain.
Nate and Tori Morgan find her and diagnose a ruptured ectopic pregnancy. She undergoes surgery, but loses the baby. Roo leaves town to try and find Martha, but she is unsuccessful and returns home.
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