Martin Dibble
Martin Dibble is a fictional character from the Australian Channel Seven soap opera Home and Away, played by Craig Thomson. He made his first on-screen appearance on 17 January 1988, the show's pilot episode. The character was axed from the series in 1989 after producer Andrew Howie decided to focus on new characters. He left the show on 3 April 1990, but returned for guest stints in 2000 and 2002. Creation and casting In 1987, Home and Away producers asked Thomson to audition for a role, after they watched him in an advertisement for soft drinks. Thomson auditioned alongside Adam Willits, while Thomson secured the role of Martin, Willits went on to play Steven Matheson. Of his casting Thomson said they "went along to the auditions and got the parts, there's not much to tell really". Home and Away was Thomson's first television role. When Thomson won the role of Martin he was thankful because he had not achieved high grades in his studies. After he had read his first scripts for Martin, Thomson travelled to West Australia to research the role. Martin is portrayed as a "yobbo" and Thomson believed that the area was ideal to observe "yobbos" socialising.