Scott Robinson (Neighbours)
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Scott Robinson is a fictional character from the Australian television 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 ...
''. He 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 ' ...
as one of the serial's twelve original characters. Originally played by
Darius Perkins Darius Anton Perkins (28 October 1964 – 2 January 2019) was an Australian actor. He was the original actor in the role of teenager Scott Robinson in the soap opera '' Neighbours'' in 1985 before the role was taken over by Jason Donovan the fol ...
, he made his debut during the first episode broadcast on 18 March 1985. Perkins was 20 years old when he received the role of teenager Scott. He felt some anxiety about his audition performance and did not think anything was going to come from it, until the production company contacted him a month later to sign on as Scott. When production moved to
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 ...
in 1986, producers wanted "a more upfront" Scott and the role was recast to
Jason Donovan Jason Sean Donovan (born 1 June 1968) is an Australian actor and singer. He initially achieved fame in the Australian soap ''Neighbours'', playing Scott Robinson, before beginning a career in music in 1988. In the UK he has sold over 3 mi ...
, who joined the cast following his graduation from school. He made his debut on 12 February 1986, and producers hoped Donovan's blond hair and blue eyes would increase the character's appeal. Perkins later said that he had been physically and mentally exhausted after filming for nine months, and felt unable to continue in the role of Scott. At the beginning of ''Neighbours'', Scott is a 16 year old high school student, living at home with his father, grandmother, and three siblings. Scott is shown to be close with his father, whom he respects. He is initially characterised as a normal, happy teenager, with an increasing interest in girls as he becomes an adolescent. His best friend was neighbour
Danny Ramsay Danny Ramsay is a fictional character from the Australian television soap opera '' Neighbours'', played by David Clencie. He made his first appearance during the serial's debut episode broadcast on 18 March 1985. Danny was the first character to ...
(David Clencie), a role Donovan originally auditioned for. Scott's early storylines include a romance with fellow student Kim Taylor (Jenny Young) and being accused of robbery. With Donovan in the role, Scott was portrayed as charming, perceptive, neat, and likeable, leading him to become the show's male pin up. Donovan's popularity set a new standard for casting directors, which they felt they had to meet every time they introduced a new "stud" character. 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 ...
around Scott's relationship with
Charlene Mitchell Charlene Alexander Mitchell (June 8, 1930 – December 14, 2022) was an American international socialist, feminist, labor and civil rights activist. In 1968, she became the first Black woman candidate for President of the United States. In the ...
, 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 ...
. Scott and Charlene's romance led to increased ratings for ''Neighbours'' and the show's publicist capitalised on Minogue and Donovan's popularity with viewers. Scott and Charlene experience a variety of problems during their first 12 months together. When Scott suggests they should move in together, this caused controversy on and off-screen, with some ''Neighbours'' viewers expressing their concern about a young unwed couple moving in together. Producers then decided that the couple would marry instead and their
wedding A wedding is a ceremony where two people are united in marriage. Wedding traditions and customs vary greatly between cultures, ethnic groups, religions, countries, and social classes. Most wedding ceremonies involve an exchange of marriage vo ...
was broadcast on 1 July 1987 to two million Australian viewers. To keep the relationship interesting, writers scripted a kiss between Scott and
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 * Ca ...
). On 7 March 1989, it was announced that Donovan had quit ''Neighbours'' to pursue a music career, and his exit aired on 18 May 1989. For his portrayal of Scott, Donovan won the
Logie Award for Most Popular New Talent The Silver Logie for Most Popular New Talent is an award presented at the Australian TV Week Logie Awards. The award recognises the popularity of a new talent in an Australian program. It may or may not be their first television appearance, howev ...
(1987) and Most Popular Actor (1988). He was twice nominated for the Gold Logie for Most Popular Personality. In 2022, Donovan agreed to reprise his role, alongside Minogue, as part of the serial's final episode.


