Upcoming Neighbours Spoilers:
Development Plans To Threaten Erinsborough : The Rise Of Quill Towers
Is it just us or is there always somebody trying to bulldoze something in Erinsborough? Once again the small businesses in Erinsborough are at risk and this time it’s the new Quill group who have taken over Lassiters that are trying to make it happen. When Amanda Fowke begins sniffing around small businesses in the area including Toadie’s law office Imogen is suspicious. It’s her mother Terese that stumbles upon the real plan though when she sneaks a look into Mrs Quills personal work and discovers work is underway on getting a tower built, built right on top of the current complex.
When Lauren asks if she can do more renovations on Harold’s (because lets face it the last work didn’t help the look of the place) Terese declines the request knowing she would be funneling money into a doomed business. However convinced she is acting out because she is with her husband, Lauren complains to Brad who in turn gives Terese a serve. Irritated by Brad’s outburse Terese is past caring and gives the renovations the go ahead, no longer caring about doing the right thing.
Coming Up
- Paul’s plans for the hotel development hit a major hurdle when he’s confronted with Doug’s cheque thank to some digging from Lyn. Paul insists that Doug is a willing investor, but when Brad finds out he is furious that Paul apparently took advantage of his vulnerable father. But has anybody actually thought to ask Doug what he thinks about it all?
- Gary Canning is up for parole and Xanthe couldn’t be happier about having her father coming home. All looks set for him to move in to number 26 until Kyle voices his concerns to Gary. The next thing anybody hears is that Gary has sabotaged his release by getting into a fight and is refusing an appeal. How will Xanthe take the news?
- Feeling protective of Doug, Josh gets the motel into some trouble with the council. Felling bad about his actions he tries to make amends and offers to work there by way of an apology, but really he plans to make sure Doug is treated fairly.
- With Lou’s encouragement, Paige decides to apply to study Fine Arts at Eden Hills University, hoping that the change in lifestyle will broaden her mind and launch her on a new path of self discovery.
- Somebody has vandalised Tim Collins’s car and his is quick to point the blame firmly at Sonya. When the real culprit is revealed it seems like it may well be too late to stop damage to her mayoral campaign. With her coming to the conclusions the accusations have thwarted her bid, the results of the voting are revealed.
Source http://www.idiotbox.co.uk/
Neighbours' series producer, Jason Herbison
Spoiler Warning! Please note that this interview contains spoilers!
Last time we spoke we were preparing for the 30th Anniversary celebrations to begin on screen. How happy were you with the way the 2015 season turned out on screen? Did anything work out better than expected and was there anything that didn¹t translate so well from script to screen?
2015 was a huge year for the show and there were many highlights for me. I loved the nostalgia of the Erinsborough Festival, Naomi's many escapades and Steph's return, just to name a few. That said, when you make 240 episodes a year, there are always going to be things that don't turn out as well as you hoped. Many factors can determine whether a scene, an episode or an entire story works - sometimes the reason is beyond all control. For something that didn't translate, perhaps I'll say Toadie's jumping castle accident. We had every production challenge in the world - including wet weather - and the stunt and fanfare didn't quite have the gravitas that we imagined. The subsequent episodes in the hospital were fantastic though, so it's not a comment on the whole story. I think it's the nature of fast moving serial television. I am in constant awe of the cast and crew - what they deliver on a weekly basis is incredible - and we are always constantly learning from our experiences.
I am also very proud of the fact that we achieved our highest lunchtime ratings in the UK in over 5 years before Christmas. That was a great way to cap the year off - so thank you to all our viewers.
2015 saw a host of old faces return as part of the year long anniversary celebrations. Which would you say you'd most like to see back again? Can you give us any hints about who else we might see back in Erinsborough during 2016?
I loved all the returnees. Any of them could return in the future with the possible exception of Madge, as I think you can only do a ghost story once. As for 2016, we have already announced the return of Lyn Scully and a recast Charlie Hoyland. We have returns in store for Lou and two members of the Willis family will reappear. We also have actress from the early years of the show filming with us, however she will be playing a different character, one with greater future potential.
