Flynn Saunders - Home and Away Characters

Dr Flynn Michael Saunders (2001-2006)
Martin Dingle Wall (2001-2002); Joel McIlroy (2003-2006)
Episodes: 3075–4121

Parents: John & Rachel (deceased) Saunders
Siblings: Ashley Saunders
Marital Status: Sally Fletcher (2003-2006)
Children: Pippa Saunders
Foster Children: Ric Dalby & Cassie Turner

Occupation: Doctor

Flynn arrived in the bay after he became Noah’s counsellor, whilst Noah was experiencing drink problems. Noah soon overcame these and Flynn became good mates with both Noah and Noah’s brother, Jude.

As a trained counsellor, Flynn soon found work at the drop-in centre alongside Shelley. However their methods were differing and initially they came to blows over the right way to do things, but they soon resolved their differences and things settled down.

Soon after, Jude’s fiancee, Shauna, sprung a surprise at a dinner party, telling Flynn that she was in love with him. Flynn said it was probably just the drink and told her to forget about, and initially she did. Flynn had began to fall for Sally Fletcher and after a “moment” at Sally’s House one night, they eventually kissed in the drop-in centre kitchen.

The quest for their first date however was one filled with many problems. One date had to be canned after Flynn got stuck at the drop-in centre with a deaf girl and they ended up eating an omelette. Another saw Sally getting ready only to hear a message from Flynn telling her he had to head off to the city after a lead on Ashley.

Shauna then called her engagement to Jude off and both Sally and Jude initially had a go at Flynn, saying that he had caused the whole thing. However he then helped save Jude’s life after he had a motorbike accident and once he explained things, everything was OK again between Sally and Flynn. Indeed, he was treated as the town hero for a short while.

When he eventually went out with Sally on a date, Sally dressed up in a, well, dress. Problem was Flynn had packed a picnic and they were going abseiling. Fortunately, Flynn had a flattering spare pair of blue overalls handy in the back of VW-combi van.

Flynn spent most of his spare time searching for his sister Ashley, who had ran away from home and was now into prostitution and taking drugs. Frequently dashing off when he got leads, this caused havoc on Shelley and Gypsy’s days off.

Flynn then took a week out of the bay to go to “The City” to look for Ashley. He came close to finding her once, but then found her abandoned in a squat later that same day. He took her back to Summer Bay, and began to put her through rehab himself. Ashley gradually got better for a while, but she did steal some money from Colleen’s caravan. She then encountered one of her old dealers and whilst trying to escape him ran to the drop-in centre and Sally ended up injured.

Flynn eventually let the Sutherland’s look after Ashley whilst he went to the hospital to take care of Sally. After finding out that she couldn’t have kids, Sally began to drive Flynn out of her life, and despite Flynn’s efforts they briefly broke up.

Flynn’s father John came to the bay after Ashley had contacted him. He and Flynn had a frosty relationship, with Flynn blaming him for Ashley’s predicament. After coming through rehab Ashley left with John. Flynn and Sally got back together at the end of the year.

Into 2002 and Flynn began dealing with a problem child called Justin Bell. Justin had a violent streak and despite Flynn’s help, he could not rid himself of it. After Justin had attacked Charlotte in the hospital, Flynn went looking for Justin and apprehended him in a mall. Justin then pressed charges of assault against Flynn and then Mrs Bell started to blackmail Flynn. Flynn started to talk Mrs Bell around, however Noah got involved and grassed Mrs Bell into the police. This caused friction between Noah and Flynn for a period of time, whilst Flynn’s position at the centre came under scrutiny. He was eventually allowed to return to work.

Sally then left for a few weeks as part of a teacher swap. He soon discovered that Charlotte had fallen pregnant through Jude. Charlotte used Flynn as a pillar of support and Jude began to feel like it was Shauna all over. Why did his girlfriends always go to Flynn? Things were soon cleared up between Flynn, Jude and Charlotte. Flynn was then part of the SES operation that saved the school kids from the bus crash and offered help to the kids and Kick, the swap teacher after the event.

