''
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 ...
'' is an Australian television soap opera. It was created by
Reg Watson
Reginald James Watson (27 August 1926 – 8 October 2019) was an Australian television producer and screenwriter. He was executive producer on ''Crossroads (British TV series), Crossroads'' and created Australian media exports serials such as ' ...
and first broadcast on 18 March 1985. The following is a list of characters that first appeared in the soap in 2000, by order of first appearance. All characters were introduced by the show's executive producer Stanley Walsh. The 16th season of ''Neighbours'' began airing from 17 January 2000.
Blair Venn
Blair Venn is an Australian actor who has played roles in theatre and television.
Career
Venn played the role of Garrett Quinn in the television series '' Head Start''. He has also appeared in two short stints on the Australian soap opera '' Ne ...
began appearing as
Brendan Bell in the same month.
Dee Bliss
Dione "Dee" Bliss is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera '' Neighbours'', played by Madeleine West. The actress received the role three days after securing an agent. West deferred her law degree studies to take the part. She ma ...
made her first appearance in February, while
Sheena Wilson and
Gino Esposito
Gino Esposito is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera '' Neighbours'', played by Shane McNamara. The character made his first appearance during the episode broadcast on 11 August 2000. The character was originally played by Claude ...
were introduced in August. September saw
Allana Truman make her debut. Siblings
Emily and
Leo Hancock
''Neighbours'' is an Australian television soap opera. It was created by Reg Watson and first broadcast on 18 March 1985. The following is a list of characters that first appeared in the soap in 2000, by order of first appearance. All characters ...
arrived in October.
Darcy Tyler
Darcy Tyler is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera '' Neighbours'', played by Mark Raffety. He made his first screen appearance during the episode broadcast on 15 November 2000. The following year, Raffety became a series regula ...
and
Larry Woodhouse
'' Neighbours'' is an Australian television soap opera. It was created by Reg Watson and first broadcast on 18 March 1985. The following is a list of characters that first appeared in the soap in 2000, by order of first appearance. All characte ...
started appearing from November.
Brendan Bell
Brendan Bell, played by
Blair Venn
Blair Venn is an Australian actor who has played roles in theatre and television.
Career
Venn played the role of Garrett Quinn in the television series '' Head Start''. He has also appeared in two short stints on the Australian soap opera '' Ne ...
, made his first screen appearance on 19 January 2000.
Brendan was married to
Teresa Bell (
Krista Vendy
Krista Vendy is an Australian actress who played teacher Teresa "Tess" Bell on the Australian soap opera '' Neighbours'' from 1999 to 2001.
Personal life
Vendy was born in Melbourne, Australia. Her mother Crystal is Austrian and her father Davi ...
) and he was often violent towards her.
Vendy revealed that Brendan physically and mentally abused Tess and she became desperate to get away from him.
When the Kennedy family ask Tess to move in with them, she made the decision to leave Brendan.
Of Tess and Brendan's marriage, Vendy said "Teresa is a very strong woman, but she has lost a lot of her confidence during the abusive marriage. She is only 24 years old and she looks up to Brendan because he is 11 years her senior and is a successful lawyer. Sadly, he only sees her as a trophy."
Brendan came to see Tess and tried to talk his way back into her affections.
Vendy stated that despite Brendan's past behaviour, Tess wanted her marriage to work and her stubbornness kept her going back.
Tess believed Brendan when he said that he would change and her friends became concerned when she allowed Brendan back into her life.
Tess was unaware that Brendan was "playing a double game." Despite being sincere around his wife, she was unaware that he had turned on a few people and displayed a split personality.
One night, "a highly jealous" Brendan got into his car and sped through the rain to try to find Tess, he then crashed into
Libby Kennedy
Libby Kennedy (also Kennedy-Fitzgerald) is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera ''Neighbours'', played by Kym Valentine. She made her first appearance during the episode broadcast on 3 October 1994. Valentine auditioned for the r ...
(
Kym Valentine
Kym Valentine (born 24 May 1977) is an Australian actress best known for her long running intermittent portrayal of Libby Kennedy in the soap opera ''Neighbours.''
Early life
Valentine was born in Blacktown, Sydney, and grew up in Granville. ...
) and
Stephanie Scully
Stephanie "Steph" Scully (also Hoyland) is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera ''Neighbours'', played by Carla Bonner. She made her first screen appearance during the episode that was broadcast on 20 October 1999. Following Bonner ...
