Celia Stewart is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Home and Away played by Fiona Spence. She made her first screen appearance during the episode broadcast on 26 January 1988. The character is portrayed as a gossiping busybody and spinster who occupies her time with the Presbyterian church. In her early appearances, she formed an alliance with Donald Fisher (Norman Coburn) and, though she has conservative views, she is not malicious. After one year as Celia, Spence hoped that she would find romance and change her attire. Producers decided to implement change and added smart outfits to the character's wardrobe. Spence decided to leave the series in 1990 and Celia departed the same year. She has since reprised the role on four occasions. After carrying out missionary work in Africa she returned to Summer Bay in 2000, 2002 and 2005. In 2012, it was announced that Spence had agreed to return once again. Originally heralded as the chance for Celia to reconnect with her on-screen brother, Alf Stewart (Ray Meagher), it was later revealed that she was hiding a shameful secret. Casting Spence's casting in the serial was publicised in the 9 January 1988 issue of TV Week. Writer David Brown said Spence had been cast in the major role of "town busybody" Celia Stewart. It marked Spence's television comeback, after she previously starred in Prisoner as Vera Bennett from 1979 until 1981. Spence returned to her native Sydney for filming, after eight years away, and she said she was looking forward to another regular television part. She told Brown "The series has a lot of charm and warmth. It's also good to be working on a series from day one. I remember the same feeling on Prisoner because I was also there from the beginning." Spence was also "eagerly" looking forward to playing her new character, and Spence said Celia was "so different. She's very vulnerable, unlike Vera." Character development Characterisation In the Home and Away Annual, Melanie J. Clayden wrote that Celia "loves to gossip and can be a real busybody". Celia "must be regarded" with sympathy because she is a "lonely spinster with nothing but the Presbyterian church to occupy her time". In the Annual written by Kesta Desmond, she was described as the youngest sister of Alf Stewart (Ray Meagher), but "unlike him she has never married" which turned her into the "stereotypical spinster"