Charlene Robinson (also Mitchell) is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera ''

Neighbours ''Neighbours'' is an Australian television soap opera, which has aired since 18 March 1985. It was created by television executive Reg Watson. The Seven Network commissioned the show following the success of Watson's earlier soap '' Sons an ...

'' played by

Kylie Minogue Kylie Ann Minogue (; born 28 May 1968) is an Australian singer, songwriter and actress. She is the highest-selling female Australian artist of all time, having sold over 80 million records worldwide. She has been recognised for reinve ...

. Charlene was introduced to the show along with several new characters, as part of a revamp by

Network Ten Network 10 (commonly known as Ten Network, Channel 10 or simply 10) is an Australian commercial television network owned by Ten Network Holdings, a division of the Paramount Networks UK & Australia subsidiary of Paramount Global. One of five ...

to increase ratings. Minogue auditioned for the role in 1985, shortly after finishing her high school exams. She attended the audition dressed as the character and casting director

Jan Russ Jan Russ (born 1939) is an Australian casting director, producer and actor of theatre and TV. Russ in best known for best known for her work as a casting director on the TV soap opera '' Neighbours'' from the show's beginning in 1985 to her dep ...

cast her in the role. Minogue was initially contracted for a week, but this was later extended through to mid-1988. She made her first screen appearance during the episode broadcast on 17 April 1986. Charlene was portrayed as a feisty, quick-tempered and outspoken

tomboy A tomboy is a term for a girl or a young woman with masculine qualities. It can include wearing androgynous or unfeminine clothing and actively engage in physical sports or other activities and behaviors usually associated with boys or men. W ...

. She had a difficult relationship with her mother and did not like being patronised. Minogue thought viewers liked the character as she was an average Australian teenager. Reinforcing her tomboyish image, Charlene trained as a mechanic and she often wore khaki overalls and baggy sweatshirts. Her relationship with

Scott Robinson Scott Robinson may refer to: * Scott Robinson (jazz musician) (born 1959), American jazz musician * Scott Robinson (ice hockey) (born 1964), Canadian National Hockey League player * Scott Robinson (singer) (born 1979), English singer in the boy ban ...

( Jason Donovan) was central to many of her storylines. They became a popular couple with viewers and

the relationship The Relationship was an American rock band from Los Angeles, California, United States, founded in 2007 by Weezer guitarist Brian Bell and Nate Shaw. In 2010, Bell released the first Relationship album and has since performed and recorded with a ...

helped boost ratings for ''Neighbours''. Despite breaking up several times during their first 12 months together, the couple stayed together and their relationship eventually culminated in a wedding during " Episode 523", which was first broadcast on 1 July 1987. During her time as Charlene, Minogue also started singing and released two successful pop singles during 1987 followed by her debut album the following year. In mid-1988, Minogue decided to leave ''Neighbours'' to concentrate on her music career. She filmed her final scenes in June 1988 and Charlene made her final screen appearance on 26 July. Minogue won four

Logie Awards The Logie Awards (officially the TV Week Logie Awards; colloquially known as The Logies) is an annual gathering to celebrate Australian television, sponsored and organised by the magazine ''TV Week''. The first ceremony was held in 1959 as the ...

for her portrayal of Charlene, including the

Gold Logie The Gold Logie Award for Most Popular Personality on Australian Television, commonly referred to simply as the Gold Logie, is an award presented annually at the Australian Logie Awards. The Gold Logie was first awarded at the 2nd Annual TV We ...

, becoming the youngest person to do so. Critical reaction to the character has been positive. ''Soap Opera'' author Dorothy Hobson said Charlene broke stereotypes when it came to careers for women in the 1980s. In 2022, Minogue agreed to return to the role, alongside Donovan, as part of ''Neighbours final episode.

Creation and casting

After the

Seven Network The Seven Network (commonly known as Channel Seven or simply Seven) is a major Australian commercial free-to-air Television broadcasting in Australia, television network. It is owned by Seven West Media, Seven West Media Limited, and is one of ...

dropped ''Neighbours'' in 1985, rival channel

picked the series up. It initially attracted low ratings and Ten began working hard to publicise the series. They revamped the show and added several new cast members.

had had a fairly successful career as a child actress, having appeared in various television dramas, including ''

Skyways Skyways may refer to: *Skyway A skyway, skybridge, skywalk, or sky walkway is an elevated type of pedway connecting two or more buildings in an urban area, or connecting elevated points within mountainous recreational zones. Urban skyways very ...

