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Duncan Raban/EMPICS Entertainment

Australian soap opera 'Neighbours' is turning thirty today

The Australian soap opera launched the careers of Guy Pearce, Kylie Minogue and Liam Hemsworth.

TODAY MARKS THE thirtieth anniversary of Australian soap opera ‘Neighbours’.

The show was first broadcast in Australia on 18 March 1985 and now goes out to more than 50 countries around the world.

As part of the show’s anniversary, a special programme has been broadcast on Channel 10 in Australia featuring a number of the show’s former cast members.

Careers launched

The show has launched a large number of international careers over the years.

Personalities who started out in the show include Guy Pearce, Kylie Minogue, Margot Robbie, Liam Hemsworth, Chris Hemsworth and Alan Dale.

Oscar winner Russell Crowe also briefly appeared in the programme in a four-episode stint as Kenny Larkin in 1987.

Jasper Bagg / YouTube

Reunion 

Several former cast members have been paying tribute to the show on Twitter. There has also been a tribute made to the programme by the cast of Eastenders. 

Harold Bishop, a character famous associated with the Salvation Army, has been praised from the group on Twitter.

The anniversary is set to see Madge Bishop, played by Anne Charleston, returning to the soap – despite her character having been killed off in 2001.

This will see her reunited with her husband, Harold Bishop. She had previously appeared in the show for two periods between 1986 and 1992 and between 1996 and 2001.

Ten Insider / YouTube

The only character remaining on the programme from its original broadcast is resident Ramsey Street bad guy Paul Robinson.

Robinson, played by actor Stefan Dennis, is set to be accidentally diagnosed with leukaemia in a forthcoming episode. Dennis recently told DigitalSpy that the storyline would take Paul on a “dark journey”.

Read: What is The Jinx and why is everyone talking about it?

Also: Burger Wars – McDonald’s have now officially objected to Supermac’s Australian project

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    Mute Neil Hennessy
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    Mar 18th 2015, 7:36 PM

    You left out Jason Donovan, FFS.

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    Mute Audrey McGuinness
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    Mar 18th 2015, 7:46 PM

    Cannot believe I just read an article about Neighbours and no mention of Jason Donovan!!!! Shameful…

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    Mute Spilt Pint
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    Mar 18th 2015, 7:53 PM

    Maybe he didn’t R.S.V.P.?

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    Mute dj dangermouse
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    Mar 18th 2015, 8:38 PM

    Is he off the smack?

    7
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    Mute Audrey McGuinness
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    Mar 18th 2015, 8:48 PM

    Well I’d say he’s still give you one if you asked nicely…

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    Mute dj dangermouse
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    Mar 18th 2015, 8:59 PM

    Ouch.

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    Mute WJH
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    Mar 18th 2015, 7:09 PM

    Used to watch it religiously every day back in the 80′s. And then I woke up one morning and realised it was rubbish and have not watched it since.

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    Mute Tony Canning
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    Mar 18th 2015, 7:28 PM

    I don’t know why it sticks but for some reason I remember some bit about a play and a lady playing the part of the “maniacal mud pie”

    It pops into my head every flippin time anythin neighbours related comes up…

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    Mute Bedwyr Owen
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    Mar 19th 2015, 12:15 AM

    Was it Mrs Mangled?

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    Mute Lily
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    Mar 18th 2015, 7:45 PM

    Got stopped from watching neighbours in 87/88 because of the story line between Kylie and Jason. They were discussing where/when they should get it on and my dad asked if I knew what they were taking about. I said ‘yes’ and that was it, neighbours banned. I was 7/8 at the time. Haven’t watched it since.

    I do love Home and Away though.

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    Mute Derek
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    Mar 18th 2015, 10:56 PM

    Haha that’s gas, twas about the same time I stopped, not because of that ridiculous love story but I realised at that same young age I simple hated soaps and all that manufactured drama. I still avoid all forms of relationship stories/drama soaps and series today. I had already stopped watching Cornation St and Glenroe and used to play with lego while my parents or sisters watched them. Living with other in my early twenties reintroduced me to Home&Away and I started drinking tea for a reason to get up, leave the room and make a pot for everyone and then I’d go get dinner while the 1.5hr of soaps were on nearly everyday of the week.

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    Mute Neal Ireland Hello
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    Mar 18th 2015, 7:20 PM

    Brings back memories of waiting for my friends to finish watching their stupid soap so they could come out and play like normal kids.

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    Mute little jim
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    Mar 18th 2015, 9:48 PM

    No tv?
    Still stings…

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    Mute IrishGravyTrain
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    Mar 18th 2015, 7:08 PM

    How many countries is that great Irish soap Fair City sold to? Lol

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    Mute Neal Ireland Hello
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    Mar 18th 2015, 7:21 PM

    Several including all over the United States, where people voluntarily pay a premium subscription for it.

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    Mute Colin
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    Mar 18th 2015, 8:34 PM

    Didn’t know that. I knew it was sold to a small UK based channel that went belly up years ago. Never heard of the US subscription service or it being expired to other countries. Good stuff.

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    Mute Colin
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    Mar 18th 2015, 8:35 PM

    *exported*

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    Mute John Collins
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    Mar 18th 2015, 7:27 PM

    Home & Away for life!

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    Mute simon shewster
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    Mar 18th 2015, 7:18 PM

    How does madge come back into it?

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    Mute IrishGravyTrain
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    Mar 18th 2015, 7:20 PM

    A bit like how Spock returned in Star Trek.

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    Mute Spilt Pint
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    Mar 18th 2015, 7:51 PM

    By Madgic

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    Mute Billy Chenowith
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    Mar 18th 2015, 8:18 PM

    She’s a figment of Harold’s imagination. No, seriously.

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    Mute Dave Murray
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    Mar 18th 2015, 9:19 PM

    Was Chris Helmsworth not in Home And Away?

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    Mute rach
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    Mar 18th 2015, 10:40 PM

    Yes he was but the article is about his bro liam who was in it!

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    Mute Dave Slattery
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    Mar 19th 2015, 8:07 AM

    It say Chris who was in home and away not neighbours

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    Mute Chauncey Gardiner
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    Mar 18th 2015, 11:17 PM

    I remember when Bouncer saved Madge from a chip pan fire and his his crazy dream sequence!

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    Mute Ken Pepper
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    Mar 18th 2015, 8:46 PM

    Helen Daniels…
    Hubba hubba

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    Mute Mary Dundee
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    Mar 18th 2015, 8:42 PM

    i remember watching the first episode….starting to feel old now!

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    Mute Luke D
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    Mar 18th 2015, 8:07 PM

    Soaps are usually awful.

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    Mute Derek
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    Mar 18th 2015, 11:21 PM

    From stupidly created situation which obviously go’s awry to a cheating/back stabbing storys which then gets flogged to death from anywhere to a week to six months. Its always negative crap and I think it’s unhealthy for the nation to be glued to the depressed fictional lives of saps every day of the week. How that’s seen as ‘entertainment’ by so many still baffles me.

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