Creation and casting

Scott is one of the twelve original characters conceived by the creator and then executive producer of ''
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 ...
'',
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 ' ...
.
Darius Perkins Darius Anton Perkins (28 October 1964 – 2 January 2019) was an Australian actor. He was the original actor in the role of teenager Scott Robinson in the soap opera '' Neighbours'' in 1985 before the role was taken over by Jason Donovan the fol ...
was 20 years old when he received the role of teenager Scott. Oram, 1988, p.41. When Perkins learned the telemovie ''
Matthew and Son "Matthew and Son" is a single written, composed, and performed by Cat Stevens. It was selected as the title song for his 1967 debut album. Stevens was a newly signed teenage singer-songwriter, who performed to elaborate arrangements quite di ...
'', in which he starred alongside
Paul Cronin Paul Cronin (8 July 1938 – 13 September 2019) was an Australian actor who played roles in the Australian television series ''Matlock Police'' and ''The Sullivans''. He won the Silver Logie five times, including three years consecutively fro ...
, was not going to be picked up to series, he knew he was free to join the cast of ''Neighbours''. He told Patrice Fidgeon of ''
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 ...
'' that he had already heard about ''Neighbours'' before any decision had been made about ''Matthew and Son'', but he had not decided on what he wanted to do that year, admitting that he "didn't want to lock myself into a situation I couldn't get out of." Perkins admitted to feeling anxious about his performance following his audition for Scott. He told Fidgeon: "I didn't have the faintest idea about the character I was supposed to be playing." The serial's producers deliberately kept the character outlines vague, except for the character's age, gender, and hair colour. Perkins reckoned this was to prevent character information escaping before they were ready to start filming. It was around a month before Perkins heard back about his audition and he came to believe nothing was going to happen. The
Grundy Organisation 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 ...
later got in contact to ask him to sign on to play Scott. Perkins told Fidgeon that he had a six-month contract with a six-month option on their side, but that was as far as he wanted to commit to the show. He stated "I prefer not to be tied at all, but that's the way it goes. They have to have their security." His casting was publicised in the 26 January 1985 issue of ''TV Week''. Perkins made his debut as Scott in the show's pilot episode broadcast on 18 March 1985. After concerns over Perkins' reliability and a series of rows, producers decided to recast the role of Scott when production moved to
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 ...
. Wallis; Hogan 1989, pp.67–68.
Jason Donovan Jason Sean Donovan (born 1 June 1968) is an Australian actor and singer. He initially achieved fame in the Australian soap ''Neighbours'', playing Scott Robinson, before beginning a career in music in 1988. In the UK he has sold over 3 mi ...
, then 17, was given the role following his graduation from school. Donovan was originally asked to audition for the role of
Danny Ramsay Danny Ramsay is a fictional character from the Australian television soap opera '' Neighbours'', played by David Clencie. He made his first appearance during the serial's debut episode broadcast on 18 March 1985. Danny was the first character to ...
while ''Neighbours'' was in the planning stages, but his father, actor Terence Donovan, advised him against it and told him to finish school first. He initially did not want his son to become an actor as he felt the industry was too "unstable." Oram, 1988, pp.83–86. Donovan admitted that had never watched ''Neighbours'' before joining the cast, saying "I'd sort of flicked through it once, but that was all." He made his debut as Scott on 12 February 1986. Scott soon became the serial's new "pin-up" character and Donovan's image and popularity in the role set a high standard for casting directors, which they felt they had to meet each time they were introducing a "stud" type character. In an October 1988 interview with ''TV Weeks Leigh Reinhold, Perkins addressed the rumours that he was fired from ''Neighbours'' for a drug problem, calling them "invented stories". He told Reinhold that he had refused to continue with the show when it moved to
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 ...
in 1986. Having been working for nine months, Perkins was both physically and mentally exhausted, and felt unable to continue in the role of Scott. Perkins stated "Drugs had nothing to do with me leaving. It was a personal decision. I was feeling trapped at the time. Towards the end I didn't think I was giving enough of myself. I didn't want to end up not wanting to watch myself on screen." He had also blamed a failed relationship for being unable to handle the pressure, which he said was "a bit of a cop-out." Perkins was shocked by some of the press stories written about a supposed drug dependency, and said that when he attended casting sessions, he thought people were probably wondering whether he was "'out of it' or not." Perkins admitted that he was glad not to be with ''Neighbours'', despite its success at the time, or in Donovan's shoes. He wished Donovan well, but he did not want to be him, adding that he wanted to build his acting career slowly to gain respect.


