Sheila Kennelly, the British-born Australian actress best known for playing Floss McPhee in Home and Away, has died at the age of 88. Kennelly died at her beloved farm in the Hunter Valley, surrounded by her family and dogs. Her death was confirmed by television historian Andrew Mercado, who said she passed away in the way she had always wanted.
“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,” Mercado wrote on social media.
He added, “She was surrounded by her dogs and dear family who looked after her so lovingly in her final days.”
Kennelly was part of the original cast of Home and Away and played retired carnival worker and fortune teller Floss McPhee. But that was only one chapter in a career that stretched across more than five decades. Before Home and Away, she was already a familiar face to Australian television audiences thanks to Number 96 and Kingswood Country. She also appeared in productions including The Flying Doctors, A Country Practice, All Saints, Secret Valley and Big Sky.
Here is everything to know about Sheila Kennelly, from her age and career to her husband, family, iconic TV roles and final years.
Who Was Sheila Kennelly?
Sheila Kennelly was a British-born Australian actress whose career covered theatre, television and film. She was born in Brighton, England, and moved to Australia with her family when she was a child. She later attended North Sydney Girls High School and trained at Sydney’s Independent Theatre.
Kennelly did not initially set out to become an actress. According to her own account, she accompanied a friend to acting classes and became hooked.
Her professional career began on stage in the late 1950s. One of her earliest roles came when she was just 17, when she played a 55-year-old German landlady in I Am A Camera. “It was only a small role, but I thought it was marvellous,” she told TV Week in 1973.
How Old Was Sheila Kennelly?
Sheila Kennelly was reported to be 88 years old at the time of her death. There are conflicting birth-year records online, with some databases listing 1936 and others 1937. Current Australian reports, however, have identified her as 88. She had spent more than 50 years working across theatre and television before eventually stepping away from acting.
What Happened To Sheila Kennelly?
Kennelly died at her farm in the Hunter Valley, New South Wales. Her death was announced by television historian Andrew Mercado, who shared a tribute describing her final days surrounded by the people and animals she loved.
Mercado wrote, “She was surrounded by her dogs and dear family who looked after her so lovingly in her final days.” He also described Kennelly as the “last one standing” from a special group of friends that included Number 96 stars Carol Raye, Elaine Lee and Elizabeth Kirkby. “I have no doubt they are all now having a lovely reunion with each other,” he wrote.
No specific medical cause of death has been publicly disclosed in the reports confirming her death, so it would be inappropriate to speculate about one.
Who Did Sheila Kennelly Play In Home And Away?
Kennelly played Floss McPhee, one of the original characters introduced when Home and Away launched in 1988. Floss was a retired carnival worker and fortune teller who lived in a caravan with her husband, Neville McPhee, played by Frank Lloyd. She made her first appearance in the show’s pilot episode on January 17, 1988.
Floss was one of those wonderfully eccentric early Home and Away characters. She and Neville were former circus performers, and Floss was known for her fortune-telling abilities and colourful personality. The character left the regular series in 1989, but Kennelly returned as Floss several times — including in 2000, 2002, 2004 and 2008. Her final appearance came in 2008.
How Many Home And Away Episodes Did Sheila Kennelly Appear In?
Current reports put Kennelly’s Home and Away appearances at 188 episodes, while some databases give different totals depending on how guest appearances and episode credits are counted.
What Other TV Shows Was Sheila Kennelly In?
Long before she became Floss McPhee, Kennelly had established herself through several memorable Australian television roles. One of her most famous was Norma Whittaker in Number 96.
Norma was the wig-wearing barmaid known for calling people “ducky”, and the role helped make Kennelly a familiar face on Australian television. She also reprised Norma for the Number 96 movie. She later played Rosa Bertolucci, the cheerful Italian mother-in-law, in Kingswood Country.
Her other credits included Secret Valley, The Flying Doctors, A Country Practice, All Saints, Big Sky, Anzacs, Sweet and Sour, Winners, Come in Spinner and Return to Eden.
Mercado summed up her television legacy in his tribute, “Sheila starred as several iconic characters in some of Aussie television’s biggest shows, including wig-wearing barmaid Norma Whittaker in Number 96 who called everyone ‘ducky’, jolly Italian mother-in-law Rosa in Kingswood Country, and the carnival worker in the caravan Floss from the original cast of Home and Away.”
Did Sheila Kennelly Turn Down A Role With Meryl Streep?
Yes. One of the more surprising details from Kennelly’s career is that she was offered a small role in the 1988 film Evil Angels, which starred Meryl Streep. However, the filming schedule clashed with her commitment to the newly launched Home and Away. Kennelly chose the soap and therefore did not take the film role.
Who Was Sheila Kennelly’s Husband?
Kennelly met actor Chris Christensen while she was touring in A View From The Bridge. The two married and eventually moved away from Sydney to live on a farm on the New South Wales Central Coast. Although Kennelly had grown up in the city, she became deeply attached to country life and continued living on the farm for the rest of her life.
Tragically, Christensen died from a heart attack only two-and-a-half years after their marriage. Kennelly never remarried.
Did Sheila Kennelly Have Children?
Kennelly did not have children, according to the biographical information available about her personal life. After Christensen’s death, she continued living on her farm and maintained a relatively private existence away from the entertainment spotlight.
What Happened To Sheila Kennelly After Home And Away?
After her final Home and Away appearance in 2008, Kennelly largely stepped away from acting. By then, she had already built a remarkable television résumé spanning several generations of Australian entertainment.
Her decision to retire was also consistent with her increasingly private lifestyle on the farm. She had spent decades travelling between theatre, television sets and the stage but eventually chose a quieter existence.
What Are Sheila Kennelly’s Most Famous Roles?
Kennelly’s three defining television characters remain:
Floss McPhee – Home and Away
The retired carnival worker and fortune teller from the show’s original cast.
Norma Whittaker – Number 96
The memorable barmaid with the blonde wig and trademark use of the word “ducky.”
Rosa Bertolucci – Kingswood Country
The warm-hearted Italian mother-in-law who became another memorable part of Kennelly’s television legacy.
What Are Fans Saying About Sheila Kennelly’s Death?
Tributes began appearing after Mercado announced her death.
One fan wrote, “I’m rewatching Number 96 at the moment. Sheila had such a lovely, natural screen presence and great chemistry with Gordon. Her passing is sad news.”
Another wrote, “I remember her playing Floss in Home and Away as well as Rosa from Kingswood Country. She was such a versatile actress as well as a really good one too.” A third fan added, “Vale Sheila. Thanks for the memories.” Another remembered her simply by writing, “I always thought she had a lovely happy face.”
Sheila Kennelly leaves behind a career that stretched across more than five decades and some of Australia’s most recognisable television productions.
