| Episode 2351 | |
|---|---|
| Home and Away episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 11 Episode 2351 |
| Directed by | Russell Webb |
| Written by | Ray Harding |
| Original air date | 30 March 1998 |
| Running time | 22 minutes |
| Guest appearances | |
| |
Episode 2351 of the Australian television soap opera Home and Away was broadcast on the Seven Network on 30 March 1998. It was written by Ray Harding and directed by series producer Russell Webb. The plot sees Irene Roberts (Lynne McGranger) and Marilyn Chambers (Emily Symons) visiting Selina Roberts (Tempany Deckert) in England, where she is recuperating from malaria, which she caught while travelling. Irene realises that something else is amiss with Selina and arranges a reunion between her and her former fiancé Steven Matheson (Adam Willits). The episode was filmed on-location in Ironbridge, Shropshire and marks the first time Home and Away was filmed overseas.
The episode was conceived after the serial's British television network wanted to give the show a boost in the UK. Producers and writers decided the focus should be on finishing the Steven and Selina romance story, which had not received a proper conclusion in the eyes of viewers due to Deckert's departure from the serial. Production began on 12 January 1998 and the shoot lasted for five days. Filming locations included East Midlands Airport, the living museum, and The Iron Bridge. Deckert reprised her role just for the episode, while Symons took time off rehearsals for a pantomime to film her scenes. Producers also introduced Bill Burns (Michael Carter) as a love interest for Irene, and his son Geoffrey Burns (Ben Price) as a friend of Selina.
Episode 2351 was well received by Denise Everton of the Illawarra Mercury, who said viewers would be "in for a bit of fun" with the episode. The Sydney Morning Herald's television critic Keith Austin gave it a thumbs up and commented that it was "proof that some things are so awful they're good." A writer for The Birmingham Post observed that Selina's presence in England was a "twist in the already twisted storyline" of her and Steven's relationship. A Newcastle Herald columnist included the episode in their "TV Highlights" feature, while Inside Soap called Home and Away the "Best Soap" for the fortnight.