Neighbours

Neighbours is a long-running Australian soap opera, which began on-air in March 1985. It was created by Reg Watson and is produced by the Reg Grundy Organisation. Through its entire run in Australia it has screened as five 22-minute episodes a week, shown each weeknight in an early evening time slot.

The series follows the daily lives of several families who live in the fictional Ramsay Street, Erinsborough – although in fact it is restricted to the small cul-de-sac of six houses at the end of the street – and includes the usual soap staples of births, deaths, and marriages. The show features a regular turnover of attractive young actors mixed in with the more stable cast of older people. Though it is not commonly mentioned so as to not alienate viewers in other Australian cities, Erinsborough (nearly an anagram of 'Our Neighbours') is undoubtedly supposed to be a suburb of Melbourne. The show is filmed in Melbourne, and for street scenes uses Pin Oak Court in Vermont South, a suburb in eastern Melbourne. Erinsborough is often contrasted with the neighbouring, and equally fictitious, suburb of Eden Hills. Other locations often mentioned (and sometimes seen) in the show include West Waratah, Waratah Heights and Anson's Corner.

The series originally aired on the Seven Network in Australia in 1985. The Melbourne-produced program underperformed in the crucial Sydney market leading to Seven cancelling the series at the end of 1985. Neighbours was immediately picked up by the rival Network Ten. They began screening the series on that channel in early 1986. After low ratings, a concerted publicity drive and the addition of new, younger characters, gradually transformed the show into a high rating show. Australian ratings had cooled considerably by the early 1990s, but the serial continues in Australia with adequate rating figures, frequently attracting almost a million viewers per episode Mercado, Andrew. Super Aussie Soaps, Pluto Press Australia, 2004. ISBN 1864031913 p 231. The series is more popular in the UK, where it screens on BBC One, than it is in Australia .

Many successful Australian actors and singers had some of their earliest work on Neighbours, including Kylie Minogue, Jesse Spencer, Guy Pearce, Russell Crowe (brief guest appearance), Natalie Imbruglia, Jason Donovan, Holly Valance, Mark Little, Radha Mitchell, Delta Goodrem and Natalie Bassingthwaighte. Actor Alan Dale who had previously starred in The Young Doctors, played the central character of Jim Robinson for the show's first seven years and is now a recognisable star in US series such as 24, The O.C. and NCIS. One of the most enduring characters currently on the show is Harold Bishop, played by actor Ian Smith who has also written many of the scripts for the show.

Neighbours celebrated its twentieth anniversary in 2005 with a special episode which featured appearances from several former members of the cast.

Neighbours Internationally

The show is also popular in the United Kingdom where it quickly gained a cult following after it began to be broadcast there in 1986. BBC One began by screening it at lunchtime, but it was soon given an early evening repeat slot by controller Michael Grade on the advice of his daughter. In the late 1980s it regularly had a UK audience of over ten million and was sometimes watched by more people than the population of Australia at that time Mercado, Andrew. Super Aussie Soaps, Pluto Press Australia, 2004. ISBN 1864031913 p 211. The episodes in the UK are now generally shown between one and three months after they are seen in Australia, as the BBC often removes the show from its schedule during major sports tournaments such as Wimbledon and bank holidays in order to take into account the fact that the show usually takes a four week break over the Christmas/New Year in Australia for the Southern Hemisphere summer. Accounting for the duplication of viewers across its two UK showings a day, the show rates on average over five million viewers a day, making it the highest rated commonwealth import on British television and one of the most popular international imports, rating higher than US favourites including Desperate Housewives and Lost. Rumours are currently circulating that the BBC plans to give 'first-chance' Neighbours on the networks digital channel BBC Three in order to boost that channel's ratings. Most likely, the episode following BBC One's most recent broadcast will be shown after 7pm. However, the episode could even be up to date with the Australian episodes. Holmworth, Leigh. Neighbours could air on BBC3, Media Guardian 12th July 2006 12:15pm BST [1]

It also airs every evening on Irish TV station RTÉ Two at 5.30. These episodes are also about three months behind the Australian network.

The show has also been sold to networks in many other countries. Episodes from 1999 were aired for a six-week trial basis on the American channel Oxygen in March of 2004. At first, it was shown in the afternoon opposite higher-rated American soaps such as The Young and the Restless and All My Children, which gave the show anemic ratings from the first airing; the people who would be most interested in the show were watching other, more established serials. After a couple of weeks, the show moved to a late-night time slot and eventually left the air entirely. It was the sixth Australian soap opera to be aired in the United States (The Sullivans, Prisoner, Home and Away, Paradise Beach, and Pacific Drive are the other five).

