Nina Tucker

Nina Tucker is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera ''Neighbours'', played by Delta Goodrem. She made her first screen appearance during the episode broadcast on 11 June 2002. Goodrem was approached by producers after they saw her video for her debut single. Goodrem, who had just signed a record deal, almost turned down the role of Nina as she felt the character did not suit her style of music. The role was rewritten for her and she joined the cast. A year later, she was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma and had to leave the show for treatment. Once her health improved, she made a return to ''Neighbours'' in 2004 to tie up Nina's storylines. In 2005, ''Neighbours'' celebrated its 20th anniversary with an episode that featured many ex-cast members, in which Goodrem reprised her role as Nina once more. She returned again in March 2015 for the show's 30th anniversary, and for the show's final episode on 28 July 2022.

Nina was originally written as a bad girl character, but when the writers rewrote the role for Goodrem, she became a painfully shy school student who was described as being the "quintessential girl-next-door". Nina learned to be independent from an early age as she was travelling with her parents all over the world. She has a complicated relationship with her mother, who she sees as an embarrassment to her. In 2004, her personality underwent a change, and she was no longer shy; she had grown up and had become more assured. Goodrem's manager suggested that Nina should be an aspiring singer and ''Neighbours'' developed the character to suit her. Goodrem worked with the writers to incorporate her music into the show. One of Nina's longest running storylines was her relationship with Jack Scully (Jay Bunyan). They began their relationship while they were seeing other people and they break up twice. However, Nina realises that she loves Jack and returns from India to tell him. Goodrem believed Nina and Jack were soulmates. Nina was well received, and Goodrem won the Most Popular New Female Talent Logie Award for the role.

Casting

''Neighbours'' approached Goodrem about appearing in the show after they saw the video for her debut single, " I Don't Care"; she was offered the role of Nina Tucker in early 2002. Goodrem almost turned down the part because she was not happy with the character written for her. She had just signed a record deal with Sony Records and felt the part did not suit her music. The ''Neighbours'' producers agreed to rewrite the role of Nina for her.

In July 2003, Goodrem was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma and was forced to leave the show to begin treatment. Goodrem was written out of ''Neighbours'', and script producer, Luke Devenish, said: "She had to concentrate on her health, so there was no getting around it. There was absolutely no question of attempting to keep her working." Nina departed in October 2003, with an exit storyline that allowed for a return in the future. Three months' worth of scripts were rewritten, and a new character, Carmella Cammeniti (Natalie Blair), was created and introduced to cover Nina's planned storyline with Connor O'Neill ( Patrick Harvey).

In March 2004, it was announced that Goodrem would be returning to ''Neighbours'' to finish her contract. Of her return, a spokesperson said "We never thought we'd see her back. Her illness stunned us all and her vastly improved health now thrills us. We can't wait for the days she's back on the set. This is where it all started for her." Goodrem told ''TV Week'' that it was important to her to tie up Nina's storylines and added: "I really felt that Nina and myself had a lot of unfinished business there." Due to Goodrem's busy schedule, the producers made sure all her scenes were shot in three days. She returned to screens in Australia on 6 September.
Goodrem was one of many ex-cast members who returned to ''Neighbours'' in 2005 for an episode that celebrated the 20th anniversary of the show. Goodrem said that she "couldn't be happier" about going back to ''Neighbours''.

Development

Characterisation

Nina was initially meant to be a "bad girl", but the writers rewrote the part for Goodrem, and the character became a "painfully shy schoolgirl" who gets a job in the Coffee Shop. ''The Age'' described Nina as the "quintessential girl next door". Goodrem described her character as "a quiet, unassuming type of girl", who did not think anything of her amazing gift. When Goodrem was asked if she was similar to Nina, she replied "I think I am in some ways and in some ways I'm not. Nina's very shy, I really like the character Nina but I think she'd probably walk out of a room and I'd probably chat all day I think that's probably the difference, she'd sneak out of a room and I'd stay!" The BBC
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