Since the main anniversary fortnight we've seen recurring visits from Hilary, Lucas & Vanessa as well as the continued visits from Doug. Do you think these returns are important to show that life and the relationships built don't just end once they leave Ramsay Street?
Absolutely. I think it's very true to real life - friends and family move away - yet it's always wonderful when they come back to visit us. I think it's the same for the audience. That said, I'm wary of bringing people back just for the sake of it. It's also challenging to bring a lot of people back at once because you can't service every story and the regular cast at the same time. For example, with the 30th, we had so much going on that many episodes came in long at the edit stage. The returnee moments were often the ones that ended up on the cutting room floor simply because they weren't essential to the story.
The past year has seen lot of changes in ownership to the Ramsay Street houses, with Terese, the Brennans, Sheila & Lauren all now owning their own homes and Sonya having been given half of Number 30. Was it a conscious decision to tie up all of those loose ends or did it just happen naturally as the story developed?
A bit of both. Lauren's ownership of the Turner house tied up a loose end - we also wanted the kids to lose the money they made from the sale, because kids with money is limiting for story and makes their lives too easy. Mark's purchase of the Brennan house also made sense as Ajay is no longer in the show and it felt authentic for him to want to be a home owner. Sheila and Terese's purchases of their homes came out of Paul losing his empire. There actually wasn't much story in Paul owning half the street - it didn't serve us a lot of purpose in the end.
Many fans were surprised when it was announced that Steph would have a female love interest upon her return. Were you pleased with the way that the story, and Steph's return in general, was handled?
Very pleased. I had some initial reservations mainly because I didn't know if it was true to character, but Carla embraced it and this set my mind at ease. She agreed that it could be played as a love story, regardless of gender. Her performance has been outstanding - she brings so much history to the show. I particularly love her friendship with Toadie and the way it puts Sonya ever so slightly on edge. This feels very true to character. There was a recent scene between the two of them in the hospital where Sonya admitted she felt threatened and she didn't like herself for it. Those scenes are gold to me.
The three-hander with Terese, Brad and Lauren was incredibly successful, with the performance by Rebekah Elmaloglou as Terese being especially praised. Many viewers have noted that the three-hander was almost a turning point in viewer sympathy with it switching from Lauren to Terese. Was this the way the story was intended or do you think Rebekah's performance won people over?
It was always intended that viewer sympathies would shift back and forth. We've tried to play all three as genuinely flawed individuals and capable of both good and bad decisions, as is often the case in real life. Rebekah definitely found the vulnerability in Terese and your heart broke for her, whereas earlier in the story arc she may have been less empathetic. Kate and Kip did an amazing job too. All three actors committed to the material and it was exhilarating to be part of.
What were your thoughts on the episode and would you look to do more episodes like this in the future?
I was really proud of it. I wanted to be very simple and domestic in nature - three people in their home environments and the whole thing unravelling. My only regret is that I wish the drone had been set up better. I thought it was a fresh way for Terese to find out - and fresh ways in a soap aren't easy to come by - and we had another story to explain why the council drone would be flying around and why Paul might be paying attention. Somehow, we didn't quite join the dots and the explanation was only briefly given in a later ep. As for the future, I'm sure there will be another one, two or three hander one day. The story has to warrant it and you can't do them often or they lose their impact.
The Robinsons are perhaps the strongest they've been since Paul returned, with Paul, Daniel, Amy and Jimmy plus Hilary & Lucy popping in and out. Do you think we'll see a Robinson house on Ramsay Street again soon and will we see any more family members stop by?
It's possible. At the moment we are getting fantastic mileage out of Paul and Terese being under the same roof. We can see a day where Amy and Jimmy may live with him but that would be well down the track. We love Hilary and you will continue to see more appearances from her. She will also get a job in the community which is quite useful. Lucy is off on maternity leave in New York but I hope we will see her again soon. We will also be introducing a new Robinson relative within the first half of 2016.
With most of the Turners departing over the last 12 months, the street is now lacking a big family unit once again. Are there any plans to address that this year?
It's always a challenge to maintain big family units when cast leave. We are very aware of the importance of this and you will be seeing new characters fill out the households. We always strive to make the households believable. You have to watch and believe that all the people living under the roof are connected, whether that's through family or friendship or plausible circumstance.