(
Carla Bonner
Carla Bonner is an Australian actress, known for playing the role of Stephanie Scully in the soap opera ''Neighbours'', a role she played from 1999 to 2010. She was also a guest on '' Celebrity Big Brother Australia'' in 2002. Following her de ...
).
Brendan is a lawyer married to high school teacher, Teresa. Brendan is older than Tess and he often abuses her. Brendan learns his Tess is leaving him when he finds her packing up her belongings. Brendan becomes angry, but does not show his emotions, so it makes Tess' accusations against him look bad. Brendan continues to put on a front and when he meets
Susan Kennedy
Susan Kennedy (also Smith and Kinski) is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera '' Neighbours'', played by Jackie Woodburne. The character and her family were created by storyliners in an attempt to bring the show back to its roots ...
(
Jackie Woodburne
Jacqueline Anne Woodburne (born 5 February 1956) is a Northern Irish-born Australian actress, who is notable for her roles in TV soap operas.
Since 1994, Woodburne has played teacher Susan Kennedy in ''Neighbours''. She first became notable for ...
) at the Coffee Shop, he tells her Tess has been emotionally unstable ever since her mother died. Brendan informs Tess that he is going to attend anger management classes and he later tells her that he has changed. Tess is wary, but Brendan becomes a part of her new life and she starts relying on him more and more. Tess is impressed when Brendan backs away from a fight at the local pub and starts to believe that he has changed. Brendan cooks dinner for Tess one night and his car fails to start, so he spends the night on the sofa.
After a week away on business, Brendan returns and he and Tess go on a couple of dates. When
Paul McClain
Paul McClain is a fictional character from the Australian television soap opera ''Neighbours'', played by Jansen Spencer. Paul made his first appearance during the episode broadcast on 4 November 1997. Spencer decided to leave the role in Septembe ...
(
Jansen Spencer
Jansen Spencer (born 25 May 1981) is an Australian actor best known for his part in the worldwide Australian Soap, '' Neighbours''. Jansen Spencer played Paul McClain between the years of 1997 to 2001. Originally slated for only a few guest appe ...
) narrowly misses hitting Brendan with his bike, Brendan becomes enraged by the incident. Susan sees him and tells Tess, but she refuses to listen. Brendan asks Tess to get back together with him and move home. He also reveals that he has to go away on business again, so he gives her five weeks to answer him. On his return, Brendan learns that Tess is still living in
Ramsay Street
Ramsay Street is the fictional cul-de-sac in which the characters of the Australian soap opera ''Neighbours'' live. The street is set in the equally fictional Melbourne suburb of Erinsborough. ''Neighbours'' storylines primarily centre on the r ...
. When he finds out she has gone dancing with
Daniel Fitzgerald (
Brett Tucker
Brett Alan Tucker (born 21 May 1972) is an Australian actor and singer. He was a series regular in ''The Saddle Club'', ''McLeod's Daughters'', and ''Mistresses''. He is also known for his role as Daniel Fitzgerald in ''Neighbours''. He playe ...
), Brendan flies into a jealous rage and rushes to confront her. On his way, Brendan hits Libby Kennedy and Steph Scully with his car. Brendan is taken to the hospital and charged by the police with causing the accident. Brendan begs Tess for forgiveness. Shortly afterwards, an undetected internal injury causes Brendan to have a fatal heart attack.
Dee Bliss
Dione "Dee" Bliss, played by
Madeleine West
Melanie Ann Weston (born 26 July 1980), known professionally as Madeleine West, is an Australian actress. She is known for her television roles, having played Dee Bliss and Andrea Somers on the soap opera ''Neighbours'' from 2000 to 2003 and on- ...
, made her first screen appearance on 3 February 2000. West was studying law at university when she decided to get an agent and try acting. She received the role of Dee shortly afterwards.
West deferred her law degree studies after she won the role. When Dee became popular with viewers, the serial's producers made her a regular cast member and offered West a new contract.
Jim Schembri of ''
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 ...
'' said Dee was "Ramsay Street's reigning blonde beauty." In 2001, West was nominated for the Most Popular New Female Talent
Logie Award
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 Dee.
Sheena Wilson
Sheena Wilson, played by
Zoe Stark, made her first screen appearance on 10 August 2000. Sheena was a friend of
Dee Bliss
Dione "Dee" Bliss is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera '' Neighbours'', played by Madeleine West. The actress received the role three days after securing an agent. West deferred her law degree studies to take the part. She ma ...
