Sheila Kennelly has died aged 88.
The British-born soap star, who was known for her role as pensioner and former carnival worker Floss McPhee in Home and Away, died on her farm in the Hunter Valley.
“Very sad news to report – darling Sheila Kennelly has died the way she always wanted, ‘falling off the twig’, as she would say, on her beloved farm in the Hunter Valley,” film and TV historian Andrew Mercado announced in a post on social media.
“She was surrounded by her dogs and dear family who looked after her so lovingly in her final days.
“Sheila starred as several iconic characters in some of Aussie TV’s biggest shows, including wig-wearing barmaid Norma Whittaker in Number 96 who called everyone ‘ducky’, jolly Italian mother-in-law Rosa in Kingwood Country, and the carnival worker in the caravan Floss from the original cast of Home & Away.
“Sheila remained lifelong friends with many of the actors from Number 96, and was the last one standing of a special friend group that included Carol Raye, Elaine Lee and Elizabeth Kirkby.
“I have no doubt they are all now having a lovely reunion with each other … RIP Sheila.”
Kennelly starred in 188 episodes of Home and Away as part of the original cast.
Born in England in 1936, she immigrated to Australia with her family as a child, and took up acting in her teens, landing one of her first roles at age 17.
While her most notable role is Home and Away, she also starred in Number 96, Kingswood Country and made guest appearances in A Country Practice and All Saints.
Her last on-screen appearance was in 2008, when she reprised her role as McPhee on Home and Away.
She retired shortly after and has since been living on her farm in the Hunter Valley, NSW.
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