Inside Neighbours’ most iconic, tear-jerking and WTF moments – from plane crashes to ghosts and even a doggy daydream
EVERYBODY needs good Neighbours, according to its famous theme tune – but that no longer appears to be the case.
Channel 5 has confirmed it will take the beloved Aussie soap off air from August after 36 years on our screens.
Producers Fremantle Australia and the broadcaster failed to strike a deal, with one source saying the show costs too much to film compared to what it brings in through advertising revenue.
Now Neighbours will need to find a new home in the UK, otherwise it could go to the TV heaven in the sky.
Thousands of fans have signed a petition threatening to boycott Channel 5 unless it reinstates the soap.
But it’s not just viewers who will be hit, as Ramsay Street has served as a springboard for chart-toppers and Hollywood A-listers.
Josh Saunders recalls the soap’s most memorable moments and its biggest stars.
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Must-see moments
SCOTT AND CHARLENE’S WEDDING: When young heartthrobs Scott Robinson and Charlene Mitchell tied the knot in 1987, it was not just the soap’s characters who were celebrating.
More than 19.6million people in the UK tuned in to see the famous TV moment and ogle mullet man Jason Donovan and the natural beauty of Kylie Minogue, who played the happy couple.
DAPHNE’S TRAGIC DEATH: Soapland storylines are rarely kind and often cruel, as shown by the fate of popular character Daphne Clarke, who died in the arms of husband Des (actor Paul Keane) in 1988.
Daphne, played by Elaine Smith, was travelling to her dad’s funeral when she was involved in a car accident. She was the soap’s first character to die on screen.
KARL’S FATE AFTER AFFAIR: Serial love rat Dr Karl Kennedy, played by Alan Fletcher, faced a tearful tongue-lashing from wife Susan (Jackie Woodburne) after she found he was having an affair in 1998.
When he tried to stop her storming out of the room, she slapped him and yelled: “Don’t you touch me!” – much to fans’ delight.
SAME-SEX MARRIAGE: In late 2017, Australia legalised same-sex marriage, and to applaud the change Neighbours screened a wedding service of its own in 2018.
David Tanaka, played by Takaya Honda, and Aaron Brennan (Matt Wilson) tied the knot in an emotional service with a celebrant.
Best tearjerkers
SWEPT OUT TO SEA: Fan favourite Harold Bishop, played by Ian Smith, was written out of the show in 1991, in a cast revamp to boost ratings.
He had gone to the coast with wife Madge (Anne Charleston) and was last seen standing on a rock looking out to sea, before mysteriously vanishing moments later.
The deliberately ambiguous exit allowed him to return five years later – suffering with amnesia.
SHOW LEGEND’S DEATH: Neighbours matriarch Helen Daniels, played by Anne Haddy, starred from the very first episode.
But in 1997, a frail Helen was discharged from hospital and, while at home watching an old video of grandson Scott’s wedding to Charlene, fell asleep and died – breaking TV viewers’ hearts.
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MOVE OVER, MULLET: “Toadie” Rebecchi, played by Ryan Moloney, was loved by fans, not least for his curly brown mullet – a hairstyle that was embraced and celebrated in Australia.
But in 1999, the mop finally got the chop. R.I.P.
SELFLESS STAR TRAGEDY: Scott “Stingray” Timmins, played by Ben Nicholas, offered to be a bone marrow donor to save niece Kerry Mangel Jnr (Claudine Henningsen) in 2007.
But soon after surgery, he died of a brain aneurysm.
It was rumoured the character would return from the dead in 2016 but it never happened.
GOODBYE, MY LOVER: Harold and Madge Bishop had no easy time but were always brought back together – until 2001.
She became ill with pancreatic cancer and, after contracting septicemia, died with Harold by her side.
Most dramatic disasters
PLANE BOMBING: To celebrate the 20th birthday of the Lassiters hotel in 2005, owner Paul Robinson, played by Stefan Dennis, chartered a flight to Tasmania and filled the seats with many residents of Ramsay Street.
But a mystery assailant planted a bomb on the plane. After it detonated mid-flight the aircraft crashed, killing three and injuring others.
HOT-AIR BALLOON ATTACK: Criminal Jacka Hills, played by Brad McMurray, decided to exact revenge on love rival Ned Willis (Ben Hall), who slept with his wife, by trying to kill his family in 2016.
He sabotaged the gas canisters of a hot-air balloon chartered for the hen do of Lauren Turner (Kate Kendall), and during the flight it plummeted and crashed, leaving all five women fighting for their lives.
TORNADO STRIKE: In an unexpected twist, Erinsborough was struck by a freak tornado, which caused the coffee shop’s roof to collapse in 2014.
It resulted in Susan Kennedy needing to perform an emergency tracheotomy with the help of her love cheat husband, Dr Karl, who gave her instructions by phone.
TRAGIC MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENT: Viewers’ were distraught as newly engaged Libby Kennedy, played, by Kym Valentine, was told she would never be able to carry a child to full-term.
It followed her being in a motorbike accident with friend Steph Scully (Carla Bonner) – and later, after she told partner Drew the implications, he initially pushed her away fearing he would never be a father.