Development


Characterisation and early storylines

As the serial begins, Scott is a 16 year old high school student, living at home with his widowed father Jim Robinson (
Alan Dale Alan Hugh Dale (born 6 May 1947) is a New Zealand actor. As a child, Dale enjoyed theatre and rugby. After retiring from the sport, he took on a number of occupations, before deciding to become a professional actor at age 27. Dale subsequentl ...
), his grandmother
Helen Daniels Helen Daniels is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera ''Neighbours'', portrayed by Anne Haddy. Following the death of Jim Robinson (Alan Dale) in 1993, she remained the only original character played continuously by the same act ...
(
Anne Haddy Anne Haddy (5 October 1930 – 6 June 1999), credited also as Anne Hardy, was an Australian actress, television presenter and voice artist, who worked in various facets of the industry including radio, stage and television. She was married ...
), and three siblings
Paul Paul may refer to: *Paul (given name), a given name (includes a list of people with that name) *Paul (surname), a list of people People Christianity *Paul the Apostle (AD c.5–c.64/65), also known as Saul of Tarsus or Saint Paul, early Chris ...
(
Stefan Dennis Stefan Dennis (born 30 October 1958) is an Australian actor and singer best known for playing the role of cold-hearted and ruthless businessman Paul Robinson in the soap opera ''Neighbours'' from its first episode on March 18, 1985. He departed ...
),
Julie Julie may refer to: * Julie (given name), a list of people and fictional characters with the name Film and television * ''Julie'' (1956 film), an American film noir starring Doris Day * ''Julie'' (1975 film), a Hindi film by K. S. Sethumadhava ...
(Vikki Blanche), and
Lucy Lucy is an English feminine given name derived from the Latin masculine given name Lucius with the meaning ''as of light'' (''born at dawn or daylight'', maybe also ''shiny'', or ''of light complexion''). Alternative spellings are Luci, Luce, Luci ...
(Kylie Flinker; Sasha Close). Scott was shown to be close with his father, but had a strained relationship with his older brother Paul. His best friend was neighbour
Danny Ramsay Danny Ramsay is a fictional character from the Australian television soap opera '' Neighbours'', played by David Clencie. He made his first appearance during the serial's debut episode broadcast on 18 March 1985. Danny was the first character to ...
(David Clencie). Scott was billed as "a normal, usually happy 16-year-old". An ''
Inside Soap ''Inside Soap'' is a weekly magazine published in the United Kingdom, released every Tuesday. It covers current and future storylines in soap operas in the United Kingdom, including '' Coronation Street'', ''Doctors'', ''EastEnders'', ''Emmerdal ...
'' writer called him "a dark-haired, geeky schoolboy". Margaret Koppe of '' TV Radio Extra'' said Scott was moving into the adolescent stage and gaining an interest in girls. He eventually fell "hopelessly in love" with Kim Taylor (Jenny Young). In her book, ''Soap Box'', Hilary Kingsley wrote that Scott was not "such a goodie" while played by Perkins. Kingsley 1988, pp.378–379. One of the character's early storylines saw him and Danny get into trouble with the police over a suspected robbery, and they flee
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 ...
to work on a farm. They later fight over
Wendy Gibson Wendy Gibson is Professor of Protozoology at University of Bristol, specialising in trypanosomes and molecular parasitology. Career Wendy C. Gibson studied B. Sc. Zoology at University College London, UK graduating in 1975 followed by a doctor ...
(Kylie Foster). As ''Neighbours'' moved to Network Ten, producers wanted "a more upfront" Scott. To facilitate the recast from Perkins to Donovan, Scott goes missing on a school trip and is briefly presumed dead, before he reappears played by Donovan. Producers hoped the actor's blond hair and blue eyes would increase the character's "bankable appeal". After Donovan took over the role, Kingsley branded Scott "the star schoolboy of ''Neighbours'' and described him as "polite, perceptive, neat and nice." She thought it was likely he folded his own clothes too, making him stand out among the teenagers of the time. Although Scott was involved in "the occasional teenage hiccup" he was both "likeable" and "hard working". Donovan shared some similarities to Scott, including being raised by a single parent. Donovan stated "I've done most of the things Scott's done – school exams and things like that – so I don't really have to go too far to understand his character." The actor admitted to not being happy with Scott's attitude, calling him "very moody and a bit hard to play sometimes". He tried to bring as much comedy and lightness to the role that he could, as he believed ''Neighbours'' should have light characters and not "always heavy drama." The character soon became the show's male " pin up". Writer Josephine Monroe observed that Donovan turned Scott into "every girl's dream date". Monroe 1996, p.98. He was perceived as being cute, as well as "witty and charming". He continued to be close to his father, whom he respected and looked up to, while he was also protective of younger sister Lucy. After leaving school, the character's ambition was to become a journalist.


