Neighbours 1986 titles. Scott Robinson on his skateboard.
Neighbours was the longest serving and most popular drama serial in Australian TV history. It begun in March 1985 in Australia, and first aired in the UK since October 1986, 18 months after it first aired in Australia on Channel Ten.
The show was created in 1984 by Reg Watson. We aim to make this a very comprehensive wiki on all aspects of this great soap opera from 1985 to 2022, and aim to restart this from Episode 8904, when the show returns in 2023, as a streaming service.
With links to previous and next episodes and detailed character and storyline information this is a must see wiki on Neighbours.
Neighbours (1985-2022)
Neighbours is a show which is broadcast on Channel Eleven in Australia but sold overseas. It was first screened in Australia on the 18th March 1985. In the UK it was first shown on the 27th October 1986.
Below is a brief synopsis of the different eras of the show from 1985 to 2022, when the show sadly ended after its UK channel pulled out of funding the show for Channel 7 in Australia after 8,903 episodes.
1985
In March 1985, the show featured 3 main families, the Ramsays, Robinsons and Clarkes. Max Ramsay and Maria Ramsay, thier children Shane Ramsay and Danny Ramsay of No 24 Ramsay Street. The Robinsons of No 26 Ramsay Street features widower Jim Robinson, his grown up son Paul Robinson, grown up daughter Julie Robinson, teenage son Scott Robinson and 10 year old Lucy Robinson. The lady of the house was Helen Daniels, Jim's mother in law, and grandmother to his children. Also, their neighbour Des Clarke of No 28 Ramsay Street. The show also featured stripper Daphne Lawrence and Des' mother Eileen Clarke, who made sporadic appearances from April 1985.
The main focal point of the show was indeed Ramsay Street but a lot of the characters were seen working away from Ramsay Street or going to an eatery nearby for evening meals.
The first original character to leave was Maria Ramsay, just 6 months into the shows run. In November 1985, Danny found that he was not Max's real son but Max always said Danny is his son in every way but blood.
1986-1989 (The Scott And Charlene Years)
The start of 1986 marked a new era for the show, which was still less than a year old. Not only did Neighbours move from being shown on Channel Seven to Channel Ten, several new faces were introduced in January 1986, when the 1986 season begun. These were Mike Young, Madge Bishop (then Mitchell), Clive Gibbons and Zoe Davis.
Also the format of the show from the start of the 1986 season onwards was changed somewhat while being a continuation of the 1985 season. More younger characters were introduced, location filming was significantly reduced to Pin Oak Court which dubbed as Ramsay Street, and the backlot which dubbed as The Lassiters Complex, and roles of guest characters was reduced and of course, The Lassiters Complex was introduced into the show.
In February 1986, Scott Robinson returned, but played by Jason Donovan, who was to be more well known for the role as opposed to the previous actor, Darius Perkins. In April 1986, Charlene Mitchell arrived and her and Scott begun dating. They married the following year. When the wedding episode broadcast in the UK, 20 million people watched it.
1986 saw the exit of Max Ramsay and Danny Ramsay and Mrs Mangel's arrival. 1987 saw the arrival of Harold Bishop and Henry Ramsay. And of course Scott and Charlene got wed this year. Other arrivals was Gail Lewis and her father Rob Lewis and departures in 1987 was Clive Gibbons and Shane Ramsay.
1988 saw the arrival of Todd Landers, Katie Landers and their aunty Beverley Marshall plus Sharon Davies and her sister Bronwyn Davies. Daphne Clarke died this year and Mrs Mangel left for England, much to the relief of many Ramsay Street residents.
In July 1988 Charlene moved to Brisbane and Scott followed the following May. This ended the Scott and Charlene era, an era that would never, ever be forgotten.
Mike Young left in late 1989 and Clive Gibbons returned for a few weeks.
1990-1991
1990 saw the introduction of a new family, the Willises, which consisted of Doug Willis, Pam Willis and their children Adam Willis, Gaby Willis, Brad Willis and Cody Willis, as well as the Alessi twins, Christina Alessi and Caroline Alessi and Dorothy Burke. Des Clarke left this year.
In 1991, Harold Bishop was washed out to sea, presumed drowned.
1992-1994
There was several comings and goings over the next few years. 1992 saw the return of Phil and Julie Martin, Phil's daughter Debbie Martin, son Michael Martin and Phil and Julie's daughter Hannah Martin. The Alessi family arrived that year and Lou Carpenter returned for good. Madge Bishop left in 1992 and Paul Robinson left in 1992 but returned briefly in 1993 for his gran Helen's birthday. 1993 saw the departure of another original character, Jim Robinson, when he died of a heart attack.
1994 saw the Willis family leave and the death of Julie Martin, and new arrivals was the Kennedys which consisted of Karl Kennedy, Susan Kennedy and their children Malcolm Kennedy, Libby Kennedy and Billy Kennedy. January 1995 saw Toadfish Rebecchi (Jarod Rebecchi) and his family arrive.
1995
January 1995 saw Toadfish Rebecchi (Jarod Rebecchi) and his family arrive. This year saw somewhat increasingly bizarre storylines.
1996-1999
1998 was a year where the Kennedy, Wilkinson and Martin family were the main families. 1998 was the first full year in the shows history where there was no original characters left after the death of Helen Daniels the previous October.
In October 1999, the Martin family moved to Darwin and were replaced by the Scullys. Joe Scully, Lyn Scully and their children Stephanie Scully, Felicity Scully and Michelle Scully.
2000-2004
1998 was a year where the Kennedy, Wilkinson and Martin family were the main families. 1998 was the first full year in the shows history where there was no original characters left after the death of Helen Daniels the previous October.
2005-2007 (The Fun Bus Era)
This era of the show is nicknamed "The Fun Bus Era" by viewers after a comment from the then producer Luke Devenish to some critical fans to jump aboard the "fun bus". This period, signified by the return of Paul Robinson and the burning of the Lou's Place pub in the 2004 season finale, saw increasingly heightened storylines and situations. This was due to the network wanting the show to be a serious rival against Home and Away once again plus positive viewer reaction to the dramatic Karl/Susan/Izzy love triangle.
2007-2009
After two and a half years of heightened storylines it was deemed time to bring the show back to its roots from mid 2007 in a publicised revamp. The bogan Timmins family were dropped and replaced with the more traditional suburban family The Parkers. Paul Robinson was given a brain tumour in order to explain his recent mafia style behaviour.