Many fans have been confused about the status of Ben Kirk. Is he going to become a permanent addition to the cast in 2016, or will be continue to pop in and out?
Ben is a regular. Felix Mallard was doing his HSC last year and it made sense for him to come in and out, but he is now filming with us permanently.
Some fans have struggled to connect with the character of Piper since she arrived, with so many scenes centring around her rebelliousness. Will we see a softer side to Piper in 2016, and will we ever find out what her mysterious text messages from Chas were all about?
It often takes the audience a few months to warm to a character although I have certainly seen a lot of Piper fans out there. The writers always strive to find moments to show the softer sides of characters - and scenes which access why they behaving badly if that's the case - and you will see more of these with Piper. I think Mavournee is terrific and she is certainly inspiring the writers with her performance. And yes, the identity of Chas will be revealed in the not too distant future.
The 2016 upfronts from Ten Network mentioned that there will be new faces, with Xanthe Canning being one of them. Who else can we expect to meet this year? It's been mentioned a few times now that the Brennan brothers have a mum and sister in Adelaide. Is there any chance that they'll be amongst them?
As always there will be a number of new characters coming in and out, both regulars and guests. Xanthe is a fun character - we have been discussing her as a 'young Naomi' and by hook or by crook, Sheila is not going to repeat the mistakes she made with Naomi. So there will be a great battle of the generations there with Xanthe determined to push the limits. There will be another Robinson, which is fantastic for Paul, Amy and Daniel. It's highly probable that we'll see the Brennan mum and sister one day. The main challenge with the sister is that there are currently not many young available men she could date that she isn't related to!
New faces inevitably mean that old ones are on their way out. We know that you no longer like to announce cast departures in advance, but can you tell us if we'll be waving goodbye to anyone in the months to come?
Most years see actors come and go. I think 2016 will be the same in that respect but it won't be a massive turnover. The vast majority will be staying which is fantastic for the show. The longer people stay, the more the audience invest.
Over the last few years, the incidents such as the eclipse, the tornado and the school fire have proved popular, pulling together lots of characters and stories, and sparking new plots. Do you intend to do a similar disaster story this year?
We see great value in these noisy stories so you can certainly expect to see more from time to time.
Rumours from the tour have mentioned that Lassiter's is being revamped. With the interior sets of the Lassiter's complex looking the best they've done in a decade, is it finally time to lose the battleship grey of the exterior? Are there any plans to change any of the sets for the Ramsay Street houses, as it's been a few years since any of those were updated?
We are constantly making improvements to the sets and locations when the opportunities arise, the hotel included. You can expect continuing tweaks to the houses but the big set we are currently updating is the school, post fire. The other big news is that we are working very hard to increase our off-site location. For example a couple of the characters will become involved in an enterprise that will take them into a new playing area.
As of January, Australia and the UK are now airing episodes on the same day. What has it meant logistically to break down that two week barrier? Will not having to script two finales mean we can expect a bigger finale this year?
It's fantastic to break down the barrier. It also means our office white boards are much tidier as there is just one set of dates to add! And yes, we have plans for a brilliant season finale to hit both countries at the same time.
Are there any plans for more webisodes this year?
We have a very active and talented digital producer. We are constantly looking at ideas for webisodes and shareable content.
Since the 2016 premiere, we've seen the show feature a new format of recap, new scene, opening credits. What was the reason behind this move and is it here to stay?
It came out of some audience research. The format works very successfully on some of our European sister soaps and we felt it could work for Neighbours. Like any change, we are fine tuning it. We certainly feel that it works best when it's sharp and hooky. I think we all agree it's not quite there yet.
You've received a lot of praise from the cast and viewers for the direction you've steered the show in and for underpinning its foundations. Do you see Neighbours as your home for the foreseeable future or are new horizons on the cards?
That's very gratifying to hear, thank you. I love Neighbours and I'm supported by an incredible team who also love the show, from the story department through to post production and publicity and marketing. It's an honour to work with them and I'm certainly committed in my role for the foreseeable.
