gillyH1981
24-09-2013, 13:58
Next in our series of exclusive chats is Neighbours' Richard Jasek - who tells InsideSoap about the exciting year ahead...
Neighbours has been through something of a transformation in the past twelve months. There are new sets, lots of new characters and the return of some old favourites from the past - even if they do have completely new faces! Executive producer Richard Jasek has overhauled the show, with the intent of bringing it back to the Neighbours that everyone loved back in its 80s heyday. As we sit down to grill him, he promises us there are still plenty more surprises in store for the viewers...
Are you pleased with the way people have responded to the new-look Neighbours?
Yes, it's been really thrilling. We wanted to make the show as good as we possibly could for those who've been loyal to us for so long. We knew our viewers wanted to see more of the idyllic parts of Australia's outdoor lifestyle. The mission we set ourselves was to brighten up the show, revamp the sets, create our new backyards and return the focus of the show to its core - nuclear families and communities. People have been really responsive and ratings are steadily improving, both in Australia and the UK. It's incredibly rewarding that our hard work is being enjoyed.
Was it a risk to introduce classic characters like Brad and Lauren but played by different actors?
It was. We asked the original stars (Scott Michaelson and Sarah Vandenbergh), but they no longer act - so we didn't have any choice! I guess there's always a risk with bringing back old characters with different heads but we felt that there's such a strong story between their new families that it was worth it. We're delighted that all of our new actors.
Will Brad and Lauren's history be revisited?
It'll blow up spectacularly as we head into the early stages of next year. There will be some very major ripples from them that spread out across the street. There are lots of theories going around at the moment but ultimately we're going to see one of Lauren's relatives come back to Erinsborough and blow something wide open...
Will we see Brad's other son, Ned and Piper, his youngest daughter with Terese?
The answer is yes but we don't know when. It could be a while off and we're not casting for them yet. We might see some other actors joining the show presently, though - maybe some children or relatives of some established characters. Watch this space!
One of the highlights of the past year has been the explosion at Sonya and Toadie's wedding. Was that a challenge to film?
It was a gigantic logistical enterprise. We film six episodes a week now. We show five and stockpile one, which allows the cast and crew to take breaks throughout the year. Whenever you have things like the explosion, everybody goes that extra mile because they're so proud of their work. It was a thrilling thing to make, especially as we got the 10pm time slot for it in the UK. It would be nice if we could give you another one of the episodes at some stages next year.
Do you plan any more stunts in the meantime?
We're going to be filming one in the next few months in the bush. Somebody's going to hurt themselves very badly and that'll cause ramifications for a long time. Innocent people will be wrongly accused and lives will change forever!
Karl and Susan have had an empty nest for a while. Any new arrivals there?
Well, they've just had Karl's demon child, Holly, come to stay! Karl's going to visit her again early next year and will return home with a very big surprise! There's also going to be a mayoral race, which will throw up some very big challenges for Karl and Susan. That will also involve Paul.
Chris is one of the show's most popular characters - will his family move in?
His relationship with Hudson will soon face some challenges and that will be tough for Chris. He'll stay at the shared house, watching Georgia and Kyle and shaking his head in disbelief! Chris will soon get some big family stories next year. We love him, so we're really excited about that.
Will Kyle and Kate's one-night stand be revealed?
You never know when it might explode in their faces! There are lots of interesting stories to be had out of the problem and it's something we're going to tantalise viewers with for a while but Georgia will have a relative coming to visit, who's going to cause absolute merry hell for everyone!
We're wondering who killed Robbo here in the UK. Was that well received in Oz?
It's been rating really well here, which is encouraging. In some ways, this was a bit of an experiment of how dark we could go in Neighbours. It was about an external threat that people are all morally challenged by. We thought it was really interesting what that would do to people.
How do you feel when you see former cast members achieving success in Hollywood?
I'm proud of them and so proud of the contribution that Neighbours may have been able to make to that great talent. Soaps are now very much looked as an important part of the CV of an aspiring actor. If you can turn it on in a high-turnaround soap and show people how good you are, you can do it anywhere!
Richard Jasek answers your questions
Why did you axe a popular character like Lucas? (Clair, via Facebook)
It's always a really difficult decision. We do it when we feel that their stories wouldn't be as strong as they should be in the future but most of the time we try to ensure that they can always come back.
Are there any plans to occupy the Kapoor house? (Sian, via Facebook)
Not yet. There's going to be a time when nobody is in there and a few unusual things could happen! In due course, the house will be occupied - but I can't tell you any more than that yet...
Which other old characters would you bring back? (Claire, via Facebook)
The welcome mat is always out for Kylie and Jason and they know it! A lot of people ask me about Mark Brennan. Well, remember when I said we were going into the bush? I'll just leave it at that...
Would you ever do a live episode of Neighbours? (Dan, via email).
