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Guest Character Profiles > Jay Duncan Charlie Clausen

Jay Duncan 2008
Occupation: Fireman

When local musician Ty Harper was due to perform a charity gig for Erinsborough’s fire service, he met the head of the local fire service, Jay Duncan. Ty invited Jay along to Charlie’s to meet his housemates, Libby and Steph but told them all that the venue for his charity gig had cancelled. Looking for a new venue, it was arranged that Ty’s gig could now be held at Charlie’s.

Jay took an instant shine to Steph and asked her out on a date, but she declined and told him she wasn’t looking to be dating. Later, when Libby stepped in and told her to accept his offer because she deserved to enjoy herself, Steph changed her mind and agreed to go out for dinner with him. But she never returned Jay’s calls and when he turned up at Charlie’s a week later, he was not to be deterred and asked her out again. Charlie’s was hosting the fundraiser that evening, so Jay asked Steph if she’d like to make it a date. Meanwhile, after his release from prison, Steve Parker subsequently had to undergo community service, and he was lined up with the fire service and ended up working closely with Jay.

As Jay and Steph’s relationship began to get more serious, Steph's ex, Toadie happened to walk in on the pair sharing a kiss. As Steph ran after to him to see if he was alright, she had to later tell Jay that her and Toadie were once together. Jay wanted assurances from Toadie that now he and Steph were an item there wasn’t going to be any agro. Toadie agreed but Jay was shocked when he discovered from Toadie just how close and serious his and Steph’s relationship was. Jay was keen to get other residents of Ramsay Street involved in a clear up operation in the forest. But tragedy was just around the corner as a devastating bushfire raged through the forest. In the aftermath of the fire - which had killed Marco Silvani and left Kirsten Gannon seriously ill - it soon became apparent that it had been lit deliberately. A couple of Steph's neighbours, Rachel and Ringo both had their suspicions over troubled teen Donna Freedman who’d been acting strangely on the day of the fire, and Jay overheard their conversation and urged them to speak to the police if they had any suspicions whatsoever.

As the police continued their investigation into who lit the fire, Jay turned his attentions towards Toadie's young charge Callum Jones after a lighter was found in Callum’s coat pocket. After speaking to the youngster about it, he strongly denied having anything to do with the bushfire and Toadie was furious when he found out that Steph and Jay had accused him of such a thing. Later, Toadie and Callum spent some time together by painting the shed in the back garden, but when they’d finished Jay crept in and callously set the shed alight. He was soon on hand to put the fire out and be the hero once more when the act of arson was discovered, and afterwards, Toadie started to have serious doubts over Callum’s innocence and Jay suggested he take Callum to a fire awareness group to determine whether he’d really be capable of causing an incident as large as the bushfire.

The press began to hound Toadie and Callum as they got wind that Callum could have been responsible for the fire. But Toadie then began to suspect Jay as being the firebug after he saw his reaction to the bushfire story on the front cover of the paper and he confided in close friend Nicola who was shocked at Toadie’s accusations. However, she agreed to help him find the evidence to prove that Jay had lit the fire. Soon enough Nicola found several articles from the Erinsborough News’ archives which all seemed to show Jay being the hero of the hour in other fires in the past, all involving young, blonde single mums. Worryingly, it also showed many of the women Jay had seemingly rescued; all of whom were young blonde single mums. Meanwhile, at the Erinsborough News, editor Paul Robinson and his daughter, journalist Elle were coming to the same conclusion and asked Jay if he’d like to do an interview with the paper about being the hero of the bushfire. Jay declined and as Toadie’s suspicions started to grow about Jay he insinuated to him that he knew he was the firebug. Jay quickly told Steph what Toadie had said and she was furious. Feeling the net tighten around him Jay suggested that he, Steph and her son Charlie all go away for a few days. Together, Toadie and Nicola tried to stop the pair from going away, but Steph refused to listen and off they went.

As Steph and Jay arrived at the remote log cabin, Steph noticed the newspaper articles about Jay in her bag. Nicola had earlier slipped them in there just before she left and Steph was horrified at what she was reading and started to have doubts over Jay’s honesty. Steph confronted Jay over the articles and he insisted he had nothing to hide but when he later was about to give Steph a gift, she panicked and thought it was an engagement ring but it turned out to merely be a pair of earrings and Steph apologized, but as she went to try them on Jay went through her bag and took her car keys.