Flynn was soon in trouble with the police again, after refusing to follow police orders during the school sit-in. He was released and organised to go on holiday with Sally to Bali soon after. However Kirsty’s drug-taking meant Shelley had to take time off work and Flynn had to cancel the trip. That didn’t stop the drop-in centre going Indonesian for a night.

Following his dismissal from the school, Don started working at the drop-in centre. However Flynn soon fell out with him (noticing a recurring theme here), citing Don’s career as headmaster creating the wrong impression for kids visiting the centre. Don however proved Flynn wrong when he solved a bullying case.

Flynn then came to Noah’s rescue after Noah collapsed in the drop-in centre, suffering from meningitis. This caused the drop-in centre to close briefly, but it soon reopened and Flynn had a new case to deal with, Dani’s rape mediation with Kane Phillips. Much against Shelley and Rhys’ wishes, the meetings went ahead.

The first meeting was a disaster with Kane and Dani ignoring all rules set out, but Dani wished to have another go and a week later the meeting was more succesful and some closure was found. Flynn showed his caring side soon after. On the date of his 30th birthday he managed to organise for all of Sally’s old brothers and sisters to go back to Summer Bay House to watch a tape sent from Pippa.

Flynn and Sally then went aboard the Mirigini as part of the celebrations. Once the boat was sunk in a storm, Sally and Flynn ended up apart. Whilst Flynn was found within a couple of hours, Sally was still lost in the bush. However, thanks to the skills that Flynn had taught her about surviving in the bush, she helped both Blake and Sophie survive.

After organising a session for the survivors of the boat disaster Flynn soon discovered that Kirsty and Kane were involved in a relationship. However following Kirsty’s wishes, Flynn didn’t tell anyone, though he continually advised Kirsty that the relationship was bad news. Soon Shelley found out about the relationship and discovered that Flynn already knew, straining their working relationship.

The drop-in centre was soon robbed and the computers stolen. During the clean up operation it was discovered that Flynn had forgotten to renew the insurance. It was later discovered that Kelli’s husband Jason had stole them. In a bid to pay for the insurance Flynn agreed to do some modelling – nude modelling. This later caused problems for Flynn when Josh’s mother, Jackie wrote a story about whether or not Flynn should be working with children. However Shelley and Josh helped talk Jackie around and the story didn’t run.

Back to the photo-shoot and Flynn encountered a pregnant photographers assistant named Mia. Flynn gave her his number and a couple of weeks later Charlotte found a baby left abandoned at the drop-in centre. After her recently losing her baby, she wanted to keep it. Flynn got in contact with Mia and mother and child were soon reunited. Eager to have a child, Charlotte asked Flynn if he would help her. This caused problems between Sally and Charlotte. Charlotte soon died just before leaving for Vietnam and Flynn helped Jude through his speech. Charlotte bequeathed Flynn her medical books.

Sally and Flynn decided in late 2002 that they were going to look into alternative methods of having children. Sally told Flynn that she had saved some eggs from when she had had her cancer discovered the year before, and they began to look into surrogacy. Sally bumped into an old school friend named Tara and for a while it looked as though she would be the one to provide Sally and Flynn with a child. However Flynn did some investigating into Tara’s past and found out that Tara had ran away from home after being responsible for the death of her husband and youngest child and they decided Tara was not suitable. Angela Russell offered, but again they decided to hold off. Sally then got one of her former foster sisters, Sophie to come across the country.

Sophie was initially peeved off when she discovered Sally’s underhand reason for getting her to visit, but she was eventually talked around by Irene and three of them headed off to get the tests done and the procedure started.

When Flynn and Sally returned , Flynn had undergone a drastic makeover (due to an actor swap) and they began to look forward to having their child. Sophie was brought across to live with them. At was at this time though that Flynn began questioning whether he still wanted to be a counsellor and he began looking into opening a medical practice.

Flynn also tried helping Angie as her behaviour became more and more estranged. However tragedy soon struck as Sophie collapsed at the beach house and miscarried Sally and Flynn’s child.