It has been long aired by Television New Zealand and screens twice daily at 5:05am and 5:00pm. It was initially aired by TVNZ when Neighbours started showing in New Zealand in 1988, but by 1996 it had been removed from the schedule. Canwest's TV4 (now C4) picked it up and aired it from 1997 to 2000. They dropped it in 2000, and it returned to TV2 in 2002, where it has stayed there since.

Neighbours is aired in Belgium on the VRT at 5:30pm, Monday to Saturday. The show has been broadcast in Belgium since 1988; they are three years behind Australia.

In Kenya, Neighours airs on the KTN network at 6pm, Monday to Friday. It screens episodes approximately three years after they have been shown in Australia.

Neighbours is also aired in Barbados on CBC8, Monday to Friday, airing episodes four years after their first showing in Australia.

Storylines

In the beginning, the show mainly focused on two families, the Robinsons and the Ramsays (after whom "Ramsay Street" is named) who were as the name of the show suggests, neighbours. The show initially gained notoriety for its depiction of the teenage romance of Scott Robinson and Charlene Mitchell (Jason Donovan and Kylie Minogue). Their Romeo and Juliet style romance culminating in a wedding was keenly anticipated by viewers and is still fondly regarded today as being one of the high points of the series. Another popular couple in the show's early days was the pairing of Des Clarke (Paul Keane) and Daphne Lawrence (Elaine Smith), a couple who also lived on Ramsay Street alongside the Ramsays and the Robinsons. Daphne's death in 1988 is still considered as one of the most emotional moments on the show.

Until recently, both the Ramsays and the Robinsons had been written out of the series, with the sole exception of the Bishop family (who are related to the Ramsays through the marriage of Harold Bishop (Ian Smith) to the late Madge Ramsay (Anne Charleston)). However, one of the original characters, Paul Robinson (Stefan Dennis), made a return to the show as a regular character in the final episode of 2004. Today the show revolves around the Scully, Hoyland, Timmins and Kinski clans, along with several other residents who live in Ramsay Street.

In the late 1990s, Neighbours gained the reputation as being a somewhat conservative soap with topics such as sex generally not being included in the storylines due to its early evening timeslot in Australia and the United Kingdom (Earlier storylines involving controversial topics such as incest and teenage sex were often censored by the BBC in the UK, which may account for the reluctance on the part of producers to depict controversial issues). In the past two years this has started to change, with the show now regularly featuring its teenage characters discussing issues such as sex and contraception in a manner which has not been seen on the show since the mid 1990s. Recently, the show has depicted a lesbian storyline involving Sky Mangel (Stephanie McIntosh) and Lana Crawford (Bridget Neval). An arguably illegal relationship has started between the 18-year-old character Stingray Timmins (Ben Nicholas) and 14-year-old Rachel Kinski (Caitlin Stasey), although the two have not actually slept together yet. There was also not one but two incest storylines; the first involving Serena Bishop (Lara Sacher) and Luka Dokich (Keelan O'Hehir), who embarked on an intimate relationship, blissfully ignorant of the fact that they were half-siblings, sharing a mother, Liljana Bishop (Marcella Russo). The second storyline to touch on this taboo subject was the plotline in which Harold Bishop became obsessed with a younger woman who bore an uncanny resemblance to his deceased daughter, Kerry (in fact, the character was played by Linda Hartley-Clark, who did indeed play Kerry Bishop years earlier.) The pair went as far as sharing a kiss, which ultimately made Harold 'snap out' of his obsession. The character of Sindi Watts (Marisa Warrington) has also been involved in storylines involving stripping and more recently prostitution.

The break up of long time married couple Karl (Alan Fletcher) and Susan Kennedy and soon after Joe (Shane Connor) and Lyn Scully (Janet Andrewartha) has also been a great source of interest to viewers, especially since it has led to a long running storyline in which Izzy Hoyland (Natalie Bassingthwaighte) duped Karl into believing that he was the father of her unborn child continuing the charade long after she tragically miscarried in November 2004. After over a year of manipulation, Izzy's lies came to light in a spectacular fashion, and despite a last ditch attempt by Izzy to gain Karl's sympathy by falsely claiming that she was raped, Karl finally dumped Izzy for good.

Late in the 2005 season came a highly dramatic storyline where a large contingent of Ramsay Street regulars went on a joyflight on a Douglas DC-3 aircraft over Bass Strait. A time bomb had also been planted in the plane's undercarriage. During the flight Izzy discovered a note in her seat pocket addressed 'To my one and only' which read 'Think about your life and everything you've done.'

