House star Jesse Spencer admitted that he owes his entire acting career to Australian soap, Neighbours.
Jesse played Billy Kennedy on the show from 1994 to 2000 and now plays Dr Robert Chase in House.
Jesse told MSN: “Neighbours was a launchpad for me – I’d probably have gone to university if I hadn’t done acting, and I would probably have been a real doctor – and now I’m a fake doctor!”
Neighbours star Kym Valentine has told OK! magazine that she “balled her eyes out” when she heard from the show’s bosses that another actress would play her role for five weeks.
Kym has been playing the part of Libby on and off since 1994 but when she contracted pneumonia last year, she had to take a break from filming for the show. However, her character was at the centre of an upcoming storyline at the time, so show bosses brought in actress Michala Banas to replace her. Read more & comment »
Lily Allen is all set for a guest appearance on Australian soap opera Neighbours.
The 24-year-old singer will film a scene with Mark Werkmeister, who plays Ramsay Street’s Zeke Kinski, when she visits Melbourne next month as part of her world tour.
Mark told the Neighbours website: “I’m freaking out, I’ll be star-struck for sure but will try my hardest to stay professional.”
With the arrival of internationally famous actress Amanda Donahue in Emmerdale, we thought we’d take a look at which other famous actors and actresses have made appearances in the soaps. Granted, Amanda seems to be in it as a regular now, but you might be surprised to see which famous faces have made brief appearances in the soaps!
For instance, one of the most surprising very famous cameo appearances was by Prince Charles on Coronation Street. The Prince made his guest appearance in what the show’s producers described as “a near flawless” live episode of the Street which was part of the programme’s 40th anniversary celebrations. Read more & comment »
January 19th, 2009 by Lisa McGarry. Tags: Five, Neighbours
Long term Neighbours actress, Kym Valentine has revealed that she hasn’t watched her replacement on the show since she was forced to take sick leave.
Kym left the show on a temporary basis last year after she suffered from a collapsed lung and pneumonia. She was replaced by Aussie actress Michala Banas, but hasn’t been able to bring her self to watch the new Libby Kennedy on screen.
December 5th, 2008 by Lisa McGarry. Tags: Neighbours
Neighbours actor, Alan Fletcher has said that his character Karl Kennedy won’t be cheating on his wife Susan again.
In the past Karl has had affairs with his receptionist, Sarah Beaumont and Izzy Hoyland, but Alan thinks Karl will now stay faithful to his wife Susan.
August 6th, 2008 by Lisa McGarry. Tags: Neighbours
Neighbours actress, Natalie Blair, has revealed that she decided to quit the Australian soap due to her characters depressive storylines.
Natalie told OK magazine:
“My character has gone through so much. She’s become a very tortured, depressive character and there was no light at the end of the tunnel,” Natalie, who plays Carmella Cammeniti, told the magazine.
“After a while I’d open my script and say, ‘Please give me one scene where I’m smiling’. And then I’d read the script and think, ‘Damn – no smiling scenes again’.”
Oh No!!!! Neighbours is about to unleash yet another wannabe pop star, soap star upon us!
Not bad enough that we had to endure Stefan Dennis’ pathetic attempt at a music career, but now it seems as though Daniel O’Connor, or Ned Parker as we know him is about to follow in his footsteps.
Former Australian Idol finalist, Daniel revealed last month that he was leaving the Aussie soap which has recently moved to Five in the UK, and he is set to film his final scenes in April. After that he is going to immerse himself in his singing career.
“To try and do music and the show at the same time is really hard,” the Daily Star Sunday quotes Daniel as saying. Read more & comment »
February 29th, 2008 by Lisa McGarry. Tags: Neighbours
Former Neighbour’s actor, Alan Dale (aka Jim Robinson) has slammed bosses of the show as manipulative and greedy.
The star, who has went on to star in Ugly Betty and The OC, told The Stage newspaper:
“The show I loved. It was sweet and the people I worked with were sweet, most of them. But the producers were greedy and nasty. There are many examples of the things these people did and, as far as I know, are still doing. Read more & comment »
February 23rd, 2008 by Lisa McGarry. Tags: Neighbours
My husband is going to be beside himself with delight. He always fancied Libby Kennedy from Neighbours, so no doubt when she returns to our screens in the Aussie soap he will be recording every episode!
Libby returns to look after her mum Susan, who after a period of ill health discovers she has been suffering from mini strokes.
Actress Kym Valentine who plays Libby was last seen on our screens three years ago.
February 12th, 2008 by Lisa McGarry. Tags: Neighbours
Neighbours actor, Ian Smith, has revealed that he has worked hard over the past twenty years to stop the script writers turning his character, Harold Bishop gay.
Ian, who is in Britain to mark Neighbours’ switch from BBC One to Five this week, told The Daily Star: “There was a lot of talk about this. He and Lou once ate a salad together and that means you are gay … in Australia!”
February 8th, 2008 by Lisa McGarry. Tags: Neighbours
The video below has become a surprise YouTube hit this week after Ian Smith, aka Harold Bishop from Neighbours took to Trafalgar Square on Thursday to perform the Neighbours theme tune with his 330 piece brass band.
The performance was to mark the move of Australian soap opera Neighbours from BBC One to Five this Monday.
Ian has admitted this week that he will be taking a reduced role in the soap from now on, to try to avoid the adverse reaction he gets from Aussie youngsters.
February 6th, 2008 by Lisa McGarry. Tags: Neighbours
To mark the move of Australian soap opera, Neighbours, from BBC One to Five next week, The Times have put together a great list of the most memorable moments from the last 22 years of the show.
My personal favourites are Bouncers romantice dream about next door’s sheepdog, and Jim and Doug’s river trip where they mistakenly got high on magic mushrooms! Read more & comment »
February 6th, 2008 by Lisa McGarry. Tags: Neighbours
Ian Smith, the actor who plays Harold Bishop in Australian soap opera, Neighbours has drastically reduced his hours on the show due to the amount of trouble he is given by youngsters in public.
Smithr said: “The recognition I get can be ugly. They hunt in packs, see me, laugh, point, sometimes chuck lager and shout things like, ‘you great, fat stupid ****’.”
Ian, 69, who has played Harold 21 years, added: “I absolutely hate it and by semi-retiring – just coming back for a stint every four months – I become a bit less recognisable and hopefully less subjected to the horrible abuse I’ve suffered.” Read more & comment »