'' and ''

The Henderson Kids ''The Henderson Kids'' is an Australian television series made by Crawford Productions for Network Ten between 1985 and 1987. It was created and storylined by Roger Moulton, who also wrote 5 episodes in the first series and 2 episodes in the ...

'', but she was considering giving up acting after failing to find further work. After finishing her school exams in 1985, Minogue then auditioned for the role of Charlene. She attended the audition dressed as the character and won the role. Of hiring Minogue, ''Neighbours'' casting director

commented Minogue "had done a couple of things before I saw her, but she was only 18 and as shy as a mouse. She really hadn't evolved into anything at that stage, but the camera loved her and I knew I had my Charlene." Minogue initially signed up to play Charlene for one week, this was then extended to 13 weeks and then through to mid-1988. She made her debut screen appearance in the episode broadcast on 17 April 1986.

Development

Backstory and characterisation

In her fictional backstory, Charlene was born in

Coffs Harbour Coffs Harbour is a city on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales, Australia, north of Sydney, and south of Brisbane. It is one of the largest urban centres on the North Coast, with a population of 78,759 as per 2021 census. The Gumbaynggirr ...

on 21 October 1969. She is the youngest child of

Fred Fred may refer to: People * Fred (name), including a list of people and characters with the name Mononym * Fred (cartoonist) (1931–2013), pen name of Fred Othon Aristidès, French * Fred (footballer, born 1949) (1949–2022), Frederico Ro ...

(Nick Waters) and

Madge Mitchell Madge Bishop (also Ramsay and Mitchell) is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera '' Neighbours'', played by Anne Charleston. She made her first appearance during the episode broadcast on 20 January 1986. Madge was introduced as th ...

(Anne Charleston), and sister of

Henry Henry may refer to: People *Henry (given name) * Henry (surname) * Henry Lau, Canadian singer and musician who performs under the mononym Henry Royalty * Portuguese royalty ** King-Cardinal Henry, King of Portugal ** Henry, Count of Portugal, ...

(

Craig McLachlan Craig Dougall McLachlan (born 1 September 1965) is an Australian actor, musician, singer and composer. He has been involved in film, television, the music industry and music theatre for over 30 years. He is best known for appearing in the soap ...

). When she was a teenager, Charlene drank alcohol, fell pregnant with her first boyfriend and had an abortion. In their 1989 book ''The Neighbours Factfile, Neil Wallis and Dave Hogan described Charlene's life as "one long series of scrapes and scraps". After her parents divorced, Charlene remained living with her father, but when he felt he was incapable of looking after her, Charlene followed her mother to

Erinsborough Erinsborough is the fictional suburb where the Australian soap opera ''Neighbours'' is set. The show focuses on the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work in the suburb. ''Neighbours'' storylines primarily centre on the ...

. Hilary Kingsley, author of ''Soap Box'', observed that Charlene left behind her "life as

Lolita ''Lolita'' is a 1955 novel written by Russian-American novelist Vladimir Nabokov. The novel is notable for its controversial subject: the protagonist and unreliable narrator, a middle-aged literature professor under the pseudonym Humbert Humber ...

" upon moving to the suburb. Charlene was a self-described

, who preferred to be known by her nickname "Lenny". She was known for her quick temper and her "heart of gold". She always stuck up for those who were considered the underdog. In her book ''Neighbours: The First 10 Years'', Josephine Monroe wrote that Charlene did not like to be patronised and had a sharp tongue. Monroe observed that Charlene's feisty side helped endear her to viewers. In keeping with her tomboyish nature, Charlene trained as a mechanic after leaving school and got an apprenticeship with Rob Lewis (

Ernie Bourne Ernest Alfred Bourne
''

The character's style often consisted of khaki overalls, baggy sweatshirts and her hair set in a

perm Perm or PERM may refer to: Places *Perm, Russia, a city in Russia ** Permsky District, the district **Perm Krai, a federal subject of Russia since 2005 **Perm Oblast, a former federal subject of Russia 1938–2005 **Perm Governorate, an administra ...

