She blew into the Bay on a summer breeze. She befriended Martha, smoothed troubled waters with Tony and Rachel and now she has put a spring into the step of Alf Stewart...but who is she?

We caught up with Joy Smithers in between scenes at Channel Seven's studios in Epping.

Tell us a little bit about Bridget.

"Okay, well she’s from out west. And she has sold everything to come to Summer Bay to follow Tony, who she had an affair with back in Broken Hill. When she arrived, she hoped that they could pick up where they left off but discovered that he’d reunited with Rachel."

Bridget is making a play for Alf, is this a sincere attraction?

"Initially, Bridget strikes up a friendship with Martha. She finds me on the beach crying about being stuck. I’ve sold everything, have no money, have no job. And she organises a job for me at the Bait Shop. Alf takes pity on me. His sister, Colleen, sees an opportunity for Alf to find happiness. So it’s actually Colleen who organises a couple of dates and pushes us two together. But at the end of the day, Alf can give Bridget what she needs which is security. "

She seems like a genuine person, but does she have a couple of tricks up her sleeve? We all noticed how Bridget had a gleam in her eye after hearing about all of Alf’s assets. Does she have any other motives?

"Well, she’s had quite a tough life and old habits die hard. She’s actually trying to change though, because she is very fond of Alf. And they are having a really very good time together. They’re more companions than lovers, they’re more really good friends. And Bridget is actually quite a good business woman, so she sees opportunities to help Alf's businesses.

What do you find most rewarding about being an actress?

"Being able to step into the skin of other people and being able to research who they are. That’s actually not that easy to do on Home and Away. You don’t have a beginning, and middle, and an end. You have a beginning, but then you don’t know what’s happening next until you read the script. So I could be a Christian scientist next week, or a pole dancer! You really don’t know. That’s the nature of the beast. But it’s been a really good learning curve. Because I have not done this type of episodic TV. There’s really only Neighbours and Home and Away that are like this. But yeah, the pace you work at is incredible."

Do you have anyone that you use as inspiration to help you play the role of Bridget? Have you ever known anyone like her?

"No, but Ray Meagher, Alf, has really been a great help to me. He just said 'just play what’s on the page.' But I’d read scripts ahead and be like 'oh but in a few weeks this and this and this happens!' And he’d just reassured me to just play what’s on the page and be true to the moment. And that’s what I’ve done so far.

Is it fun to work with Colleen?

"I think that she’s one of the most talented people on the set actually. She’s excellent. She just brings such a lot to the show. She’s just a really really good actress. And she’s just REALLY funny. Lyn as a person is just so not Colleen. I just think she builds in multi-layers instantly. She’s really great."

What have been your biggest roles as an actress?

"I’ve been working and making a living as an actress since I was 17 and I’ve never been out of work. The thing that people probably know me the most from would be Bangkok Hilton which was a mini-series from the 90’s with Nicole Kidman. And Rose from All Saints, they were my two most mainstream roles."

Joy has a huge list of credits to her name including:- Love in the First Degree, River Street, Lucinda 31, Blue Murder, Wildside, Big Sky, Heartbreak High, Flying Doctors, E Street plus many more.

Do you have any other new projects or roles coming up?

"I’m in a movie called 'Newcastle' that is coming out in November. It’s a surfing movie and I play the mum." she smiled "Rebecca Breeds is also in it and I think this will be a real break through film for the boys like Lachlan Buchanan."

Thanks Joy

We will be bringing you more information about the movie 'Newcastle' very soon and will have some double passes to give away, so stay tuned.

Interview by Tania Seager