Judy Nunn

Judith Anne Nunn (AM) (born 13 April 1945), (also published under the pen name of Judy Bernard-Waite), is an Australian former actress, and author of both adult and children's fiction titles. She has collaborated with writers Patricia Bernard and Fiona Waite.

Career Acting

Nunn worked for many years as a leading stage actress, starting in 1964.

Her breakout television role was in the risque soap opera The Box, as scheming bisexual reporter Vicki Stafford. Her character became a popular cult figure in the series and Nunn continued in the role for the show's entire 1974–1977 three year run and reprised in the feature film version in 1975.

In 1979 she briefly played Joyce Martin in the Australian TV series Prisoner, followed by Dr. Irene Fisher in television serial Sons and Daughters from 1984 until 1986.

Nunn is known for her role as original character Ailsa Stewart in the soap opera Home and Away, from 1988 until the character was killed off in 2000 after deciding to leave the series to devote more time with novels. In 2002 she returned in a guest role playing the same character – it transpired this was actually an hallucination of her former on-screen husband, Alf Stewart, caused by a brain tumour.

Screenwriting

Nunn is a screenwriter of radio and television, as well as an author. She has written scripts for television series Neighbours and Possession.

Literary career

In the 1980s, Nunn decided to turn her hand to prose. The result was two adventure novels for children, Eye in the Storm and Eye in the City, which remain popular in Australia and Europe.

Embarking on adult fiction in the early 1990s, Judy's three novels, The Glitter Game, Centre Stage and Araluen, set respectively in the worlds of television, theatre and film, became bestsellers. A specialist in Australian period fiction, other books she has written include Kal, Beneath the Southern Cross, Territory, Pacific, Heritage, Floodtide, Maralinga, Tiger Men in 2011, Elianne in 2013 and Spirits of the Ghan in 2015.

In May 2025, Magi Pictures had acquired the rights of Nunn's novel Khaki Town.

Personal life

Nunn attended Presbyterian Ladies' College, Perth. She married her husband, actor and writer and former Tasmanian & Royal Hong Kong police officer Bruce Venables, the same week in which she filmed her character Ailsa's marriage to Alf (Ray Meagher) in Home and Away in 1988. Formerly long-time residents of Bondi, New South Wales, Nunn and her husband now reside on the Central Coast, New South Wales.

Filmography

Film ActingYearTitleRoleType The Box Vicki Stafford Feature film Bit Part Jo TV movie The Newman Shame Veronica TV movie Hostage: The Christine Meresch Story Mrs. Lewis Feature film David Copperfield Voice Animated TV film Sherlock Holmes and the Valley of Fear Voice Animated film Sherlock Holmes and a Study in Scarlet Voice Animated film Outbreak of Hostilities Edna Starling TV movie Crime of the Decade Rolly's Mother TV movie The Pickwick Papers Voice Animated TV film

Television ActingYearTitleRoleType Z-Cars TV series, 1 episode The Onedin Line Woman TV series, Season 1, Episode 12: "Cry of the Blackbird" The Befrienders Mother TV series, Season 1, Episode 7: "Lots of Friends in the Big City" Matlock Police Stella Davis TV series, Episode: "The Prowler" The Box Vicki Stafford Seasons 1–6, 206 episodes Prisoner Joyce Martin TV series, Season 1, 9 episodes Skyways Bessie Langhurst TV series, 2 episode: "The Return of Bessie Langhurst" Holiday Island Ruby Palmer TV series, 1 episode 42: "The Great Frederico" A Country Practice Nancy Brewer TV series, Season 2, Episodes 23 & 24:"Shootin' Through" (2 episodes) Sons and Daughters Irene Fisher Seasons 3–5, 150 episodes Home and Away Ailsa Stewart (née Hogan) Seasons 1–13 (main), Seasons 15–16 (recurring) (1313 episodes)Self appearancesYearTitleRoleNotes The Mike Walsh Show Guest - Herself with Lois Ramsay TV series, 1 episode The Mike Walsh Show Guest - Herself TV series, 1 episode Good Morning Australia Guest TV series, 1 episode Midday with Kerri-Anne Guest TV series, 1 episode Monday to Friday Guest TV series, 1 episode Burke's Backyard Guest TV series, 1 episode Good Morning Australia Guest TV series, 1 episode Surprise Surprise Guest Light entertainment show, 1 episode E! News Herself TV series, 1 episode Denise Guest TV series, 1 episode The Morning Show Guest TV series, 1 episode Beauty and the Beast Panellist Panel show Ground Zero Herself TV series, 1 episode This Is Your Life - Judy Nunn Herself TV series, 1 episode The Best of Aussie Drama Herself Documentary It Takes Two Contestant Music competition show, 3 episodes Where Are They Now? Herself TV series, 1 episode The Morning Show Herself TV series, 1 episode First Tuesday Book Club Panellist Panel Show, 1 episode The Daily Edition Guest TV series, 1 episode Studio 10 Guest TV series, 3 episodes A Current Affair Guest TV series The Daily Edition Guest TV series, 1 episode The Daily Edition Guest TV series, 1 episode Endless Summer: 30 Years of Home and Away Herself Video Documentary News Breakfast Guest TV series, 1 episode Weekend Sunrise Guest TV series, 1 episode 7.30 Guest TV series, 1 episode A Current Affair Guest TV series, 1 episode Today Extra Guest TV series, 1 episode This Is Your Life: Ray Meagher Herself TV series, 1 episode Lest We Forget Herself TV special A Current Affair Herself TV series, 1 episode The Morning Show Herself TV series, 1 episodeAdditional creditsYearTitleAsNotes Possession Writer Neighbours Writer Season 1 (3 episodes)