The bomb soon went off, sending the plane crashing into the ocean below. David (Kevin Harrington), Liljana and Serena were killed, although only David's body has been recovered. Paul, Elle (Pippa Black), Izzy, and Sky were quickly found and taken to hospital. Susan was missing for a few days but eventually rescued. Dylan (Damien Bodie) and Connor (Patrick Harvey), who believed Dylan was wanted for armed robbery, survived washed up on a desolate beach and decided to fake their own deaths by assuming new identities, but they eventually returned to Erinsborough. Through flashbacks and conversations with his comatose brother Cameron (Adam Hunter), Robert Robinson (also played by Hunter), Paul's son, has been revealed to have been the one who planted the bomb on the plane; a crime which Paul believed to have been committed by Cameron until Robert admitted it when he attempted to kill Paul. Paul was eventually rescued and he vows to get revenge on his son. Robert soon returned and kidnapped Katya, despite being in love with her. Paul and Gail attempted to lure Robert back by staging a fake wedding and he eventually returned. Paul told Robert to show himself and he eventually did and shot Paul. Paul was only wounded and then Robert was arrested.

Cast

Current cast members

*Janet Andrewartha (Lyn Scully) (1999-)
*Aaron Aulsebrook-Walker (Charlie Hoyland) (2006-)
*Natalie Bassingthwaighte (Isabelle Hoyland) (2003-2006)
*Pippa Black (Elle Robinson) (2005-)
*Natalie Blair (Carmella Cammenetti) (2003-)
*Damien Bodie (Dylan Timmins) (2005-)
*Carla Bonner (Stephanie Hoyland) (1999-)
*Ingo Dammer-Smith (Oscar Scully) (2003-)
*Stefan Dennis (Paul Robinson) (1985-1993, 2004-)
*Nell Feeney (Janelle Timmins) (2004, 2005-)
*Alan Fletcher (Dr. Karl Kennedy) (1994-)
*Adam Hunter (Cameron Robinson) (2006-)
*Dichen Lachman (Katya Kinski) (2005-)
*Stephen Lovatt (Max Hoyland) (2002-)
*Kyal Marsh (Boyd Hoyland) (2002-)
*Stephanie McIntosh (Sky Mangel) (#2) (2003-)
*Ryan Moloney (Toadfish Rebecchi) (1995-)
*Ben Nicholas (Stingray Timmins) (2004-)
*Daniel O'Connor (Ned Parker) (2005-)
*Tom Oliver (Lou Carpenter) (1988, 1992-)
*Sianoa Smit-McPhee (Bree Timmins) (2005-)
*Ian Smith (Harold Bishop) (1987-1991, 1996-)
*Caitlin Stasey (Rachel Kinski) (2005-)
*Eliza Taylor-Cotter (Janae Hoyland) (2005-)
*Matthew Werkmeister (Zeke Kinski) (2005-)
*Jackie Woodburne (Susan Kinski) (1994-)

Recurring cast members

*Joe Clements (Senior Sgt. Allan Steiger)
*Shane McNamara (Gino Esposito)
*Marisa Siketa (Summer Hoyland)

Coming and going cast members

*Natalie Bassingthwaighte (Isabelle Hoyland) (until September 2006)
*Christian Clark (Will) (debuts October 2006)
*Sam Clark (Ringo) (debuts early 2007)
*Kate Fitzpatrick (Lorice Timmins) (debuts August 2006)
*Tessa James (Ann Timmins) (debuts August 2006)
*Adelaide Kane (Louise Carpenter) (#3) (debuts early 2007)
*Ben Lawson (Frazer) (debuts October 2006)
*Maria Mercedes (Lucia Cammenetti) (returns late 2006)
*Natalie Saleeba (Rosetta) (debuts October 2006)
*Nikki Whelan (Pepper) (debuts October 2006)

Deceased cast members

*Francis Bell (Max Ramsay) (1985-1986) (died May 1994)
*Anne Haddy (Helen Daniels) (1985-1997) (died June 6, 1999)
*Myra De Groot (Eileen Clarke) (1985-1988) (died April 4, 1988)