Relationship with Charlene Mitchell

In April 1986,
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 ...
joined the cast as
Charlene Mitchell Charlene Alexander Mitchell (June 8, 1930 – December 14, 2022) was an American international socialist, feminist, labor and civil rights activist. In 1968, she became the first Black woman candidate for President of the United States. In the ...
, daughter of Scott's neighbour
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 Anne Charleston (born 30 December 1942) is an Australian actress, notable for her career locally and in the United Kingdom in theatre and television. Charleston started her career in theatre in the mid 1950's, and has been a staple of the small ...
). Her first scene was with Scott, who thinks she is trying to break into Madge's house. When he goes to stop her, Charlene punches him in the mouth. Minogue ended up punching Donovan for real during filming. Mercado 2004, pp.207–208. The actors had previously worked together in an episode of ''
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 ...
'' when they were younger. Donovan later recalled that he encountered Minogue for the first time on-set in the wardrobe bus. She reminded him of their work on ''Skyways'' after he failed to recognise her. He stated that they soon become good friends as their characters became acquainted. 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 romance contributed to a boost in 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. Donovan felt that his on-screen rapport with Minogue was due to their professionalism. He stated "When you've known someone for a long time and you get on with them well, then it's quite easy to create a professional chemistry. That's what you see between us in ''Neighbours''." Minogue believed the couple's relationship helped the characters to become fan favourites, saying "In the storyline they break up and get back together. People like Scott and Charlene being a couple. It's probably the most normal relationship in the show." Donovan admitted that he would not want to date someone like Charlene, as he thought she was "far too stroppy" for him. 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 ...
'' said Scott and Charlene resonated with the show's fans, as many could identify with them. Viewers saw the couple experience a variety of problems during their first 12 months together and "matters come to a head" after Madge pressures Charlene to date other boys, while Scott has to repeat his final year of school without her. Donovan explained to Bourne that Scott realises he does not want to lose Charlene, and so he seeks advice from his grandmother, who mentions that her husband gave her a friendship ring. Donovan said "Scott thinks about it and decides this would be a good way to show Charlene how he feels." Charlene is "flattered" by the ring, and Donovan said that it finally settles the point that they are not going to break-up again and that they love one another. Minogue agreed, saying "There is that underlying love whether they are together or not." Shortly after Scott presents Charlene with the ring at her new caravan, they start a barbecue dinner to celebrate, however, they soon begin arguing when Scott make it clear he is not happy 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) ...
). Scott "storms away", but when he hears Charlene calling out to him, he sees that she is trapped by a ring of petrol headed towards the barbecue. Unbeknownst to Charlene, arsonist 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 ...
) was storing fuel under her caravan and he spilled it as he was removing the cans. Donovan told ''TV Weeks Stephen Cook: "When Scott first sees the petrol and then the flames he just does what his instincts tell him to do. He can see see what's going to happen next and he knows he has got to get Charlene out of there." Donovan continued by saying that Scott does not think about the danger to himself, he just goes through the flames and gets her out. The pair are thrown to the ground after an explosion and Scott holds onto a badly injured Charlene. Donovan told Cook that Scott is not sure whether Charlene is dead or alive. Although he has been burnt himself, he knows something is wrong with her and he is "devastated". Scott realises how deep his love for Charlene is and suggests that the couple move in together. This causes "a major controversy" and divides the Ramsay Street residents.
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) is taken aback by how serious the couple have become, but wishes them well, while Donovan explained that 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 ...