A few wakes later, after continously trying to find the right moment to propose and even having moments of self doubt over whether it was the right decision, Flynn proposed to Sally at the school and she accepted.

In the build-up to the wedding Flynn turned a hero when Sophie went into labour at the bottom of a cliff. Flynn was out camping with his mates nearby and he then abseiled down the cliff to deliver the child.

Come the wedding day, everything went wrong. Scott’s horse, Jacko, bolted, leaving Leah and Sally stuck out in the countryside. As Leah and Sally made their way to the wedding, Flynn was left wondering whether he had been ditched at the altar. Leah and Sally, soon turned up, a little worse for wear.

Just as the wedding was about to get started it was hit by a sudden thunderstorm and they had to run for cover. Eventually the bedraggled couple and guests made their way to the hospital where Donald married Sally and Flynn in the reception, alongside Sophie and her newborn. They then went off on their honeymoon bought by John.

When they returned Flynn found that his surgery had been finished. Colleen quickly offered her services as his assistant and despite having her lack of computing skills, Flynn took her on. Unfortunately Colleen was one of Flynn’s first patients as he diagnosed her with breast cancer. Sally and Flynn were there as a pillar of support through Colleen’s ordeal from which she eventually recovered.

Another of Flynn’s early medical stories was the discovery of a mysterious child on the rocks. He tried for days to work out what language she was speaking and where she had came from. With Sally’s help they discovered that she was speaking Pig Latin and her name was Tasha Andrews. Flynn legally adopted Tasha, though Irene looked after her.

Flynn soon found himself held hostage by Kane’s brother, Scott Phillips in his surgery. However Flynn in a moment either of supreme bravery, or real stupidity, tackled Scott and won. Scott managed to escape.

Flynn also tried helping Seb through a difficult period during his life when he found himself dumped by Kirsty. In an attempt to win Kirsty back around Seb began starving himself and Flynn tried talking Seb around.

Sally revealed that she had one last egg left with which to attempt to have a child and this time friend, Leah Patterson offered to carry their child. After discussions between Sally, Flynn, Leah and Jesse they decided to go ahead with it and have the treatment. It was a success and Leah became pregnant.

Their joy almost didn’t last long after Leah told her parents about what she was doing. On the way home they crashed their car. However both Leah and the child survive.

Flynn continued investigating Tasha’s past and after one trip he delivered the news to Irene, her mother was Angela Russell.

Sally’s old friend, old in more than one way, Floss returned to the bay and told Sally and Flynn that she was dying for cancer and asked Sally to help her end her life. Sally eventually decided that she would help Floss go through with it and sneaked into Flynn’s office and took some morphine out. Flynn soon discovered the missing medication and had a showdown with Sally, about her deception. It was revealed that Flynn helped his mother end her life and how he now lives to regret it. Flynn soon discovered that Floss had been mistakingly misdiagnosed and didn’t actually have cancer.

Flynn also discovered that Kirsty had been lying about being pregnant with Kane and at the same time discovered that she was pregnant with Kane. When he mistakingly let the information slip to Kane about Kirsty’s deception Kirsty and Kane briefly came to blows.

Flynn began spending more time with Leah as the birth of his and Sally’s baby approached and they soon ended up sharing a kiss, but they were caught by Jesse. Sally soon found out about this and left the bay, leaving Flynn fearing for his marraige. Sally soon returned and they managed to continue their relationship. Leah and Jesse weren’t quite as lucky. However it was during a heart to heart with Jesse that Leah went into labour and Jesse got her to hospital. Flynn and Sally were out celebrating Flynn’s birthday at the time and the members of the bay struggled to get in contact with Flynn and Sally. They did soon and Sally and Flynn raced to the hospital where Leah gave birth to baby Pippa, despite Colleen being under the impression that it was going to be named after her.

Flynn soon got caught up in all that was happening with Sarah Lewis wreaking havoc around the bay and for the second time in less than a year he ended being held at gun point and after trying to overpower Sarah, Noah Lawson was shot.

