Where is Australia’s favourite housewife Paula Duncan now

She was a popular fixture on Australian television screens for four decades but Paula Duncan’s journey to national stardom wasn’t all smooth-sailing. Here’s what she’s up to now.

The seven-time Logie award winner is best known for playing Constable Danni Francis on the 1970s show Cop Shop and Lorelei Wilkinson on Prisoner but it was her stints on the Ajax Spay N’ Wipe TV commercials during the 80s that made her one of Australia’s most famous faces.

But despite her on-screen success and accolades Duncan, 69, spent years battling the private pain stemming from two divorces, a family death and a battle with depression.

As she marks 50 years in entertainment, Duncan has opened up about her philanthropy career and why she will never fall in love again.

Paula Duncan and Greg Ross in the 1970s TV show Cop Shop.

Duncan is pictured in an Ajax Spray n' Wipe ad in 1991.

“I wanted to do something really worthwhile with my life,” she said.

“Not saying that acting wasn’t, because it was absolutely the bridge to me discovering and understanding human nature and how people suffer.

“I’m really passionate about what I do and raising awareness about gynaecological cancer because my sister died of it.”

The Cooma-born actor tragically lost her sister Carmen Duncan to gynaecological cancer three years ago and now dedicates much of her time to causes like the Australian Gynaecological Cancer Foundation.

She’s also a Special Olympics ambassador, a suicide prevention volunteer, an ambassador for The Focus on Ability Short Film Festival and an ambassador for Nova employment.

Duncan, who has starred in 17 TV shows and seven films, is still acting and currently working on a new show with SBS.

While the Covid-19 pandemic has been challenging, particularly after Duncan was forced to miss her daughter Jessica Orcsik’s wedding in the US last year, she’s living a relatively happy life in Sydney that’s filled with peace and a stronger sense of purpose.

Duncan previously struggled with episodic depression which marked one of the darkest times in her life.

Duncan and her ex-husband John Orcsik were considered Australia’s “Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie” of their time. Picture: Bill Counsell

Duncan with her daughter Jessica Orcsik at the Royal Womens Hospital Mothers Day Lunch for Breast Cancer held at The Wharf Restaurant at Millers Point. Picture: John Fotiadis

In 1982, she tied the knot with her Cop Shop co-star John Orcsik and a few years later she gave birth to their “miracle baby” Jessica, however motherhood was not what she expected.

“Jess was a miracle baby, John and I were very, very happy but I ended up having to go through a 48-hour labour and then I finally followed up with an emergency (caesarean),” she previously told Studio 10.

“When living in those days, people frowned upon people that had caesarean births believe it or not, we were taught that you’ve got to have a natural birth no matter what otherwise you’re a failure.

“I was crying a lot, I didn’t want to go out, I felt ugly, I felt unclean because I had this terrible wound.”

The couple tied the knot in 1982. Pictured with a with quokka on Rottnest Island.

Duncan now lives a quiet life in Sydney and is passionate about charity work but still dabbles in acting.

Duncan said her relationship with Orcsik, 76, clouded her judgement.

“Jessica ended up with colic on top of that so she didn’t sleep and John was living life like everything was just the same and he was out at the football and he was having a wonderful time and I felt very alone and I just wanted him to come and take care of me,” she said.

“I was always smitten by John Orcsik and I think that my love for him totally overpowered my love for my baby.”

After they separated, Duncan, now a single mum, attempted suicide but fortunately she survived.

Her life hit rock bottom again following the breakdown of her second marriage to Steve Mason, who she discovered was having an affair while she filmed Strange Bedfellows.

“Paul Hogan and Michael Caton, who were very beautiful to me, came up and said ‘I wouldn’t read the Sunday paper if I were you darl.’ I said ‘Why?’ and they said ‘Well, your husband’s just admitted that he’s found his true love’,” she recalled.

“I just couldn’t work at all, so they looked after me and they took me off set and I went into a very, very, very dark place.”

She eventually sought professional help and began to bounce back.

Soon after, she was bestowed an Order of Australia.

Despite her past heartache, Duncan still has a close relationship with Orcsik these days.

“I still have a terrific relationship with my children’s father,” she said.

“We’ve been very consistent with our love. He has someone else, who I love too. We have a very consistent, supportive relationship.

“It’s true love.”

When asked whether she’s open to finding love again, Duncan replied: “Definitely not, I’ve had my heart broken and I don’t want it broken anymore.”