) is "a lot more moralistic about just what the two are getting themselves into." When some ''Neighbours'' viewers expressed their concern about a young unwed couple moving in together, the producers decided to have the couple marry instead. On-screen, neither family approve of Scott and Charlene moving in together, so when Scott learns his father married at 18, he decides that he and Charlene will marry instead. Charlene is surprised by the proposal, but Minogue said she soon becomes "very excited" about the idea of getting married. Jim is against the idea of the couple marrying, believing they are too young (Scott was said to be 18 at the time, and Charlene was 17), while Madge wishes them the best. Donovan told Bourne that in real life he preferred the idea of younger couples living together first, adding that his character was immature and rushing into marriage. Scott and Charlene's
wedding A wedding is a ceremony where two people are united in marriage. Wedding traditions and customs vary greatly between cultures, ethnic groups, religions, countries, and social classes. Most wedding ceremonies involve an exchange of marriage vo ...
was broadcast on 1 July 1987 to two million Australian viewers. After returning from their honeymoon, Scott and Charlene move in with Madge and her brother Henry Ramsay (
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 ...
), and they struggle financially. Just three months after their wedding, producers decided to throw temptation at the couple to keep their relationship interesting. Mercado 2004, p.211. While studying for his HSC, Scott asks
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 * Ca ...
) to help him with his maths. Donovan said Scott is grateful to Jane and the pair become really close friends. During a study session, they go to the lake to work without interruptions and they end up kissing. When Charlene finds out, the repercussions almost end Scott and Charlene's marriage. Donovan admitted to some concerns about the storyline when he learned about it from the producers. He explained to ''TV Weeks Patrice Fidgeon: "I was worried people would think Scott was a
heel The heel is the prominence at the posterior end of the foot. It is based on the projection of one bone, the calcaneus or heel bone, behind the articulation of the bones of the lower Human leg, leg. Structure To distribute the compressive for ...
. But it was really quite innocent. He doesn't know why he kissed Jane – it sort of just happened." Donovan said the kiss between Scott and Jane happens on "the spur of moment" and he does not tell Charlene about it, but when she learns they were at the lake together, she confronts him. Donovan told Fidgeon that Scott "blurts out" that it was just a kiss, as he thinks Charlene is reading too much into it. The resulting argument between the couple ends in Scott walking out and moving back home with the Robinsons, where he goes through "a bout of depression." Jane helps reunite the couple when she tells Charlene that if she does not want Scott, either she or some other girl would have him. This makes Charlene realise what she has in Scott and they reconcile. Monroe 1996, p.30. Following Charlene's move to Brisbane, where the couple have a new house courtesy of Charlene's grandfather, Scott remains behind for work. Mercado 2004, p.214. In a further bid to test the couple's marriage, producers introduced
Sylvie Latham ''Neighbours'' is an Australian television soap opera that was first broadcast on 18 March 1985. The following is a list of characters that first appeared in the serial in 1988, by order of first appearance. Until February, characters were intro ...
(Christine Harris) and Poppy Skouros (Lenita Vangellis). With Charlene having just left Erinsborough, Scott is feeling lonely without her. He agrees to interview Jane's friend and fellow model Sylvie for the ''Erinsborough News''. Harris said that from the moment Sylvie meets Scott, she wants him and sets out to seduce him. Harris commented "She goes for what she wants at the expense of other people." Harris also branded the plot "''Fatal Attraction'' comes to ''Neighbours''". Harris did not receive any hate mail from fans of Scott and Charlene, and put it down to her empathetic portrayal of Sylvie. Scott's second love interest was fellow news cadet Poppy, who teams up with Scott to write an article about migrants. Vangellis told Coral O'Connor of the ''
Daily Mirror The ''Daily Mirror'' is a British national daily tabloid. Founded in 1903, it is owned by parent company Reach plc. From 1985 to 1987, and from 1997 to 2002, the title on its masthead was simply ''The Mirror''. It had an average daily print ...
'' that the pair spend a lot of time together and Poppy falls in love with Scott, but "his is a much slower process." Their closeness does not go unnoticed, and while the residents of Ramsay Street like Poppy, their loyalties are with Scott and Charlene. Vangellis disliked the way Poppy declared her love to Scott, but she did not think she was a femme fatale, but rather "an unfortunate little girl who makes the wrong moves." Fans did not like the storyline and Vangellis revealed that she was once chased onto a tram by a group of school girls calling her a "homewrecker."


