Jack Wilson (Home and Away)

Jack Wilson
Home and Away character
Portrayed by Daniel Amalm
Introduced by Andrew Howie (1994)
John Holmes (2000)
Duration 1994-96, 2000
First appearance 4 April 1994
Last appearance 16 June 2000
Classification Former; regular
Profile
Occupation Student (1994-96)
Sailor (1996-)

Jack Wilson is a fictional character portrayed by Daniel Amalm in the Australian soap opera Home and Away. He made his first appearence on 4 April 1994 and departed on 18 May 1996. Jack returned in 2000 for three episodes centred around Sally Fletcher's wedding.

Storylines

Jack first arrives in Summer Bay to live with Michael (Dennis Coard) and Pippa Ross (Debra Lawrence) as their latest foster child. Jack is rude to his foster siblings and Michael at first but eventually settles after it transpires Jack's homelife is chaotic due to his abusive new stepfather. Jack antagonizes Shane Parrish (Dieter Brummer) by making a pass at his girlfriend, Angel Brooks (Melissa George). To teach Jack a lesson, Shane gives him false directions to Angel's bedroom. Jack climbs in through a window and attempts to crawl into bed with Angel only to find he has broken into the bedroom of local principal Donald Fisher (Norman Coburn), who Shane and Angel live with. Jack beats a hasty retreat.

Jack begins seeing Selina Cook (Tempany Deckert) and begins cheating on her with Angel's sister, Frankie (Lenka Kripack) and Sonia Johnston, who he had been seeing while she was with Tug O'Neale (Tristan Bancks). The girls realize Jack has been three-timing them and get revenge by luring him to a caravan under the pretext of a foursome, but stripping him to his boxers, leaving Jack humiliated.

Jack begins dating new student Chloe Richards (Kristy Wright) but has to contend with her racist father, Max. Chloe eventually moves away. Jack decides to track her down and meets Rad (Rudi Baker), a petty criminal and they steal a car. They crash, causing the car to turn over and Rad runs off into the bush leaving Jack to his doom. Nelson McFarlane (Laurence Bruels) hears Jack's cries for help and goes to assist. Jack is pulled free but a massive bushfire is caused, leaving Nelson with severe burns and causes a number of residents to lose their homes. Jack becomes a pariah and tries to make amends.

Jack soon falls for his foster sister Sally Fletcher (Kate Ritchie) and the two become very close, but Michael is against the relationship and imposes sanctions on it. Eventually, the couple split.

During a massive rainstorm, the town becomes flooded and Jack and Michael go to look for Sam Marshall (Ryan Clark) who is late home. Sam falls into a stream and Jack acts to save him, Michael then dives and Jack tries to save Michael but he is pulled away downstream by the strong current and drowns as a result. The family is left devastated and Jack and Sam blame themselves.

After a visit from a careers officer to Summer Bay High, Jack decides to enlist the navy and promptly leaves town after saying goodbye. Pippa attends his induction parade and takes a photo which remains on the mantle for many years.

Jack returns to Summer Bay in on the eve of Sally's wedding to Keiran Fletcher (Spencer McLaren) and stays at the Caravan park with several other family members who have returned for the event. Jack reminisces about old times and the trouble he caused Michael and Pippa. He also mentions he has found religion while in the navy. After the wedding is cancelled due to Keiran's philandering, Jack and the family console a distraught Sally. Before Jack leaves he has a flashback to the night of Michael's death and tells Pippa he tried holding onto Michael and she consoles him with a hug.

Reception

For his portayal of Jack, Amalm received a nomination for "Most Popular New Talent" at the 1995 Logie Awards.[1] British broadcaster ITV cut scenes of Jack being locked in the boot of a car as a joke from episodes. While acceptable to air in Australia, the scenes were deemed to explicit for British audiences.[2]

References