. Minogue thought people liked Charlene because she was portrayed as an average Australian teenager, experiencing a difficult relationship with her mother. She continued, "She is a bit of a rebel and they probably relate to that, and while she has her problems she will always come out on top." Minogue shared some similarities with her character, but thought Charlene was far more outspoken and tomboyish than she was. Minogue liked that Charlene often said what she thought, but joked that if she were in trouble and tried to punch someone as Charlene did, she would probably get "flattened". Minogue also said Charlene was sensitive, but she was unlikely to show it and would "rather die than be caught crying."

Relationship with Scott Robinson

Charlene's first scenes were with

(played by Jason Donovan). He thought she was trying to break into the Ramsay house and confronted her, which resulted in Charlene punching him. Minogue ended up punching Donovan for real during the take. Producers soon created a

story arc A story arc (also narrative arc) is the chronological construction of plot in a novel or story. It can also mean an extended or continuing storyline in episodic storytelling media such as television, comic books, comic strips, board games, vide ...

for the characters that saw them enter into a romantic relationship. Scott and Charlene's relationship helped boost ratings for ''Neighbours'' and the show's publicist, Brian Walsh, capitalised on Minogue and Donovan's increasing popularity with viewers and rumoured off-screen romance. Of Scott and Charlene, Minogue commented "People like Scott and Charlene being a couple. It's probably the most normal relationship in the show." Kelly Bourne from ''

TV Week ''TV Week'' is a weekly Australian magazine that provides television program listings information and highlights, as well as television-related news. Content ranges from previews for upcoming storylines of popular television programs, particu ...

'' observed that Scott and Charlene struck a chord with fans, who could identify with them. Scott and Charlene had problems during their first 12 months together and they broke up several times. One such break-up occurred after Charlene's mother thought she should date other boys, while Scott had to repeat his final year of school without her. Scott was initially unsure how to win Charlene back, but after speaking with his grandmother,

Helen Helen may refer to: People * Helen of Troy, in Greek mythology, the most beautiful woman in the world * Helen (actress) (born 1938), Indian actress * Helen (given name), a given name (including a list of people with the name) Places * Helen, ...

( Anne Haddy), who mentioned that her husband gave her a friendship ring, Scott went out and bought one for Charlene. While they were enjoying a barbecue at Charlene's caravan by Lassiter's lake, the couple argued about Charlene spending time with

Warren Murphy Warren Burton Murphy (September 13, 1933 – September 4, 2015) was an American author, most famous as the co-creator of '' The Destroyer'' series, the basis for the film '' Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins''. Early life Murphy was born in ...

(

Ben Mendelsohn Paul Benjamin Mendelsohn (born 3 April 1969) is an Australian actor. He first rose to prominence in Australia for his breakout role in ''The Year My Voice Broke'' (1987) and since then he has had roles in films such as '' Animal Kingdom'' (2010) ...

) and Scott decided to leave. When Charlene started to go after Scott, she found herself trapped by a fire that had been accidentally started by Greg Davis (

Alex Papps Alex Papps (born 11 February 1969) is an Australian actor, television host, writer and singer. Early life Papps, who is of Greek descent, was born in 1969, his parents where both amateur theatre directors. He attended Belgrave Kindergarten Up ...

). Greg had been storing petrol under the caravan and spilled it as he was removing the cans, causing the petrol to head towards the still burning barbecue. Scott rescued "a terrified" Charlene from the flames, but an explosion threw them both to the ground and Charlene was knocked unconscious. Donovan commented that Scott loved Charlene, so when he saw she was in danger, he forgot to think about himself and he just went in to rescue her. Donovan added that Scott was "devastated" when he saw Charlene had been injured. At the hospital, Scott gave Charlene the friendship ring and declared that they would live together. Minogue told Bourne that Charlene was flattered by the gift, while Donovan stated that it proved that they loved each other and were not going to break up again. Minogue agreed with Donovan, saying "There is that underlying love whether they are together or not." After learning about the couple's plans to move in together, their friends and neighbours expressed their shock at how serious the couple had become. When Charlene showed the ring to

Daphne Clarke Daphne Clarke (also Lawrence) is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera ''Neighbours'', played by Elaine Smith. Daphne was created by Reg Watson as one of ''Neighbours twelve original characters. The producer had originally wan ...

( Elaine Smith) and told her how she and Scott wanted to live together, Daphne was taken back. Scott's friend Mike Young (

Guy Pearce Guy Edward Pearce (born 5 October 1967) is an Australian actor. Born in Ely, Cambridgeshire in England, and raised in Geelong, Victoria (Australia), Victoria in Australia, he started his career portraying Mike Young (Neighbours), Mike Young in ...