Before they were stars

*Natalie Bassingthwaighte (Isabelle Hoyland) (2003-2006)
*Alan Dale (ex-Jim Robinson) (1985-1993)
*Jason Donovan (ex-Scott Robinson) (#2) (1986-1989)
*Delta Goodrem (ex-Nina Tucker) (2002-2003, 2004, 2005 [cameo])
*Natalie Imbruglia (ex-Beth Willis) (1992-1993; 1994 [guest appearance])
*Daniel MacPherson (ex-Joel Samuels) (1998-2002)
*Blair McDonough (ex-Stuart Parker) (2001-2006)
*Stephanie McIntosh (Sky Mangel) (#2) (2003-)
*Craig McLachlan (ex-Henry Ramsay) (1987-1989)
*Kylie Minogue (ex-Charlene Robinson) (1986-1988)
*Radha Mitchell (ex-Catherine O'Brien) (1996-1997)
*Jesse Spencer (ex-Billy Kennedy) (1994-2000, 2005 [cameo])
*Holly Valance (ex-Felicity Scully) (1999-2002, 2005 [cameo])

Locations

Apart from Ramsay Street, there are many other places inside and around the fictional suburb of Erinsborough that have been featured in the show, including:
*Lassiter's Hotel Complex: Lassiter's Complex is the most common location used in Neighbours besides Ramsay Street, and it has been a regular occurrence since 1986. When Neighbours switched from the Seven Network to Network Ten, the producers decided to convert an old set on the Channel Ten backlot that had been built for the shortlived 1981 series Holiday Island into the Lassiter's Complex. It includes:
**Lassiter's Hotel: Originally owned by Jack Lassiter, Rosemary Daniels and the Daniels/Robinson Corporation then bought the Erinsborough branch and took control of the entire chain of hotels worldwide. Lassiter's was sold to Lambert Industries in 2002 who owned the company until the destruction of the Erinsborough complex in 2004 when it was bought back by Paul Robinson. The Erinsborough hotel has had such employees as Felicity Scully, Paul Robinson, Toadfish Rebecchi, Melanie Pearson, Christina Alessi and Taj Coppin. Lassiter's other branches exist in Darwin, London, Montana and New York, to name but a few locations. Within the Erinsborough hotel is a shopping arcade, which among other concessions has a book store, chemists shop, clothing boutique and gift shop, whilst dining is provided at the hotel's restaurants including the recently opened "Lucinda's At Lassiter's". For the convenience of guests, a fitness suite, health spa and function facilities are also available at Lassiter's. Forming an attractive courtyard area within the hotel grounds are the following independently managed businesses:
**The General Store: A café/Post Office/Basic Stationery store, that is owned by Lou Carpenter and Harold Bishop. It was originally owned by Daphne Lawrence under the name "Daphne's". Throughout its time it has had many other owners as well, including Madge Bishop and Isabelle Hoyland, and has also gone by the names "The Hungry Bite" when it was taken over by Stephen Gottlieb, "The Holy Roll" when it was taken over by Mark Gottlieb and "The Coffee Shop" when the Bishops got it. In the 2004 Season finale, Lou's Place was set alight and burned down, while "The Coffee Shop", although not being totally destroyed, needed major repairs and renovations. Harold and Isabelle ended their partnership, and he started a partnership with Lou. They got the Coffee Shop rebuilt, and renamed it "The General Store". During his midlife crisis, Lou Carpenter insisted upon calling it the "GS", much to Harold's disgust. The General Store was owned by Paul Robinson after Paul opened up a rival cafe within the Lassiter's complex which drove Lou and Harold broke, making them unable to pay the rent for their store. Lou managed to get the Store back by tricking Paul into thinking it needed major structural repairs.
**Scarlet Bar: A Bar/Restaurant owned by Paul Robinson and leased to Max and Isabelle Hoyland. It had previously been "The Waterhole", during which time it was officially Lassiter's Hotel bar and run by hotel management. However, Cheryl Stark was forced to sell off her newly acquired shares in the complex in 1995 and decided to run the pub enterprise independently. Between 1994 and 1996, the bar was called "Chez Chez" in honour of its manageress but following Cheryl's death and a refit, Lou decided to make his own mark and "Lou's Place" was born. In 2004, it was set on fire and burnt to the ground along with the "Coffee Shop". Max Hoyland ended his partnership with Lou and started a partnership with his sister Izzy, and they built "Scarlet Bar" on the site that "Lou's Place" had previously stood. Max originally wanted to call it "Max-Iz", but Izzy decided to change the name to "Scarlet Bar" at the last minute without informing her brother.
**Erinsborough Medical Centre: Erinsborough Medical Centre used to be Paul's office at Lassiter's Hotel and office of Helen Daniels' chauffeur business 'Home James', but was then bought by Karl Kennedy and converted into a medical centre. As of 2003 the legal firm "Tim Collins and Associates" has shared the building with the medical centre. It was extensively damaged in the fire of 2004, but has recently been rebuilt.
**A Good Hair Day Salon: "A Good Hair Day" is a salon owned by Gino Esposito. It has had such employees as Felicity Scully, Lyn Scully and Janelle Timmins. The salon occupies a section of the north wing of the hotel building, which once housed "Lassiter's Brasserie".
*Erinsborough High School: Erinsborough High School is Erinsborough and West Waratah's high school, which many teenage residents have attended, as well as teachers including Dorothy Burke, Lisa Elliott, Tess Bell, Evan Hancock, Libby Kennedy, Susan Kinski and Paul Robinson. Karl Kennedy has often come in to talk to the children on various subjects, but his most recent "gig" with the school has been the school counsillor position which got him into some hot water, as many believed he was having a relationship with a minor, none other than Janae Timmins. The current principal is Candace Barkham, although V.C.E. co-ordinator Susan Kinski is acting principal whilst Candace is on leave. Previous principals have been Dorothy Burke and Susan Kennedy (as she was known when she was the permanent principal, before her amnesia-resulting accident). The school is also occasionally used for community events, such as the Serbian Youth Night.
*Erinsborough Hospital: Erinsborough Hospital is where the residents of Erinsborough go to if they need major medical attention. Residents who have worked there include Pam Willis, Dee Bliss, Darcy Tyler, Karl Kennedy, Katya Kinski.
*Grease Monkeys: Grease Monkeys is Erinsborough's fast food restaurant, in which many of the younger members of the cast dine regularly. It was originally owned by Madge and Harold Bishop and former employees include Felicity Scully, Tad Reeves and Sky Mangel.
*Carpenter's Mechanics: Carpenter's Mechanics is a garage to which the residents take their cars if they need mechanical attention. It was originally owned by Lou Carpenter and Ben Atkins, since then Drew Kirk bought into the business. Lou gave his godson, Ben Kirk part of his share as a christening present, and Drew's wife Libby Kennedy inherited Drew's share upon his death. Stuart Parker and Steph Hoyland have both worked there.
*Eden Hills: Eden Hills is the rich suburb near Erinsborough. It contains an expensive private school, Eden Hills Grammar and Eden University.
*West Waratah: West Waratah is a poor suburb near Erinsborough. Also home to the caravan park where Lou Carpenter and the Timmins family use to live.
*Ansons Corner: Ansons Corner is another suburb near Erinsborough. Often mentioned in the earlier years of Neighbours.
*Elliot Park: Another surrounding suburb of Erinsborough

