Home and Away star Ray Meagher has said he would love Kate Ritchie to return to the soap full time.
Ritchie's character Sally Fletcher left the show five years ago to go travelling, but is back for a few months as part of the soaps's 25th anniversary.
Meagher said to What's On TV: "It was absolutely wonderful to have her back. I'd forgotten what a really terrific actress she is. And she's a lovely person as well and we've kept in touch since she's been gone, on a semi-regular basis. It's always like you saw her yesterday.
"Having her back in the show for that period of time was absolutely fantastic. I'd love it if she came back for a longer period. Whether she will or not, I don't know. But it was certainly fabulous to have her back and I can promise you there won't be a dry eye in the house."
Meagher, who has played Alf Stewart on the show for 25 years, added: "If she wanted to come back, you'd certainly find a story for her! She still owns the house at the caravan park, Alf is the caretaker.
"So there'd be plenty of scope for her to come back, and she could easily slot into the school as well as having foster kids.
"There'd be a hundred different ways they could get a character with that history in Summer Bay and an actress as good as Kate Ritchie. It's a winner both ways. If we could get her it would be bloody marvellous! That's my little pipe dream."
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