Finally, how would you summarise your plans for the show over the coming year?
My objective - which I share with everyone on the show - is always to make Neighbours the best it can possibly be. In story terms, that means well-rounded, relatable characters that the audience will want to invest half an hour of their daily lives in. Whether the storylines are big or small, the audience isn't going to watch if they don't care about the people. In production terms, we're aware that the world has become a little small with shooting mostly confined to the studio and back lot. We've been working on changing this for some time and you will see the results of that as the year progresses.
Source http://perfectblend.net/
New promo reveals Terese's fury and a heartwarming wedding
http://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/neig...rming-wedding/
Because there hasn't already been enough drama for you Neighbours fans to deal with this week, just take a look at the latest trailer.
As the promo above shows, there are happier times ahead for Imogen as she's seen marrying Daniel Robinson - after her brother died to save Daniel this week.
Terese also confronts Paul over the death of her son, blaming him for the Lassiters Hotel explosion.
We also see the first scenes of Josh's son Ned Willis, more from newcomer Andrew Morley as John Doe - who's seen getting close to Paige Smith - and the first scenes of Aussie singer Jai Waetford as a new teen rebel.
Plus, so much more!
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With EastEnders, Coronation Street and Emmerdale all over the place in the schedules at the moment and Doctors off air altogether, you may be in desperate need of an extra soap fix. So the good news is that Aussie favourite Neighbours is soldiering on in its usual daytime slots - with no danger of tuning in and being infuriated to find a football match on instead. Phew.
It's also a very exciting time for Ramsay Street as a number of explosive stories are coming to a head, secrets are being revealed and there are some familiar faces heading back too. So here's our handy guide to the 10 big storylines you should be watching out for over the next few weeks...
1. Who blew up Lassiters?
Mystery man John Doe? Hunky mechanic Tyler? Brooding newbie Ned? Or even local teens Xanthe and Ben? Half of Ramsay Street have found themselves in the frame for the deadly explosion that rocked Lassiters Hotel in April, and with Paul Robinson wrongly jailed for the crime, it's case closed as far as the police are concerned.
But not for long. Next week's dramatic episodes see trusty cop Mark Brennan press ahead with an unauthorised investigation of his own when he finally realises that Paul could be innocent. This leads to the true culprit being exposed on Thursday, June 23 and after weeks of build-up, it's an episode that no Neighbours fan will want to miss.
2. Paul Robinson's revenge
Even the most casual Neighbours fan knows that you don't mess with Paul Robinson and get away with it - but if only the locals would learn. Following the usual rules of soap justice, Paul will be released from prison once the true villain behind the Lassiters explosion is revealed. Sure enough, he doesn't book himself a holiday or put his feet up once he's out - his only ambition is to get back on top where he belongs.
Surprisingly, one of Paul's first moves is to get his niece Madison Robinson a trainee position at a local newspaper. Don't be fooled into thinking it's a charitable act, though, as Paul soon finds that having an insider at the paper has huge advantages. Could he use Madison to get revenge on those who wrongfully sent him to prison?
3. Who is John Doe?
Neighbours' other big ongoing mystery is also coming to a head in dramatic scenes next week, as John Doe finds himself firmly in the frame for the Lassiters explosion after experiencing terrifying flashbacks which seem to point to his guilt.
Whether John does have anything to worry about remains to be seen, but the biggest moment comes when his memories finally start to return under questioning from Mark. Here at Digital Spy, we've been let in on the secret of who John is and we certainly didn't see it coming. And neither does John's love interest Paige Smith as she's left to wonder what the earth-shattering revelation means for her...
4. Sarah Beaumont's return
Viewers were shocked in April when Sarah Beaumont returned with the tragic news that she was seriously ill. Sarah has since packed herself off to Germany for some specialist treatment, leaving her teenage son Angus completely oblivious to her condition as he stays with the Kennedys.
When Angus finally discovers the truth this month, it's not long before Sarah arrives back on Ramsay Street to face the music. But has her health improved? Can Angus forgive her for keeping the devastating secret from him? And when Sarah suggests that Angus should come back to Germany with her, will he even want to go? You can catch Nicola Charles's comeback scenes in the role on June 27.
