The filming of Neighbours has restarted, and we’ve already seen several of the new characters and returning actors, including one who wasn’t previously mentioned.
Over 37 years after the first episode of the show aired in Australia, production on the final episode was completed on June 10th, 2022.
After being salvaged by Amazon late last year, the programme is now filming its first scenes for the relaunched season less than a year after it originally debuted.
Channel 10, the show’s Australian home since 1986, has been running a series of features across its shows and has given us a few hints as to what’s in store. Cameras have been rolling for the first time in almost a year.
This morning at 10am, Studio 10 began airing a variety of pieces from Nunawading Studios, which houses the indoor sets for Neighbours and the Lassiters backlot.
Alan Fletcher (Karl Kennedy), Stefan Dennis (Paul Robinson), Rebekah Elmaloglou (Terese Willis), Lucinda Cowden (Melanie), and Annie Jones (Jane Harris), who are all repeating their roles on the revamped programme, were among the returning cast members Angela Bishop spoke with.
During his lengthy run on the show, Stefan Dennis, who has seen Neighbours cancelled twice, cut a gold ribbon to formally reopen the Lassiters complex.
When asked about what was in store, all five stayed very mum, and the only possible spoiler was that Terese and Paul are still together.
In the last season of the show, the couple started divorce proceedings with both of them intending to move away from Ramsay Street and start again. Only in the finale did they get back together.
In response to Angela’s quip that Terese would have to deal with “pash rash” on the new show, Stefan rubbed his stubble across his on-screen wife’s face. Stefan then affirmed that he would be going back to Paul’s clean-shaven look before walking in front of the cameras once more.
Angela tried her hardest to get Annie Jones, who plays Jane Harris, to divulge any important information about whether Guy Pierce will be there when Neighbours returns later in the year, but the Studio 10 host was unsuccessful.
One of the biggest mysteries is whether Jane and Mike, who were once apart, will be together in the rebooted version of the programme after they reconciled in the final episode.
While the performers refused to reveal anything, Channel 10’s 10 News First visited Pin Oak Court later on Monday and returned with some intriguing revelations, including what appears to be our first glimpse of some new faces.
#Exclusive: Today cameras started rolling once again on Ramsay Street, with all the show’s favourite stars on set and ready for action for day one of @neighbours return. @AngelaBishop has the exclusive look. pic.twitter.com/9jAoqVQLcL
— 10 News First Melbourne (@10NewsFirstMelb) April 17, 2023
A behind-the-scenes look at filming on Pin Oak Court, the suburban Melbourne street where exterior shots of Ramsay Street are taken, was shown in a clip.
The brief film shows actors practising for a scene in which Lloyd Will’s character, Andrew Rodwell, appears to be pushing a huge container across Ramsay Street.
He appears to be heading towards No. 26, the residence where he, his wife Wendy (Candice Leask), and daughter Sadie (Emerald Chan) moved in during the last season of the show.
This is the first confirmation we’ve had that Lloyd Wills will be returning to Neighbours as Andrew Rodwell, even though a number of former cast members have already been confirmed as coming back.
If Candice Leask and Emerald Chan will return to play Wendy and Sadie, that has not yet been confirmed.
Two teenagers, who appear to be played by actors who haven’t been seen before, are following him while walking. One is carrying a box of possessions, while the other is, intriguingly, carrying a sizable picture that was once hung in No. 30’s living room.
The painting was a favourite of Sonya’s (Eve Morey), and in the last few weeks, Mel gave No. 30 a pig-themed makeover to help her feel more at home. It was then placed into Nell’s (Scarlett Anderson) bedroom.
That raises the question of why Andrew would be transferring things away from Toadie’s No. 30 residence and towards his own. Who are the two new teenagers surrounding him, by the way?
Toadie himself comes next after that. After 25 years, is he about to say goodbye to Number 30?
Tim Kano as Leo Tanaka, Georgie Stone as Mackenzie Hargreaves, and Jackie Woodburne as Susan Kennedy are all returning to Neighbours.
April Rose Pengilly as Chloe Brennan, Ian Smith as Harold Bishop, and Melissa Bell as Lucy Robinson are all back in a part-time capacity.
Although it is unknown at this time if Emerald Chan will play Sadie Rodwell again, it is assumed that she will.
Recent footage from audition recordings showing a new character named Demi conversing with Sadie and Mackenzie (Georgie Stone) was discovered by members of the NeighboursFans community.
The audition tape footage also seems to confirm that the time jump that will occur when the show returns may go longer than the single year that many had anticipated.
Hendrix Greyson (Ben Turland), who passed away just weeks before the series finale, will have been gone for about two years, according to the dialogue.