It's something we're interested in but we're not quite sure how or what. Would we do it at lunchtime or the evening? For Australia or the UK? A special story just for that episode. We might explore all that one day.
Neighbours has been through something of a transformation in the past twelve months. There are new sets, lots of new characters and the return of some old favourites from the past - even if they do have completely new faces! Executive producer Richard Jasek has overhauled the show, with the intent of bringing it back to the Neighbours that everyone loved back in its 80s heyday. As we sit down to grill him, he promises us there are still plenty more surprises in store for the viewers...
Are you pleased with the way people have responded to the new-look Neighbours?
Yes, it's been really thrilling. We wanted to make the show as good as we possibly could for those who've been loyal to us for so long. We knew our viewers wanted to see more of the idyllic parts of Australia's outdoor lifestyle. The mission we set ourselves was to brighten up the show, revamp the sets, create our new backyards and return the focus of the show to its core - nuclear families and communities. People have been really responsive and ratings are steadily improving, both in Australia and the UK. It's incredibly rewarding that our hard work is being enjoyed.
Was it a risk to introduce classic characters like Brad and Lauren but played by different actors?
It was. We asked the original stars (Scott Michaelson and Sarah Vandenbergh), but they no longer act - so we didn't have any choice! I guess there's always a risk with bringing back old characters with different heads but we felt that there's such a strong story between their new families that it was worth it. We're delighted that all of our new actors.
Will Brad and Lauren's history be revisited?
It'll blow up spectacularly as we head into the early stages of next year. There will be some very major ripples from them that spread out across the street. There are lots of theories going around at the moment but ultimately we're going to see one of Lauren's relatives come back to Erinsborough and blow something wide open...
Will we see Brad's other son, Ned and Piper, his youngest daughter with Terese?
The answer is yes but we don't know when. It could be a while off and we're not casting for them yet. We might see some other actors joining the show presently, though - maybe some children or relatives of some established characters. Watch this space!
One of the highlights of the past year has been the explosion at Sonya and Toadie's wedding. Was that a challenge to film?
It was a gigantic logistical enterprise. We film six episodes a week now. We show five and stockpile one, which allows the cast and crew to take breaks throughout the year. Whenever you have things like the explosion, everybody goes that extra mile because they're so proud of their work. It was a thrilling thing to make, especially as we got the 10pm time slot for it in the UK. It would be nice if we could give you another one of the episodes at some stages next year.
Do you plan any more stunts in the meantime?
We're going to be filming one in the next few months in the bush. Somebody's going to hurt themselves very badly and that'll cause ramifications for a long time. Innocent people will be wrongly accused and lives will change forever!
Karl and Susan have had an empty nest for a while. Any new arrivals there?
Well, they've just had Karl's demon child, Holly, come to stay! Karl's going to visit her again early next year and will return home with a very big surprise! There's also going to be a mayoral race, which will throw up some very big challenges for Karl and Susan. That will also involve Paul.
Chris is one of the show's most popular characters - will his family move in?
His relationship with Hudson will soon face some challenges and that will be tough for Chris. He'll stay at the shared house, watching Georgia and Kyle and shaking his head in disbelief! Chris will soon get some big family stories next year. We love him, so we're really excited about that.
Will Kyle and Kate's one-night stand be revealed?
You never know when it might explode in their faces! There are lots of interesting stories to be had out of the problem and it's something we're going to tantalise viewers with for a while but Georgia will have a relative coming to visit, who's going to cause absolute merry hell for everyone!
We're wondering who killed Robbo here in the UK. Was that well received in Oz?
It's been rating really well here, which is encouraging. In some ways, this was a bit of an experiment of how dark we could go in Neighbours. It was about an external threat that people are all morally challenged by. We thought it was really interesting what that would do to people.
How do you feel when you see former cast members achieving success in Hollywood?
I'm proud of them and so proud of the contribution that Neighbours may have been able to make to that great talent. Soaps are now very much looked as an important part of the CV of an aspiring actor. If you can turn it on in a high-turnaround soap and show people how good you are, you can do it anywhere!
Richard Jasek answers your questions
Why did you axe a popular character like Lucas? (Clair, via Facebook)
It's always a really difficult decision. We do it when we feel that their stories wouldn't be as strong as they should be in the future but most of the time we try to ensure that they can always come back.
Are there any plans to occupy the Kapoor house? (Sian, via Facebook)
Not yet. There's going to be a time when nobody is in there and a few unusual things could happen! In due course, the house will be occupied - but I can't tell you any more than that yet...
Which other old characters would you bring back? (Claire, via Facebook)
The welcome mat is always out for Kylie and Jason and they know it! A lot of people ask me about Mark Brennan. Well, remember when I said we were going into the bush? I'll just leave it at that...
Would you ever do a live episode of Neighbours? (Dan, via email).
It's something we're interested in but we're not quite sure how or what. Would we do it at lunchtime or the evening? For Australia or the UK? A special story just for that episode. We might explore all that one day.