5. Toadie and Sonya hit the rocks
They've had nearly as many marital dramas as Karl and Susan, but don't expect a peaceful time for Toadie and Sonya Rebecchi. The much-loved couple are rocked when Sonya's father Walter begs them to have their young daughter Nell tested as a possible bone marrow match for Sonya's half-sister Zoe, who is seriously ill.
Never one to turn down someone in need, Sonya goes behind Toadie's back to have Nell tested. It's a bad decision that has major consequences in the weeks that follow, as Toadie struggles to get over her betrayal. Can they move on from this?
6. Amy Williams's surprising past is exposed
Amy's already had a fairly eventful year on Ramsay Street with Paul and Jimmy both giving her plenty to worry about, but what about her own backstory?
Well, the good news is that the Neighbours writers will start delving into Amy's past in a new story starting very soon. It's all prompted when Amy is confronted by an old acquaintance, who refers to her as Anika rather than Amy. But who on earth is Anika and what does Amy have to hide? She may well have some explaining to do if her loved ones on Ramsay Street find out...
7. Piper and Tyler's forbidden romance
It's clear that the chemistry between Piper Willis and Tyler Brennan just won't go away, so they're fooling nobody with their promises to just stay friends.
It's Tyler who continues to resist a possible relationship over the next few weeks, believing that the age gap between them would cause too much drama with Piper's protective parents Brad and Terese. But can Piper find her way around that with a little white lie? From what we've heard, she might get her man sooner rather than later - but will her deception be worth it?
8. Belinda makes a dramatic return
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Belinda accuses Steph of telling the police about 'them'
© Channel 5
As nice as it is to see Steph Scully all loved up with Mark Brennan, it just wouldn't be Erinsborough without a huge spanner thrown into the works. Steph's old flame Belinda Bell is more than capable of providing just that when she arrives back on the Street unexpectedly next month.
Belinda has unfinished business with Steph and her arrival will unsettle Mark, as some dramatic circumstances elsewhere in Erinsborough leave him wondering exactly what she's capable of. A big new trailer recently released by Neighbours also showed Belinda planting a kiss on Steph, witnessed by Steph's son Charlie. Will Steph reciprocate her feelings and could this cause fireworks with Mark?
9. Gary Canning comes out of prison
Gary Canning is being released from jail and heading back to live with his family at Number 26, but can he really be a good father to his teenage daughter Xanthe?
While Gary seems to be a reformed character after two years in prison, fans can expect to see him making one parental blunder after another - all under Sheila's watchful eye. With the financial pressures of raising a teenager to consider too, can Gary really stay on the straight and narrow, or will he make even more poor choices for the sake of his daughter?
10. Elly Conway returns to Ramsay Street
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© Getty Images Scott Barbour
Remember Susan Kennedy's niece Elly, who was last seen on the Street in 2002? Well, don't worry too much if you don't - she's now been recast and one of Home and Away's most memorable former cast members will be taking over the role.
Yep, Jodi Anasta - better known as Summer Bay's Martha MacKenzie - has landed the role of Elly, who'll be returning in the second half of July as a new English teacher for Erinsborough High. Elly arrives on the night of the school formal and immediately clashes with one of her new students. She'll also be taking an interest in one local man in particular, but is there more to her arrival than meets the eye?
Digital Spy
Neighbours confirms deadly hot air balloon stunt
Neighbours have released an explosive new trailer teasing a horrifying hot air balloon stunt that will change Ramsay Street forever.
https://youtu.be/TEuEjNWSv98
Rumours about the story have been rife among fans for a while, but the epic new promo previews it - along with much, much more.
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Neighbours hot air balloon disaster
Several residents including sisters Piper Willis and Paige Smith, Lauren Turner and Elly Conway will be on board when the hot air balloon comes crashing down.
And as doctor Karl Kennedy can later be seen saying "she hasn't got much time", does this mean we are about to lose a Neighbours favourite?
Other plots teased in the trailer are Steph and Mark's baby plans, Xanthe and Ben preparing to take their relationship to the next level, and priest Jack appearing to declare his love for Paige.
Digital Spy
