Bob Barnett - Al Simpson

Al Simpson played by George Leppard, debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 29 November 1988. When the character returned in 1990, Terence Donovan began playing the role and departed on 1 March 1990.

Donovan won the role of Al and began filming for Home and Away on 23 October 1989. Al was billed as a "dastardly character". Donovan said that was playing a "great role". He described Al as a "a jailbird, a wife beater and a drunk". However, Donovan said that he intentionally played him as a "loveable villain". Clive Hopwood in his book Home and Away Special, described Al as Bobby Simpson's (Nicolle Dickson) missing "father" who "crosses words" with Donald Fisher (Norman Coburn) because he knows a "dark and murky secret" about him. Donovan told Kevin Sadlier of The Sun-Herald that "the best I've been able to do with Al is give him a sense of humour." He added that Al is "not a very nice person", while Sadlier called Al a "ne'er-do-well step-father".

Al responds to an invitation from Bobby to her wedding to Frank Morgan (Alex Papps) by sending a letter telling her he is not her father. Bobby and Frank visit Al in prison and Bobby confronts him about this revelation. He tells her that Alf Stewart (Ray Meagher) knows who her real parents are. It soon emerges that Morag Bellingham (Cornelia Frances) and Donald Fisher are Bobby's biological parents and Al and late his wife, Doris illegally adopted her. When Al is released, he returns to Summer Bay with his teenage daughter Sophie (Rebekah Elmaloglou). Bobby is not pleased to see Al and warns everyone in town about him. Donald is unnerved to see Al, who begins blackmailing him over the death of Shane Wilson eight years earlier. Al uses Sophie for schemes to con money out of people and when they fail, he takes his anger out on her physically as he did to Bobby in her youth. Bobby and Shane's brother, Matt (Greg Benson) do some detective work and figure out Al is the culprit. When Al holds Sophie, Bobby and Matt hostage overnight, they are found by Tom Fletcher (Roger Oakley) and Detective Hunt (Kim Knuckey). After Al's confession is overheard, he is arrested and returned to prison.