Shane Connor's sacking

After being fired from the series in 2003, former cast member Shane Connor (who played character Joe Scully) filed for wrongful dismissal. Evidence presented in court in October 2005 described alleged on-set problems such as arguments with the cast and crew, lateness and absenteeism. This behaviour has been connected to the actor's period of drug use, after the death of his brother.[2] Connor admitted that he'd had problems in that period, prior to receiving a final warning in April 2003, but contested Grundy's claims that he had acted unprofessionally immediately before his dismissal in September 2003. He won the case and was awarded AUS $196,709 (£84,416) plus interest and costs.[3] Connor can now be seen in adverts for car insurance company Sheilas' Wheels as well as his frequent appearances in university nightclubs throughout the UK.

Notes

External links

*Neighbours.com The official Australian Neighbours website, from FremantleMedia (currently minimal content; new website supposed to be coming soon).
*BBC Neighbours Website - this was the main site until July 2006, but most of the content has been removed and it is mainly a redirect to the above.
*Neighbours Worldwide Fanpages According to the site, the longest running Neighbours fan site.
*Neighboursfans.com The largest Neighbours fan forum.
*Neighbours: The Perfect Blend Extensive resources for the hit Australian soap opera Neighbours, including news, biographies, multimedia and comment
*The Neighbours Message Board A message board devoted to the Australian soap opera, Neighbours.
*CenSPoNO Neighbours Report Dissertation-sized "scientific" report on Neighbours and the possibility of an omnibus. Includes petition.
*Neighbours-Source.co.uk Fan site for the Australian soap. Includes news, media, character information and a forum.
*Erinsborough.com A site containing episode guides, screen captures, character profiles and a forum.
*GAABoard.com Irish GAA Fans Discussion of Neighbours.
*The Spin Starts Here Weekly Neighbours recaps (contains very strong language).
*The Soap Show Weekly internet radio show has interviews with many Neighbours stars - transcripts of previous interviews available

Neighbours: Encyclopedia BETA

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