Departure and return

In May 1988, David Brown of ''TV Week'' reported Minogue had quit ''Neighbours'' in order to pursue a music career and was due to film her final scenes in June. After months of speculation that Donovan would also leave the soap, he signed a new contract and said the show was still important to him. He told Brown: "I'm happy doing the show because I want to keep learning. I've got this real bug about ''Neighbours'' at the moment and it's something I just want to keep doing and get better at. I don't think I'd be doing myself justice if I took the big plunge to get out to try and do other things. I'm still learning and there are good storylines coming up that I can tackle." Brown reported that many people believed Donovan would leave the show to work in London because of the success of the show in the UK. Donovan said that he was happy working in Australia and admitted that he had not really thought about leaving the serial at the time. He continued: "There was the speculation, but none of that was happening in my mind. The past couple of years has taken me by surprise, so I had a lot to think about. You don't just rush out and sign a contract. So in those terms, yes I've taken my time. Network Ten and Grundys have been so good to me. They've been helping me and nurturing me, so why should I want to leave?" Donovan also denied that he was "jumping on the Kylie bandwagon" by recording and releasing an album, saying that he always had an interest in music. On-screen, Charlene moves to Brisbane and Scott promises to follow her, but only if he can secure a journalism job like the one has in Erinsborough. On 7 March 1989, it was announced that Donovan had quit ''Neighbours'' to pursue a music career. Coincidentally his record "
Too Many Broken Hearts "Too Many Broken Hearts" is a song by Australian singer Jason Donovan. The song was released on 20 February 1989 as the third single from his debut album, ''Ten Good Reasons'' (1989), and 1991's ''Greatest Hits'' album and again on a later colle ...
" reached Number One on the
UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
that same day. Donovan signed a new contract with Network Ten which allowed him to leave the show earlier than his original contract stipulated. Donovan said he was sad to be leaving ''Neighbours'', but he felt it was time to move on. He stated, "They have been great and afforded me many opportunities. My contract allows me to return to ''Neighbours'', so I'm still going to leave my options open." Donovan denied that he was "fed up" of playing Scott, but he felt that he had "fulfilled that part of me as far as acting is concerned." Network Ten's publicity director, Brian Walsh, was confident that ''Neighbours'' would continue to be a success after Donovan's departure and thanked him for his work promoting the show during his tenure. He added: "Jason was one of the new talents fostered by Neighbours and the series will continue to develop others." Donovan filmed his final episode in April, and it aired on 18 May 1989. Scott leaves Erinsborough to join Charlene. In 2009, Donovan revealed that he had been asked to return to the show for the 25th anniversary celebrations. He could not return due to work commitments, but he said that he was "very proud" of having been in ''Neighbours''. Donovan was invited to return for the 30th anniversary celebrations in 2015, but he declined the offer, commenting "it's just not something I want to do." However, he agreed to take part in the documentary special '' Neighbours 30th: The Stars Reunite'', which aired in Australia and the UK in March 2015. 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 Donovan and Minogue were set to reprise their roles. Byrne believed Donovan and Minogue 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 Donovan and Minogue 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."


Storylines

Scott lives on
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 ...
with his father Jim, grandmother Helen Daniels and his siblings Paul, Julie and Lucy. Scott's mother, Anne died giving birth to Lucy. Scott becomes close friends with his neighbour Danny Ramsay. Scott falls for his classmate Kim Taylor but her mother, teacher Marcia (
Maureen Edwards Maureen Elizabeth Edwards (born 17 April 1944) is a New Zealand-born actress, notable for her TV roles both locally and in Australia. Her best known soap opera roles include ''A Country Practice'', ''Neighbours'' (in 3 regular roles) and ''Sh ...