) also voiced his opposition, but Scott was determined that no one would stop them from moving in together. Bourne noted that Daphne's shock at the couple's plans was "the start of a major controversy, splitting apart the inhabitants of Ramsay Street." When older ''Neighbours'' viewers expressed their concern about a young unwed couple moving in together, producers decided to have them marry instead. On-screen, neither family approved of Scott and Charlene's plan to move in together, but when Scott learned his father was only 18 when he got married, Scott found the solution to their problem and asked Charlene to marry him. Minogue said Charlene was shocked at first, but she became "very excited" about the idea of getting married. She continued, "She knows they want to live together and they have had so much trouble getting their parents' approval that I suppose getting married seems the logical thing to do. They will be together anyway, so they may as well finalise it." After getting over her initial shock, Madge gave the couple her blessing to get married. Minogue and Donovan both agreed that they would not get married so young, and Donovan thought that younger couples should live together first. He also believed that Scott was rushing into things. Scott and Charlene were married during " Episode 523", which was first broadcast on 1 July 1987 to two million Australian viewers. The episode became "a TV phenomenon" and Minogue said it was what Scott and Charlene's romance had been building up to. After returning from their honeymoon, Scott and Charlene moved in with Madge and Henry, and they struggled financially. Just three months after their wedding, producers decided to throw temptation at the couple to keep their relationship interesting. Andrew Mercado, author of ''Super Aussie Soaps'', quipped that "a happy soap couple is considered the kiss of death". Scott was the first to cheat when he kissed

Jane Harris Jane Harris may refer to: * Jane Harris (producer), British television director and producer * Jane Harris (writer) (born 1961), British writer of fiction and screenplays * Jane Harris (''Neighbours''), a fictional character in the Australian so ...

(

Annie Jones Ann Jones (or similar) may refer to: Writers *Ann Jones (author) (born 1937), American writer on women's issues *Anne Jones (writer) (born 1955), Australian editor and administrator * Anna Jones (food writer), columnist and cookbook author * Cat ...

), while she helped him study for his HSC. After Jane confessed to Charlene, she threw Scott out and refused to talk to him. In a bid to reunite the couple, Jane told Charlene that she would steal Scott away from her unless she did something about it. The couple soon reunited. The following year, Charlene had a brief affair with her driving instructor Steve Fisher ( Michael Pope).

Other storylines

One evening in July 1986, Charlene came home with a newborn baby and shocked her mother by claiming that he was her son. Charlene told Madge a story, so convincing that Madge believed she had become a grandmother. However, Charlene soon revealed that the baby was actually her half-brother

Sam Cole Sam, SAM or variants may refer to: Places * Sam, Benin * Sam, Boulkiemdé, Burkina Faso * Sam, Bourzanga, Burkina Faso * Sam, Kongoussi, Burkina Faso * Sam, Iran * Sam, Teton County, Idaho, United States, a populated place People and fictio ...

(Thomas Hamston; Scott Wealands). She explained to Madge that she had been helping to care for him, after his mother Susan (Gloria Ajenstat), turned to Charlene for help. Susan had had an affair with Charlene's father Fred, until he threw her out. Charlene knew Madge would not be happy looking after another woman's child, so she claimed he was her son. ''Soap Box'' author Hilary Kinglesy noted the situation helped expose Charlene's "soft heart" and her sensitive side. In the same year, Charlene acted as a backing singer for Scott and Mike Young's band. Scott and Mike entered a demo tape into a song competition, and the judges,

Molly Meldrum Ian Alexander "Molly" Meldrum AM (born 29 January 1943) is an Australian music critic, journalist, record producer and musical entrepreneur. He was the talent co-ordinator, on-air interviewer, and music news presenter on the former popular mus ...

and Brian Hanson (

Jon Finlayson Jon "Finno" Finlayson (23 March 193812 September 2012) was an Australian actor and writer. He was known for his roles in the films '' Lonely Hearts'' (1982) and ''The Magic Show'' (1983). He was also well-known from his numerous television ro ...

), sought out Charlene as they were impressed with her vocal ability. Molly and Brian invited Charlene to their music studio to record some tracks, but she soon realises that she is not interested in singing and wants to complete her HSC instead. Scott also apologised to Charlene for being jealous of her talent.