SHAM MARRIAGE TO MASK AFFAIR: In 2009, Steph found herself in a difficult spot.
She was pregnant by her best friend’s estranged husband and feared the drama that would ensue.
She confessed what happened to ex-fiance Toadie and they tied the knot to cover up the truth – but in a later episode their fake relationship was exposed by a secret recording.
Soap's legends
SUSAN KENNEDY: The Erinsborough High teacher, played by Jackie Woodburne since 1994, has been at the centre of many scandalous storylines, including dating a priest, being a surrogate for her daughter, and dealing with husband Karl’s infidelity.
JARROD ‘TOADIE’ REBECCHI: Ryan Moloney’s character was initially the class clown when he joined in 1995, but he later became a lawyer.
He was unlucky in love, marrying three times.
PAUL ROBINSON: Villainous businessman Paul, played by Stefan Dennis, first appeared in Neighbours in 1985 and is currently the only remaining cast member from the original series.
Married six times, he had countless affairs, faced a murder plot and had his leg amputated but softened following a brain tumour.
HAROLD BISHOP: One of the most recognisable and longest-running characters, Harold appeared between 1987 and 2015.
The church-goer’s devotion to his wife Madge and the Salvation Army was legendary among fans. But a stroke in 2003 saw Harold become a peeping tom.
DR KARL KENNEDY: Karl has been on our screens since 1994 and despite multiple affairs, while married to Susan, he earned the love of viewers.
When Alan Fletcher was cast in the role, he thought he’d only be on the show for a year.
Careers it launched
KYLIE MINOGUE: The pop princess, who has sold 80million records, played feisty mechanic Charlene Robinson from 1986 to 1988.
JASON DONOVAN: Starred as fresh-faced Scott Robinson, who married Charlene, from 1985 to 1989.
Kylie and Jason released song Especially For You in 1989 and it went to No1.
HOLLY VALANCE: Kiss Kiss singer Holly was 16 when she joined the soap as Felicity “Flick” Scully in 1999.
She launched her pop career when she left Neighbours in 2002.
RUSSELL CROWE: Movie action hero Russell starred in four episodes of Neighbours as released convict Kenny Larkin in 1987.
He was cast in his first film two years later.
MARGOT ROBBIE: The Hollywood star began her career on the soap, as Donna Freedman for three years from 2008.
LIAM HEMSWORTH: The Hunger Games star spent a year playing athletic paraplegic Josh Taylor, making his debut in 2007.
NATALIE IMBRUGLIA: The Torn singer played Beth Brennan, a sex abuse survivor from a broken home, from 1992 until 1994.
GUY PEARCE: The Hollywood actor got his big break as Mike Young, a teen abused by his dad, from 1986 to 1989.
Most WTF storylines
GHOSTLY ENCOUNTERS: After teen Todd Landers was hit by a van, he appeared to be recovering in hospital in 1992.
But while excitedly planning his future with pregnant girlfriend Phoebe, he suddenly died of cardiac arrest.
One episode later Todd returned as a spirit and told her he would always be there for her.
BACK FROM THE DEAD: On the way to their wedding reception, Toadie and Dee Bliss’s car plummeted into the sea and the bride’s body could not be found.
Around 15 years later she returned, claiming to have suffered from amnesia. But all was not as it seemed.
“Dee” was actually a doppelganger called Andrea, who tried to con Toadie out of his life savings.
‘MORTIFYING’ DOGGY DREAM: During an utterly bizarre moment, Bouncer the dog’s dream unfolded on screen.
In the colourful fantasy world, the Golden Labrador married a Border Collie named Rosie.
The “whole cast” were reported to have been “mortified” by the strange scenes.
SUSAN’S AMNESIA: After slipping on spilled milk, Susan Kennedy suffered a head injury and developed amnesia.
She lost 30 years of her life and pursued her childhood sweetheart before falling back in love with husband Karl.
CONFUSING CAST CHANGE: Viewers were baffled when two actresses played Susan and Karl’s daughter Libby Kennedy in chronological episodes in 2008.
Michala Banas stood in for Kym Valentine after she collapsed on a flight with pneumonia.
End of a cul de sac
NEIGHBOURS was a cultural phenomenon when it first landed on BBC1, which is probably hard to grasp these days.
But one of the reasons this soap opera caused ripples was because it was Australian.
This was a big deal back in the days when a trip into the greenhouse of Gardeners’ World was as exotic as things got on the Beeb.
Also, Neighbours seemed to give birth to so many stars, from Kylie and Jason to Guy Pearce and Margot Robbie.
Before its move to Channel 5, it was also on at lunchtime AND in the early evening – the message being that it was so outstanding, we had to see it twice.
Unfortunately it was never compulsive viewing.
Most of us only watched it because we had little choice when we had just five channels.
But with the boom in streaming and catch-up services there are now so many more shows of a far higher quality which we can watch at our leisure.
The creators of Neighbours needn’t feel too crestfallen, though, because ALL soaps have suffered since the Eighties.
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If a homegrown British show such as EastEnders faltered in the ratings, it was only a matter of time before this Australian oddity bit the dust.
Neighbours possibly reaching the end of the road is sad but inevitable – and somehow fitting for a show set on a cul-de-sac.