(
Madeleine West
Melanie Ann Weston (born 26 July 1980), known professionally as Madeleine West, is an Australian actress. She is known for her television roles, having played Dee Bliss and Andrea Somers on the soap opera ''Neighbours'' from 2000 to 2003 and on- ...
), who became a
love interest
''Gli Innamorati'' (, meaning "The Lovers") were stock characters within the theatre style known as commedia dell'arte, who appeared in 16th century Italy. In the plays, everything revolved around the Lovers in some regard. These dramatic and pos ...
for
Toadfish Rebecchi
Jarrod Vincenzo Rebecchi (commonly known as "Toadfish" or "Toadie") is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera ''Neighbours'', played by Ryan Moloney. He made his first screen appearance during the episode broadcast on 23 January 199 ...
(
Ryan Moloney
Ryan Moloney (born 24 November 1979) is an Australian actor, known for his portrayal of the fictional character Jarrod "Toadfish" Rebecchi in the Australian soap opera ''Neighbours'' since 1995.
Career
Moloney's first acting experience was with ...
). Sheena and Toadie later suffered problems with their relationship when Toadie revealed to Sheena that her mother,
Rhonda (Brenda Addie), had attempted to seduce him. Another notable storyline for Sheena saw her accuse
Martin Cook (
Tony Bonner
Anthony Frederick Bonner (born 23 November 1943) is an Australian television, film and stage actor and singer. Bonner became famous in the 1960s children's television series '' Skippy the Bush Kangaroo'', later moving on to lead roles in the ...
) of
victimisation
Victimisation ( or victimization) is the process of being victimised or becoming a victim. The field that studies the process, rates, incidence, effects, and prevalence of victimisation is called victimology.
Peer victimisation
Peer victimisati ...
, when he refused her a place in one of his workshops.
Sheena is a nurse at Erinsborough Hospital, who becomes good friends with Dee Bliss. Sheena helps out when
Lou Carpenter
Lou Carpenter is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera ''Neighbours'', played by Tom Oliver. He made his first screen appearance on 30 March 1988. Oliver appeared for a brief time, having been initially contracted for six months, ...
(
Tom Oliver
Tom Oliver (born 12 June 1938) is a British-born Australian retired actor who started his career in theatre in his native country, before emigrating to Australia.
Oliver, a staple of the small screen since the early 1960s, is best known for h ...
) suffers a back injury and when
Lyn Scully
Lyn Scully is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera ''Neighbours'', played by Janet Andrewartha. The character made her first screen appearance during the episode broadcast on 20 October 1999, along with her family and remained a p ...
(
Janet Andrewartha
Janet Andrewartha (16 September 1951) is an Australian television and theatre actress. Andrewartha began her career as a music teacher before attending drama school. She graduated in 1979and began securing television and theatre roles.
Andrewa ...
) gives birth to her son. Dee tries to set Sheena up with both
Lance Wilkinson (
Andrew Bibby
Andrew Bibby (born 24 October 1980 in Sydney) is an Australian former actor who played Lance Wilkinson on the Australian soap opera '' Neighbours'' in 1995, 1996–2001, 2005 and in 2022. He returned again briefly in 2018.
Early and personal ...
) and Toadfish Rebecchi. Sheena later agrees to go on a date with Toadie, who convinces himself that she accepted for a bet. However, Sheena tells Toadie that she is genuinely interested in him and they begin spending more time together. Toadie agrees to help Sheena's mother, Rhonda, out with some work around her house. Rhonda begins flirting with Toadie and he becomes uncomfortable around her, but does not tell Sheena. When Rhonda continues to flirt with Toadie, he eventually informs Sheena about her mother's behaviour towards him. The couple decide that they cannot trust each other enough and break up. The following year, Sheena applies for a place in one of Martin Cook's lectures. Martin sexually harasses Sheena and when she accuses him of victimisation, she is left alienated at work. Sheena leaves Martin's workshop and goes on holiday. Her accusations against Martin are proven when Dee also becomes his target.
A couple of years later, Sheena is on duty when
Boyd Hoyland
Boyd Hoyland is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera ''Neighbours'', played by Kyal Marsh. He made his first on-screen appearance on 5 June 2002. In 2007, Marsh quit the serial and his character departed on 3 August 2007 along with ...
(
Kyal Marsh
Kyal Reese Marsh (born 16 August 1987) is an Australian former actor and model. He was born in Clare, South Australia, Clare, South Australia. He moved to Melbourne with his family when he was one year old. He is now a managing director in the b ...