) disapproves. When Danny and Eddie Sherwin (Darren Boyd) doctor a recorded conversation between Scott and Kim to make sound more sexual than it really it is, Marcia forces Eddie to play the tape in class which humiliates Kim. Despite Scott protesting his innocence, The Taylors forbid him to see Kim and threaten to call the police. Scott and Kim then run away and hide out in an abandoned monastery. Scott returns home but Kim runs away. Scott later tracks down Kim who is pregnant and helps her reconcile with Marcia. Scott and Danny witness their neighbour Carol Brown (Merrin Canning) being mugged and try to go to her aid but she accuse them of attacking her, prompting the boys to flee and hide out on Mrs. Forbes' (
Gwen Plumb Gwendoline Jean Plumb AM BEM (2 August 1912 – 5 June 2002), was an Australian performer of international appeal, actress and comedian active in literally every form of the art genre, (except circus) including revue, pantomime, vaudeville, in ...
) farm where they work for her, tending to her land. They eventually return home. Scott and Danny then squabble over
Wendy Gibson Wendy Gibson is Professor of Protozoology at University of Bristol, specialising in trypanosomes and molecular parasitology. Career Wendy C. Gibson studied B. Sc. Zoology at University College London, UK graduating in 1975 followed by a doctor ...
(Kylie Foster) but eventually patch up their friendship. When Scott is late back from a school trip, Jim and Helen worry and further grief comes when the police find a body of a 16-year-old boy in the river, with Scott's wallet. Jim goes to identify the body and is relieved it is not Scott. Scott (now Donovan) phones from a country hospital and explains he ran away from the school trip after being accused of rape and tried to hitch a lift but was mugged in the process. Soon after, Scott notices someone breaking into Number 24, the house next door to his. On challenging the intruder, he receives a punch for his troubles. Madge Mitchell arrives on the scene to discover it is her daughter Charlene, who has not seen Scott since they were children. Scott befriends Mike Young. Scott and Charlene begin dating and go through teething problems. Scott proposes and Charlene accepts. Jim and Madge are against the engagement. Helen acts as a mediator and points out that Jim and Anne were roughly Scott and Charlene's age when they got married. Scott and Charlene marry and soon move into Number 24 together. Their marriage's first test comes when Jane Harris starts to help Scott with his HSC retakes, they become close and kiss. Charlene wants nothing to do with either of them upon finding out. Jane eventually convinces Charlene to give Scott another chance. Scott and Charlene's marriage undergoes another test when Steve Fisher ( Michael Pope) begins giving Charlene driving lessons and attempts to make advances on her, but Scott and Charlene reconcile towards their first anniversary. Charlene is offered a mechanic apprenticeship in Brisbane and is forced to make the difficult choice of leaving Erinsborough and the couple share an emotional farewell. Scott stays on at Number 24, but visits her frequently. During Charlene's absence, Scott fights off the affections of Sylvie Latham and later Poppy Skouros, before moving to Brisbane for good. Scott and Charlene later have two children, a son
Daniel Daniel is a masculine given name and a surname of Hebrew origin. It means "God is my judge"Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 68. (cf. Gabriel—"God is my strength" ...
(
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' ...
) and daughter named
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). Thirty-three years following his departure, Scott returns to Ramsay Street with Charlene after being invited by Charlene's cousin
Shane Ramsay Shane Ramsay is a fictional character from the Australian television soap opera '' Neighbours'', played by Peter O'Brien. He made his first appearance during the show's first episode, broadcast on 18 March 1985. Shane is the son of Max Ramsay ...
( Peter O'Brien). Scott and Charlene find that no one is home, so they go to Number 24 and reminisce over when they first met. During a Ramsay Street party, Scott and Charlene are reunited with Jane and Mike. Scott also sees Paul and
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 ...
), and they continue partying.