After that tragedy Kane came to Flynn about a lump, eh, down there. Flynn and Sally then organised to keep Kane’s treatment secret from Kirsty who was undertaking her exams and organised for Kane to stay with them. This began to make things tricky when Kirsty came over for tutoring from Sally. Colleen even found out, but managed to keep it secret.

The Hunter’s then decided that they wanted to move out of Summer Bay House and Flynn and Sally decided upon a house swap and soon Flynn and Sally moved out into Sally’s childhood house. This meant Flynn was having to leave his surgery and they briefly looked into setting another surgery up at Summer Bay House. However a rival GP set a practice in the area and Flynn moved to the hospital.

Eric Dalby, a troubled kid in the area and one who Flynn treated after being badly beaten turned out to be Alf’s grandson. Ric went missing, but Sally and Flynn decided that when he returned they were going to foster him.

In the new year Dan, Jesse and Flynn decided to go out camping and drinking. However when Flynn was called into the hospital he was still a little worse for wear and found himself treating Leah who had collapsed at the wheel of her car. However Flynn forgot to remove a swab from Leah after the operation and she had to undergo a further operation to remove it. Flynn became under increasing pressure and started taking tablets to help him get through the day. His marriage with Sally came under strain again, but they eventually pulled through.

Flynn was also under observation at the hospital following his Leah faux pas. Eventually they were impressed enough to allow him to continue working at the hospital. Around this time he was joined at the hospital by a new nurse named Zoe McCallister.

Ric returned to Summer Bay and after discovering that Alf was his grandfather, Sally and Flynn stayed good to their word and fostered Ric. Strange things had started happening around the bay and whilst attending at a meeting at the surf club Flynn and Sally found their home had been trashed.

Soon after Sally was found on the floor of the Summer Bay after apparently following off a ladder as the stalker storyline heated up.

Sally and Flynn soon found themselves looking after another child, Cassie Turner, who had been living with her grandmother, but who had then suffered a stroke. Joy soon died and Sally and Flynn agreed to foster Cassie.

Sally was then abducted by Zoe, and Flynn was left fearing for her safety. Sally was eventually rescued and Flynn was left relieved. After overcoming that Flynn and Sally soon found themselves under siege again, this time it was their home under threat, after Tasha sold the caravan park. Josie soon discovered Brett Macklin’s underhand plans and their house was saved. Soon after Sally and Flynn had more problems as Sally’s job became under threat after a student, Diesel, fixated by Sally, was caught kissing her.

Flynn, Scott and Dan then went camping and after rescuing Dan from falling off the cliff, Flynn promptly fell off the cliff himself, impaling himself on a stick. Flynn was taken to the hospital where he survived, but started having recurring dreams about his impending death and began sorting out his will.

Soon after Matilda ended up with sunburn so Flynn and Dr. Matthews organised a talk to teach the kids the dangers of staying out in the sun too long. Whilst there Dr. Matthews noticed a mole on Flynn’s back and after tests at the hospital it was discovered that Flynn himself was suffering from terminal cancer.

He initially kept it quiet from Cassie and Ric, but soon decided to stop treatment and live his last months to the full. This involved a day trip to Oran Park where he became a racing driver for the day.

He eventually had to stop working at the hospital. Flynn decided that he wanted to reaffirm his love for Sally, so after telling Sally they were going on a picnic, they renewed their vows in a small ceremony at the wharf. However reality hit home when Flynn collapsed.

Soon after Sally was found on the floor of the Summer Bay after apparently following off a ladder as the stalker storyline heated up.

Following another collapse at Noah’s christening at the end of the year, Flynn decided to think about ending his life prematurely. Sally talked him around and Flynn had to help rescue Ric and Cassie who were trapped in a caravan during the cyclone.

As Flynn’s last weeks ebbed away, he managed to meet his friends for one last time at Beth’s birthday party, but he was becoming increasingly weak and after confronting Belle, whom Ric had been hiding in his room, he ended up falling down the stairs. This left him with just hours to live. After talking to those important to him, and as the dawn was breaking on a new day, he passed away with Sally by his side, aged just 33 years old.