Alan Fletcher (born 30 March 1957^[1]) is an Australian actor of stage, television and film. He is also a singer and musician. He is perhaps best known for his television soap opera role in Neighbours as Dr. Karl Kennedy. He has also played Frank Rossi in Cop Shop and Michael Clayton in Embassy. In 2007, he was a contestant on the UK reality show Soapstar Superstar.

Having appeared in Neighbours since 1994, Fletcher is the third longest serving actor in an Australian television serial, after Home and Away actors Ray Meagher and Lynne McGranger.

Fletcher was born in Perth, Western Australia, and attended Wesley College in Perth. He appeared briefly in the US drama The Love Boat, in 1981, locally however his first major television role was in the police drama Cop Shop as Frank Rossi from 1982 until production ceased the following year. He starred in the Australian feature film Fran alongside Noni Hazlehurst in 1985.^[2] He also appeared in Mercy Mission.^[3]

He briefly acted in Neighbours in 1987 as Greg Cooper, a mechanic working in Jim Robinson's (Alan Dale) garage.^[4] In 1994, Fletcher successfully auditioned for the role of Karl Kennedy in the soap, a role which he continues to play.^[4] His on-screen wife Susan Kennedy is played by Jackie Woodburne, who previously played his sister in Cop Shop.^[5]

In 2005, Fletcher starred as Henry Higgins in a production of My Fair Lady at the Melbourne Comedy Theatre. He is also a prominent member of the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance, a role which saw him become a vocal critic of the 2004 US-Australia Free Trade Agreement, including an appearance on the political talk-show Meet the Press.

In 2008, Fletcher starred as Frank McGee in the workshop performance season of Call Girl the Musical and as Captain Hook in the Pantomime Peter Pan at His Majesty's Theatre, Aberdeen.^[6]

In 2011, Fletcher spent time in Old Melbourne Gaol to raise money for the charity Whitelion. In order to break out, Fletcher and fellow Neighbours cast members Stefan Dennis, Jordy Lucas and Valentina Novakovic had to each raise $1,000.^[7]

In May 2013, along with Saskia Hampele, he presented the award of Best Newcomer to Joseph Thompson at the British Soap Awards.^[8] Fletcher appeared in a documentary special celebrating Neighbours' 30th anniversary titled Neighbours 30th: The Stars Reunite, which aired in Australia and the UK in March 2015.^[9][10]

Fletcher is married to Jennifer Hansen, a former newsreader for the Ten Network and they have two children.^[16]

Fletcher supports Essendon Football Club and Liverpool Football Club.^[17]

Fletcher is an ambassador for Blue September, a charity that raises awareness of all cancers that can affect men. In 2011, Fletcher helped launch the charity in Britain.^[18]

In 2022, following media reports about his health due to his sudden hair loss, Fletcher revealed that he had been diagnosed with alopecia areata. This condition was worked into the plot of Neighbours, where it was said that dodgy hair products caused Karl's hair to fall out.^[19]

Fletcher's grandfather was a well respected organ builder in Liverpool with Rushworth's (Australian Organist Review Dec 1995).