) ends up in a coma, after having a brain tumour removed. Sheena tells Boyd's family that they should prepare for the worst. Sheena attends her high school reunion at the Scarlet Bar and becomes annoyed when she learns that
Sindi Watts
Sindi Watts (also Parker) is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera '' Neighbours'', played by Marisa Warrington. She made her first appearance during the episode broadcast on 19 July 2002. Sindi was initially a recurring character, ...
(
Marisa Warrington
Marisa Michelle Warrington is an English-Australian actress who played Sindi Watts on the Australian soap opera ''Neighbours''.
Warrington as Sindi made her debut on ''Neighbours'' on a recurring basis in 2002. Sindi became a regular character ...
), works there. Sheena tries to tell the owner to sack Sindi, who overhears. Sindi's boyfriend,
Stuart Parker Stuart Parker may refer to:
* Stuart Parker (politician) (born 1972), former leader of the Green Party in British Columbia, Canada
* Stuart Parker (footballer, born 1954), English football manager and former footballer
* Stuart Parker (footballer ...
(
Blair McDonough
Blair McDonough (born 30 April 1981), is an Australian actor who is best known for playing the role of Stuart Parker in the Australian TV soap opera '' Neighbours''. He first shot to fame the age of 19 in 2001, when he finished runner-up in the ...
), confronts Sheena and her friends about bullying Sindi. However, Sheena explains that it is not true and he should watch his back around Sindi. The following day, Stuart comes to speak with Sheena and she tells him that Sindi used to steal other girls' boyfriends at school. She also tells him to talk to
Kelly Weaver (Simone Ray), but refuses to elaborate any further. Sheena is transferred to the psychiatric ward and helps to treat
Max Hoyland (
Stephen Lovatt). Max starts to believe that everyone is out to get him and when his family come to take him home, Sheena informs them that Max is being kept in. When Boyd and
Stephanie Scully
Stephanie "Steph" Scully (also Hoyland) is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera ''Neighbours'', played by Carla Bonner. She made her first screen appearance during the episode that was broadcast on 20 October 1999. Following Bonner ...
(
Carla Bonner
Carla Bonner is an Australian actress, known for playing the role of Stephanie Scully in the soap opera ''Neighbours'', a role she played from 1999 to 2010. She was also a guest on '' Celebrity Big Brother Australia'' in 2002. Following her de ...
) return to take him home, Sheena helps them out with some release forms and they go to collect Max. Sheens explains that Max has just had his medication and may be asleep, but when they get to his room they find he has gone.
Gino Esposito
Gino Esposito, played by Claude Stevens, made his first screen appearance on 11 August 2000. The character was later recast with the role going to
Shane McNamara
Shane McNamara is an Australian television and film actor who is best known for his many appearances in the recurring role of Gino Esposito in the Australian soap opera '' Neighbours''.
He has also played a character called 'Rat in a Hat' in ...
. Gino was a hairdresser who ran the local hair salon.
He was gay and in a relationship with
Aaron Barkley (Stewart Adam). Of Gino, script producer, Luke Devenish, said "He is a
aystereotype, and we don't have a problem with that as he is not a negative stereotype, he is a comic charter and it is for a laugh – in the Mr Humphries
f_''Are_You_Being_Served''.html" ;"title="Are_You_Being_Served.html" ;"title="f ''Are You Being Served">f ''Are You Being Served''">Are_You_Being_Served.html" ;"title="f ''Are You Being Served">f ''Are You Being Served''kind of tradition".
When Gino briefly moved in with
Harold Bishop
Harold Wayne Bishop is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera ''Neighbours'', played by Ian Smith. The actor was offered the role by the show's creator and executive producer Reg Watson. Smith made his first screen appearance as H ...
(
Ian Smith
Ian Douglas Smith (8 April 1919 – 20 November 2007) was a Rhodesian politician, farmer, and fighter pilot who served as Prime Minister of Rhodesia (known as Southern Rhodesia until October 1964 and now known as Zimbabwe) from 1964 to ...
), the writers decided to tweak the "standard love triangle" with
Lou Carpenter
Lou Carpenter is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera ''Neighbours'', played by Tom Oliver. He made his first screen appearance on 30 March 1988. Oliver appeared for a brief time, having been initially contracted for six months, ...
(
Tom Oliver
Tom Oliver (born 12 June 1938) is a British-born Australian retired actor who started his career in theatre in his native country, before emigrating to Australia.
Oliver, a staple of the small screen since the early 1960s, is best known for h ...
) becoming jealous of the duo.