Departure

Minogue ventured into music during her time on the show and her cover of "

The Loco-Motion "The Loco-Motion" is a 1962 pop song written by American songwriters Gerry Goffin and Carole King. "The Loco-Motion" was originally written for R&B singer Dee Dee Sharp, but Sharp turned the song down. The song is notable for appearing in the ...

" spent several weeks at the top of the Australian music chart. In late 1987, Minogue flew to England to record "

I Should Be So Lucky "I Should Be So Lucky" is a 1987 song performed by Australian recording artist and songwriter Kylie Minogue from her debut studio album '' Kylie'' (1988). Released on 29 December 1987 by Mushroom Records and PWL Records, the song became a worldw ...

", before returning home to continue with ''Neighbours''. The press speculated that she would soon have to decide between acting and singing. Shortly after, Minogue chose to concentrate on her burgeoning music career and decided to leave ''Neighbours'' after two and a half years. She filmed her final scenes in June 1988. Charlene's exit storyline saw her move to Brisbane, after her grandfather, Dan Ramsay (Syd Conabere), bought her and Scott a house there. Scott was initially unable to go with his wife, so she said goodbye to him, on the understanding that he would join her as soon as he could get a job transfer. All of the cast gathered in the street, while Charlene said goodbye to her brother, mother and friends. She then got into her green

Mini The Mini is a small, two-door, four-seat car, developed as ADO15, and produced by the British Motor Corporation (BMC) and its successors, from 1959 through 2000. Minus a brief hiatus, original Minis were built for four decades and sold during ...

and drove out of Ramsay Street. In November 2004, Minogue was invited to film a cameo appearance for the show's 20th anniversary the following year. A report then emerged that Minogue was willing to film an appearance as Charlene while she was on tour in the UK, but the producers had refused the offer. However, in a statement from production company

Grundy Television Reg Grundy Organisation (founded as Reg Grundy Enterprises, later known as both Reg Grundy Productions and Grundy Television and known informally as Grundy's) was an Australian-based multinational mass media company, primarily involved in tele ...

, the producers said that they "made every effort to accommodate Minogue", including filming the cameo anywhere in the world, but that their offer was turned down. In May 2010, Minogue pondered a return to ''Neighbours'' during an interview published in '' The Sun''. Minogue commented on how fun it would be to appear as Charlene again, after years of saying no, and added "I've decided how it would work. Charlene would screech up the drive in her souped-up Mini which she's been working on all the time". In 2014, Scott and Charlene's son, Daniel Robinson (

Tim Phillipps Tim Phillipps is an Australian actor perhaps best known for his roles in the soap opera '' Neighbours'', drama series '' Bed of Roses'' and the movie '' Animal Kingdom''. He has also appeared in the American television series ''Once Upon a Time' ...

), was introduced to ''Neighbours''. While Phillipps has yet to have any contact with Minogue, Daniel has been seen making several phone calls to Charlene on-screen. Phillipps also said Scott and Charlene were still together and had become "really loving, supportive parents" to Daniel and his sister,

Madison Madison may refer to: People * Madison (name), a given name and a surname * James Madison (1751–1836), fourth president of the United States Place names * Madison, Wisconsin, the state capital of Wisconsin and the largest city known by this ...

(Sarah Ellen), who was introduced in 2016. In August 2014, a Network Ten spokeswoman told the

Australian Associated Press Australian Associated Press (AAP) is an Australian news agency. It was established by Keith Murdoch in 1935. AAP employs around 80 journalists who work in bureaus in all states and territories of Australia except the Northern Territory. It al ...

that Minogue had been invited to return to ''Neighbours'' for the show's 30th anniversary celebrations in 2015, but she chose not to return. However, Minogue agreed to take part in the documentary special '' Neighbours 30th: The Stars Reunite'', which aired in Australia and the UK in March 2015.

Return

Following the cancellation of ''Neighbours'' in March 2022, Fiona Byrne of the ''

Herald Sun The ''Herald Sun'' is a conservative daily tabloid newspaper based in Melbourne, Australia, published by The Herald and Weekly Times, a subsidiary of News Corp Australia, itself a subsidiary of the Murdoch owned News Corp. The ''Herald S ...