Reception

For his portrayal of Scott, Donovan won Most Popular New Talent at the 1987 Logie Awards. A year later, he won the
Logie Award for Most Popular Actor The Silver Logie for Most Popular Actor is an award presented annually at the Australian TV Week Logie Awards. The award recognises the popularity of an actor in an Australian program. It was first awarded at the 19th Annual TV Week Logie Award ...
and was nominated for 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 ...
. Donovan was again nominated for the Gold Logie in his final year on ''Neighbours'' in 1989. When the role was recast from Perkins to Donovan, some viewers protested the change. Shortly after his debut as Scott, Donovan was named one of the "New Faces of '86" by Jacqueline Lee Lewes of ''
The Sydney Morning Herald ''The Sydney Morning Herald'' (''SMH'') is a daily compact newspaper published in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, and owned by Nine. Founded in 1831 as the ''Sydney Herald'', the ''Herald'' is the oldest continuously published newspaper ...
''. She said the network had already received feedback about his popularity. Kate Jackson and Sara Wallis of the ''
Daily Mirror The ''Daily Mirror'' is a British national daily tabloid. Founded in 1903, it is owned by parent company Reach plc. From 1985 to 1987, and from 1997 to 2002, the title on its masthead was simply ''The Mirror''. It had an average daily print ...
'' called Scott "the boy next door". Sue Heath from ''
The Northern Echo ''The Northern Echo'' is a regional daily morning newspaper based in the town of Darlington in North East England, serving mainly southern County Durham and northern Yorkshire. The paper covers national as well as regional news. In 2007, its t ...
'' joked that Scott's mullet "remains one of the great TV crimes of the century". In 1998, writers from ''Inside Soap'' included Scott in an article about the top ten characters they wanted to return to soap, and they described him as "a clean-cut boy next door who won the nation's hearts when he married his sweetheart, Charlene." In a review of the serial, Linton Mitchell of the ''
Reading Evening Post The ''Reading Post'' (until 2009, the ''Reading Evening Post'') was an English local newspaper covering Reading, Berkshire and surrounding areas. The title page of the paper featured the Maiwand Lion, a famous local landmark at Forbury Gardens. Th ...
'' admitted to being a fan of Charlene, but did not like Scott, calling him a "selfish drip of a husband". In her book ''Soap opera'', Dorothy Hobson praised Scott's on-screen relationship with Charlene, branding them positive, immense images for young people. Ruth Deller of television website
Lowculture lowculture.co.uk is a UK television website founded in January 2003 by Paul Lang, who currently works as the art director of ''Doctor Who Adventures''. Purpose The website sought to celebrate popular television shows, especially 'low brow televis ...
gave Scott a 3.5 out of 5 for his contribution to ''Neighbours'', during a feature called "A guide to recognising your Ramsays and Robinsons". Deller said "One of the many Robinsons to undergo a hair and face transplant, Scott soon transformed from a dull brunette into Jason Donovan. An all-round nice guy, Scott was part of the first (and best) iconic ''Neighbours'' teen gangs, with Jane, Mike and Charlene. She added that his relationship with Charlene was a "Romeo and Juliet style romance". In 2010, to celebrate ''Neighbours 25th anniversary, satellite broadcasting company,
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 Scott in their feature of the 25 most memorable characters from ''Neighbours''. Summing up his time in the serial, they stated: "Scott Robinson is really only remembered these days for his teen romance, but his track record on the show could perhaps be better summarised in music. Early on, Scott formed a band with Mike 'Guy Pearce' Young. He eventually married Kylie and made Angry Anderson the soundtrack of people's memories of the eighties forever more." Scott and Charlene's wedding was seen by 20 million viewers in the United Kingdom and was voted the "Most Romantic TV Nuptials of all Time". The wedding episode made the cover of ''
TIME Time is the continued sequence of existence and events that occurs in an apparently irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequence events, to ...
magazine Australia'' and Minogue and Donovan's promotional appearance at the
Westfield Parramatta Westfield Parramatta is a large shopping centre in the suburb of Parramatta in Greater Western Sydney. Transport The North Shore & Western, Inner West & Leppington and Cumberland Line offer frequent services to Westfield Parramatta. Westfie ...
shopping centre caused a stampede among 4000 people. In October 2006, Australia Post brought out five stamps celebrating fifty years of television. Network Ten's stamp featured both Minogue and Donovan as Charlene and Scott. Andrew Mercado, author of ''Super Aussie Soaps'', observed that Scott's romance with Charlene became hugely popular with ''Neighbours'' viewers in both the United Kingdom and Australia, helping the show to gain high ratings after an initial rocky start. In 2011, Scott's wedding to Charlene was placed at number three in Channel 5's "Greatest TV Weddings" programme. In 2022, Kate Randall from ''
Heat In thermodynamics, heat is defined as the form of energy crossing the boundary of a thermodynamic system by virtue of a temperature difference across the boundary. A thermodynamic system does not ''contain'' heat. Nevertheless, the term is al ...
'' stated that Scott and Charlene were "arguably the show's most iconic characters with their wedding attracting more than 20 million viewers." Scott was placed at number nine on the '' Huffpost's'' "35 greatest Neighbours characters of all time" feature. Journalist Adam Beresford described him as a "nice guy" and one half of "the ''Neighbours golden'' couple". He stated that viewers "all soon became obsessed by their suburban Romeo & Juliet relationship." He called him one of the show's original male pin-ups and their charm "reflected a more innocent time." In a feature profiling the "top 12 iconic Neighbours characters", critic 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 ...
'' placed Scott as her seventh choice. She said that despite being played by two actors, "when it comes to Scott Robinson, there's only one face everyone remembers — that being a mini-mulleted Jason Donovan." Lorna White from ''Yours'' profiled the magazine's "favourite Neighbours characters of all time". Scott was included in the list and White stated that the Scott and Charlene relationship boosted ratings. A reporter from ''
The Scotsman ''The Scotsman'' is a Scottish compact newspaper and daily news website headquartered in Edinburgh. First established as a radical political paper in 1817, it began daily publication in 1855 and remained a broadsheet until August 2004. Its par ...
'' included Scott and Charlene's wedding as one of the show's top five moments in its entire history. Sam Strutt of ''
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'' compiled a feature counting down the top ten most memorable moments from ''Neighbours''. Strutt listed Scott and Charlene's wedding as number one.


See also

*
Scott Robinson and Charlene Mitchell Scott Robinson and Charlene Mitchell are fictional characters and a supercouple from the Australian soap opera '' Neighbours''. Scott was portrayed by Jason Donovan, and Charlene was portrayed by Kylie Minogue. Development Scott Robinson is ...


References


Bibliography

* * * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Robinson, Scott Neighbours characters Television characters introduced in 1985 Fictional journalists and mass media people Male characters in television Robinson family (Neighbours)