Fiona Kelly
Script Assistant/Coordinator: 1995-1997
Script Editor: 1997; 1998; 2014; 2016-2017
Story Editor: 2001-2002
Supervising Script Editor: 2002
Associate Story Producer: 2017-2020
Co-Story Producer: 2018
Associate Script Producer: 2020-2022
Fiona Kelly grew up in Melbourne, and after the conclusion of high school, went to the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology and studied a Bachelor of Arts, Media Studies, majoring in Film and Television, which she completed in December 1994.
She began her career in television in the entry level position of script assistant on Home and Away in February 1995. After two years in the role, alternating in the roles of assistant and coordinator, she was promoted to script editor. Over her three years on the series, she wrote major episodes including Chloe Richards’ rape (1955) and the Nash family arrival (2323).
During her time in the role, Fiona noted that one of her most memorable weeks on the series was being in the room when Shane Parrish’s death was plotted, telling BTTB “it was one of the most heart wrenching weeks of plotting I’ve been in, where everything wove together like magic. I still remember small details from that week, all these years later.”
She left Home and Away to join another Seven drama, All Saints. First credited as a trainee, and then a script editor, Fiona worked on the series for four seasons, before returning to Home and Away as story editor in 2001. Fiona worked alongside script producer Ray Harding, and when he left, she took over the department. With Sean Nash, the pair alternated in the top job before Coral Drouyn was appointed script producer.
Fiona stayed with Home and Away for six months as script editor, before going freelance. Over the next three years, Fiona wrote for children’s series such as Blinky Bill’s Around the World Adventure and Flipper & Lopaka, as well as Seven’s serial, Headland.
In 2006, Fiona joined Susan Bower to develop a new series for Nine based off a series bible by Vikki Madden. The series, produced by McElroy All Media, titled Sea Patrol, led by Lisa McCune went to air in July 2007, and ran for five seasons.
During another three-year stint as a freelance writer and editor, Fiona wrote for Out of the Blue, All Saints and Neighbours. She joined the in-house team of Southern Star production Rescue Special Ops as script editor for the third season in 2010.
Six months later, she worked with Greg Haddrick and Jeff Truman to develop Screentime’s new drama for the Nine Network, Tricky Business. Having just given birth to twins after the initial eight week development stage, Fiona handed the story producing reins over to Jane Allen and Michelle Offen.
At the conclusion of 2011, Fiona returned to the Home and Away writer rotation, and has remained with the series ever since. At the beginning of 2016, she moved in-house as a script editor, and a year later, became associate story producer, running the plot room for the series. For the following five years, Fiona ran both the plotting and editing of the series at various points.
In June 2022, Fiona left the in-house team and moved back to freelancing. She remains a writer for the series, and has written numerous memorable episodes including Robbo Shaw’s death (7273), the 2021 season finale (7715) and Ari Parata’s tangi (7745).
Having written more than 180 episodes of Home and Away, Fiona is in the top 10 writers on the series with the most episodes credited to them.
Over her nearly thirty years in the industry, Fiona has been nominated for 7 AWGIEs:
- Television Serial – Home and Away, Episode 2310 (1998)
- Television Serial – Home and Away, Episode 3497 (2004)
- Television Serial – Home and Away, Episode 3808 (2005)
- Children’s TV – Blinky Bill’s Extraordinary Balloon Adventure, Leo Saves the Day (2005)
- Television Serial – Home and Away, Episode 4227 (2007)
- Television Series – All Saints, Seconds (2008)
- Television Serial – Home and Away, Episode 6905 (2018)
Outside of writing, Fiona is currently studying a Master of Arts, Screen Business at AFTRS.
In October 2022, Fiona created her own production company, providing professional screenwriting services to the Australian film and television industry.
Other Credits
All Saints
Trainee Script Editor (1998-1999)
Script Editor (1999-2001)
Sea Patrol
Story Consultant (2007)
Rescue Special Ops
Script Editor (2011)
Tricky Business
Story Consultant (2012)
Fiona’s Website – Story Room Productions