'' reported on 1 May that both Minogue and Donovan were set to reprise their roles. Byrne believed Minogue and Donovan had filmed a guest appearance on Pin Oak Court, the outdoor location for Ramsay Street, during the previous week. Later on the same day, the return of Minogue and Donovan was confirmed on ''Neighbours social media accounts. Executive producer

Jason Herbison Jason Herbison (born 1972) is an Australian television producer, screenwriter and novelist, most recently serving as the executive producer of the soap opera ''Neighbours''. He has written scripts for numerous television serials, and has publis ...

stated: "Scott and Charlene are the ultimate ''Neighbours'' couple and it would not feel right to end the show without them. We are thrilled that Jason and Kylie have come home to play a very special part in our series finale. It has been an emotional experience for them, for us and I'm sure it will be for our viewers." Minogue later told Jenny Paul of '' Glamour'' that her return was a thank you to the fans who watched and remembered the early days of ''Neighbours''. Minogue also said the experience led her to think about her past on the serial. She said: "I was just out of school and had just auditioned for ''Neighbours''. I got the job and I was happy to have a job as I'd actually signed up to the dole just a couple of weeks before, but because I got the job I never got dole check! I needed to make a living, I needed to do something. It was meant to be a stint on the show of between one and twelve weeks, I think, so if it didn't work I would have been out after a week or two. Two and a half years later I was still there and the mania had ensued." During an appearance on ''

Late Night with Seth Meyers ''Late Night with Seth Meyers'' is an American late-night news and political satire talk show hosted by Seth Meyers on NBC. The show premiered on February 24, 2014, and is produced by Broadway Video and Universal Television. Airing weeknights a ...

'', Minogue admitted that she felt "quite a bit of pressure" to return.

Reception

Accolades

For her portrayal of Charlene, Minogue won the

Logie Award for Most Popular Actress The Logie Award for Most Popular Actress is an award presented annually at the Australian TV Week Logie Awards. The award recognises the popularity of an actress in an Australian program. Commonly known as the Silver Logie for Best Actress, it h ...

at the 1987 ceremony. She was also nominated for Most Popular New Talent, but lost to her co-star Donovan. The following year, Minogue became the youngest person, at nineteen, to be awarded the

Gold Logie Award for Most Popular Personality on Australian Television The Gold Logie Award for Most Popular Personality on Australian Television, commonly referred to simply as the Gold Logie, is an award presented annually at the Australian Logie Awards. The Gold Logie was first awarded at the 2nd Annual TV W ...

. She also won the Most Popular Personality on Victorian Television and Most Popular Actress Logie awards. At the

Logie Awards of 1989 The 31st Annual TV Week Logie Awards was held on Friday 17 March 1989 at the Hyatt on Collins in Melbourne, and broadcast on the Seven Network. The ceremony was hosted by Bert Newton and guests included Raquel Welch, Leslie Nielsen and Bryan Brow ...

, Minogue earned another nomination for Most Popular Actress and the Gold Logie Award for Most Popular Personality on Australian Television.

Critical reception

Reception for the character has been positive. The

BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...

...

's official ''Neighbours'' website stated that Charlene's most memorable moments were "her wedding to Scott and punching Scott in the face during their first meeting." ''

The Independent ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publis ...

'' said Minogue's "elfin prettiness" won Charlene a huge following in Australia and Britain. During a ''TV Week'' feature on Minogue, a columnist said she "brought to life one of the most loved and memorable characters of Australian TV." Colleen Last from

MSN TV MSN TV (formerly WebTV) was a web access product consisting of a thin client device that used a television for display (instead of using a computer monitor), and the online service that supported it. The device design and service was developed by ...

branded Charlene "iconic" and "beloved". During a column on the "Top five ex-''Neighbours'' stars", ''

The Daily Telegraph ''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a national British daily broadsheet newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed across the United Kingdom and internationally. It was fo ...

's'' Robin Wilks placed Minogue at number one, commenting that "Kylie was once best-known as the sharp-tongued, permanently overalled tomboy Charlene". ''

The Age ''The Age'' is a daily newspaper in Melbourne, Australia, that has been published since 1854. Owned and published by Nine Entertainment, ''The Age'' primarily serves Victoria (Australia), Victoria, but copies also sell in Tasmania, the Austral ...

