Debra Lawrence originally signed onto Home And Away for the “financial security,” but she found so much more with her soulmate Dennis Coard.
Not long after her Summer Bay debut as Pippa Ross, the producers were on the hunt for a love interest for her character. After an incredible chemistry read, Dennis was cast as Michael Ross.
“I was just really drawn to him,” Debra recalled with TV WEEK. “They booked him. Apparently, the chemistry read was so strong.”
The timing couldn’t be more perfect for Debra who told Woman’s Day in 2011 that her “ovaries were yelling, ‘Hello!’.”
After six weeks of “being rude” to her new co-star, Debra could no longer deny the attraction. Flash forward eighteen months to February 29, 1992, Debra and Dennis said ‘I do’ in Avalon. But why get married on a leap day?
“It happened to be a Saturday between Friday studio and Monday rehearsal for Home and Away,’ Debra revealed in a comment on Instagram.
In the same year, the newlyweds welcomed their first child together, a girl named Grace Coard. A few years down the track in 1999, they were blessed with their second and final child, William.
In 2024, the couple celebrated 32 years together – technically only their eighth wedding anniversary. In celebration of the momentous day, Debra revealed their secret to a long, happy marriage.
“We appreciate and respect that we are individuals; we support each others wins and losses; we have shared the grief of the loss of parents, siblings, dear friends and the wee bubbas that were not meant to be,” she wrote.
“We have raised two extraordinary kids whom we love beyond measure. We are deeply grateful for our home and the beauty of the quiet bush that surrounds us. We are partners in every sense of the word – sometimes extremely disputatious😳, but all is always forgiven. (it helps hugely that we also still fancy the pants off each other – sorry kids 🤣) 💕💕💕”
With many more years of love to come from Debra and Dennis, we look back at some of our favourite moments of the couple, continue scrolling to see.
A family outing in celebration of father’s day, where Debra once more shared her admiration for Dennis.
“So grateful #denniscoard agreed to have kids with me,” she wrote.
In celebration of 30 years together, Debra shared a tribute post to her beautiful husband.
“Dennis is the kindest, most generous person I know… a truly wonderful father… add hardworking, supportive, hilariously funny and extremely attractive and you start to see why we’ve managed to travel through the last 3 decades together. Happy Anniversary dearest Dennis. Much love and heartfelt thanks for agreeing to be the father of our two beautiful children,” she wrote.
Flashback to Debra and Dennis’ Home And Away days as Pippa and Michael respectively.
Debra left the soap in 1998, but in a 2023 interview with TV Week she shared: “Home And Away gave me my life… And I sing that from the rooftops to anybody who wants to listen.”
“To the wondrous Dennis Coard, Happy 7th Leap Anniversary ( 28 years in UTC time – 10,227 days) You are an extraordinary human being and I’m so very, very glad I know you,” Debra wrote for their wedding anniversary.