Toadie and Nicola were still desperately searching for an address to try and locate Steph and Jay, while back at the log cabin, Steph was a little concerned about Charlie and wanted to just pop out to the local chemists and get him some medication. Jay though wouldn’t let her and snapped at her when she insisted it’d be best to just get something for Charlie. Fearing the worst, she decided to agree with Jay and that night they settled down in front of the fire to eat their dinner. Having earlier noticed where Jay had hidden the car keys Steph decided to sneak out and leave the log cabin with Charlie, but she failed to make a quick getaway as the car didn’t start. As Steph rushed out to check under the bonnet she realized that Jay had cut her brakes. Hearing all the commotion outside, Jay came out to see what was going on and was surprised to see Steph trying to make her getaway. Steph told him that she was hoping to sneak out early in the morning to go into town and get some breakfast supplies to cook Jay a big hearty breakfast.

Still deeply concerned for her and Charlie’s welfare, Steph decided to phone Toadie then hide the connected phone, before asking Jay where exactly they were so Toadie and Nicola would hear and could come and find them. But the plan went horribly wrong when Jay overheard Toadie shouting down the other end of the line and he snatched the phone from Steph and ended the call. Steph told him that things had started to get to weird and that she wanted to leave, but Jay wouldn’t let her and talked her into staying. Steph’s next plan of attack was to agonizingly let Charlie leave the log cabin on his own. She told him to go to the fruit stand where they’d earlier eaten watermelon in the hope that Toadie and Nicola would intercept him. Sitting by the fire, Jay was quiet and suddenly turned on Steph. He demanded that he wanted to go check on Charlie and Steph realized there was nothing she could do to stop him so once Jay had left the room, Steph saw her opportunity and ran for the door. But by now Jay was back and wanted to know what was going on. Steph picked up a poker and threatened him, telling him she wanted to leave the cabin. Jay gave her the key and off Steph ran to the door, but Jay ran after her, grabbed her and in the ensuing tussle, Steph fell to the ground falling awkwardly and knocking herself out in the process.

As Steph came around following her fall she was shocked to see Jay standing over her playing with the lighter. Steph pleaded with him not to do anything stupid but when Jay heard Toadie’s calls from outside the cabin, he lit the lighter and threw it onto a towel. Toadie then burst in and attempted to wrestle Jay to the ground but was overpowered. Realising the police would be there any minute; Jay ran out of the cabin and drove off in Toadie’s car.

Steph struggled to come to terms with her ordeal with Jay, knowing that he was still on the run from the police, and was worried enough to ask Toadie to keep her company throughout the night back at Number 32. Then, in the dead of night, Jay returned to Number 32, just as Callum was entering the kitchen. Jay failed to convince Callum that everything was alright and Callum pushed Jay over, calling out for Toadie. As Toadie checked the house and the surrounding area out he saw no evidence that had anywhere had been there. He started to wonder if what Callum had seen might have been a dream, particularly as CCTV had caught Jay buying a train ticket to New South Wales.

Steph’s paranoia over Jay started to grow and her worst fears seemed to be confirmed when Jay turned up at Number 30 and began threatening Toadie, armed with a pair of scissors. Steph arrived at the house and overheard the argument, so she burst in and a scuffle between the three followed in which Steph was stabbed. Shocked by what he’d just done, Jay slowly walked out the door and attempted to get away once again, but Toadie quickly ran after him onto the street and it was neighbour Dan Fitzgerald that managed to catch up and stop him as news had already filtered around Ramsay Street that the police were after Jay as the firebug.

As Steph recovered from her stabbing in hospital, the other Ramsay Street residents were horrified to learn that Jay had also been admitted to hospital and was in a room only a few doors away from Steph. Jay had been attacked whilst in remand but Nicola had to reassure everybody that they were safe as he had a police guard by his door. Paul soon got wind of the controversy and hopped down to the hospital in the hope of getting a good story. While he was there, he spoke to Marco's widow, Carmella and gave her the opportunity to speak to Jay in person. Carmella said she’d like to, so Paul distracted the police guard allowing Carmella to slip into Jay’s room unnoticed. Jay showed his remorse for Marco’s death and claimed he had never wanted to hurt anyone. Holding baby Chloe, Carmella calmly walked out of the room leaving Jay crying.

Biography by Edd

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