Allana Truman
Allana Truman (née Dorothy Truman), played by Josephine Clark, made her first screen appearance on 29 September 2000. Clark had a three-month guest contract, she previously appeared in the serial as
Jamie-Lee Duggan in 1997. Allana was described as being "an eccentric girl" by a writer for 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 ''Neighbours'' website. She became a
) and the writer noted that both Lance and Allana shared a passion for science fiction.
Allana meets
) at a science fiction convention and they are attracted to each other. In order to date her, Allana asks Lance to complete seven labours. Lance's first task is to find the final episode of a television show from the local library and convert it into video. He then has to find Allana's favourite retired actor and have a photo taken with him. Lance finds the actor in a nursing home and he manages to con his way in to meet him and get the photo. For the third labour, Allana asks Lance to make a sci-fi film and he has to rope in some of his friends and neighbours to help. Allana burns a strange symbol into the grass in Ramsay Street and gets Lance to decipher it. For the fifth labour, Lance has to convince
) that UFOs are real and get her to publish a newspaper article about it. Allana asks Lance to present the article to her at her house, while he wears a ceremonial outfit. For the seventh and final labour, Allana asks Lance to bring her a piece of a crashed satellite, which proves difficult. Lance decides to create his own piece of the satellite, which impresses Allana. She and Lance finally become a couple and they have sex together for the first time.
Allana's strange behaviour causes Lance to question how well he knows her and she eventually admits that she lives with her mother. Allana's sister,
(Melanie Lockman), also reveals that Allana changed her name from Dorothy. The sister's mother,
(Libby Stone), tries to stop Allana's relationship with Lance, as she fears that she will lose her daughter's company. Jeannie is possessive of Allana and explains that she needs her around as she is sick. Allana begs her mother not to make her choose between her and Lance, but she ends up breaking up with Lance. She soon realises that she has made a mistake and begs Lance for his help in escaping Jeannie. They make plans to go travelling in the United States and visit a sci-fi convention while they are there. Lance sells his ute, but he and Allana still struggle to raise the money they need. Lance enters a radio quiz and proves popular with the listeners. The producers try to keep Lance on the show by revealing that they will feed him the answers for the next round. When Allana finds out and threatens to leave him, Lance exposes the scam live on air. Allana and Lance leave Erinsborough and they later start up their own sci-fi convention.
Emily Hancock, played by Isabella Oldham, made her first screen appearance on 11 October 2000. Emily was later reintroduced to the serial the following year, along with her family.
The writers created the five strong Hancock family to help fill a void left by the temporary departures of six regular characters.
The Hancock's were "a noisy, five-strong group who quickly make their presence felt."
In 2002, the entire Hancock family was axed from ''Neighbours''.
) for a few days while their mother is away. The following year, the children move to Ramsay Street with their family. Emily becomes upset when her favourite doll, Lizzie, disappears and she initially blames Leo. However, he denies taking the doll and he and Emily later see it in a local shop owned by
(Henry Ismailiw). Instead of telling their parents, Emily and Leo try to get the doll back themselves. However, just when they think they have gotten away with it, Bob catches them. Fortunately for the children, their mother,
(Sally Cooper), arrives and warns Bob off of claiming the doll as his. Emily and her doll are reunited, but Maggie is angry that she and Leo went behind her back. Some removal men deliver the wrong box to the Hancock house and Maggie plans to return it the following day. Emily opens the box and takes a pair of earrings for herself. When the real owners get their box back, they accuse the Hancocks of theft and Emily owns up to taking and losing the earrings.
Leo shouts at Emily and blames her for the family's problems. This causes Emily to run away and she boards a bus. Emily falls asleep and the driver does not notice her, leaving her stuck in the bus all night. In the morning, Emily runs away as soon as she can and the driver reports the incident. The police begin searching the bushland around the bus station, but Emily hides, believing she is going to be in a lot of trouble. Leo joins the search and when he calls Emily's name, she comes out of hiding and is reunited with her family. Emily complains of pain in her ear, but Karl finds there is nothing wrong. Emily continues to complain about the pain, but Karl notices her wince when she eats some ice cream and realises the problem is actually with her teeth. Emily begins talking about a new friend called Madge.
) believes Emily is talking to his late wife and he is happy that he has a new link to her. Emily finds and reads out a letter from
), which details his feelings for Maggie. The Hancock family are forced to move away due to financial troubles and on their last day in Erinsborough, Emily goes missing. However, she is found in the garden of Number 24, saying goodbye to Madge.
A writer for the
...