's'' Jo Roberts said that the "slightly goofy" Charlene was a "tousle-headed teenager with an oil rag and hoop earrings". In Tony Johnston's 2005 book, ''Neighbours: 20 Years of Ramsay Street'', Charlene placed sixth in the twenty classic characters chapter. Johnston said Charlene and her mother represented "the old and the new", that her career choice was unusual and her "razor-sharp tongue" put the fear into all the men who lusted after her. Johnston added that the younger female viewers admired Charlene, while the boys loved her feisty nature. In her book ''Soap Opera'', Dorothy Hobson believed Charlene broke stereotypes, especially when it came to careers for women in the 1980s. She wrote, "The sight of one of the most attractive female characters, dressed in overalls, with her cascading blonde curls tied up on top of her head, was one of the most positive images for breaking the stereotypes of what jobs are suitable for girls." Hobson also praised Charlene's on-screen relationship with Scott branding the positive images for young people as "immense". The

BBC News BBC News is an operational business division of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs in the UK and around the world. The department is the world's largest broadca ...

noted that Charlene became one of ''Neighbours most popular characters. Anglican church at Doncaster2

Hilary Kingsley, author of ''Soap Box'', dubbed Charlene "soap's teen queen" and the "darling of the show". Kingsley also said the character was an inspiration to girls all over the country with mother problems, calling Charlene and Madge "a marvellous double act".

Sky The sky is an unobstructed view upward from the surface of the Earth. It includes the atmosphere and outer space. It may also be considered a place between the ground and outer space, thus distinct from outer space. In the field of astronomy, ...

included Charlene in their feature on the twenty-five most memorable ''Neighbours'' characters. They stated,

Charlene was only in the show for two years, but she remains one of the iconic characters because (a) she's Kylie Blooming Minogue, and (b) she married Jason 'Scott Robinson' Donovan. Charlene's name has become the by-word for girl-next-door characters in Soapland, thanks to her tireless efforts to promote the cause of denim dungarees while working as a mechanic, and as a crucial member of the most successful set of teens that Ramsay Street has seen.

In October 2006, Minogue and Donovan, as Charlene and Scott, were included on a postage stamp issued by the

Australia Post Australia Post, formally the Australian Postal Corporation, is the government business enterprise that provides postal services in Australia. The head office of Australia Post is located in Bourke Street, Melbourne, which also serves as a post o ...

to celebrate 50 years of television. The Holy Trinity Church experienced an increase in interest after Scott and Charlene's wedding aired. Backpackers visit the nave where the couple were wed, while some viewers have held their own weddings there. Charlene's wedding dress was donated to the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery by Grundy Television in 1989. It has since gone on display in the

Powerhouse Museum The Powerhouse Museum is the major branch of the Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences (MAAS) in Sydney, the others being the historic Sydney Observatory at Observatory Park, Sydney, Observatory Hill, and the newer Museums Discovery Centre at Castle ...

and travelled to the UK. In 2013, ''The Daily Telegraph'' included Scott and Charlene in their list of the "20 best TV couples". They called them "a supercouple" and "a bit of a Romeo and Juliet" pairing. Upon the news of the serial's cancellation, Sheena McGinley of the ''

Irish Independent The ''Irish Independent'' is an Irish daily newspaper and online publication which is owned by Independent News & Media (INM), a subsidiary of Mediahuis. The newspaper version often includes glossy magazines. Traditionally a broadsheet new ...

'' ranked Charlene as the fifth best character in ''Neighbours'' history. McGinley explained her choice by saying, "I know we were not going to mention the very famous sorts who managed to utilise Neighbours as a springboard to global fame, but this is the OG. Speaking as someone who’s had the pleasure of meeting Kylie Minogue while working at the front desk in a recording studio, I can personally attest to that part of Charlene that will always be a key element of Kylie — her magnificent, tightly curled locks."

References

Citations

Websites and media notes

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Full interview o
YouTube
* *

Print sources

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

External links

Charlene Robinson
at

BBC Online BBC Online, formerly known as BBCi, is the BBC's online service. It is a large network of websites including such high-profile sites as BBC News and BBC Sport, Sport, the on-demand video and radio services branded BBC iPlayer and BBC Sounds, t ...

(archived from 2003)
Charlene Robinson
at the Official AU ''Neighbours'' website (archived from 2003) {{DEFAULTSORT:Robinson, Charlene Neighbours characters Fictional mechanics Television characters introduced in 1986 Female characters in television Kylie Minogue Robinson family (Neighbours) Ramsay family