Nowadays, the world of television has taken over our lives. Rather than interacting with our neighbors or work colleagues, we associate with our favorite fictional characters – because let’s be honest, their lives are much more interesting than ours. Yet, with new and exciting shows being created every single week, scripts, storylines, and actors find themselves fighting for the top spot. However, in a world full of retro spirit and an inability to digest change, new shows often find themselves struggling at the bottom of the rating list, as the longest-running shows in the world dominate the charts. Indeed, with the likes of The Simpsons, Law & Order, South Park, Top Gear, and The Tonight Show still going strong, it seems as though their viewership won’t be waning anytime soon. However, if you have a keen eye for statistics and unusual general knowledge under your belt, you might know that we have left one important TV show off that list. Of course, we’re talking about the popular show from Down Under; Neighbours. But have you ever wondered what the cast of Neighbours look like when they’re not living on Ramsey Street?
Even if you don’t live in Australia, there’s a high chance you’ve still heard of Neighbours. As one of the biggest Australian soap operas, it is one of the longest-running TV shows to grace our screens and has reached millions of people across the world. Neighbours first came onto our screens in 1985 when it was commissioned by Australia’s Seven Network. Although the storylines aimed to bring to light realistic stories and problems everyday people face in the world, the show was incredibly underwhelming and struggled to reach its targets. After months of poor viewership, Seven Network made the executive decision to take Neighbours off our screens – but not before the show was bought by a rival Australian network, Ten. With new sets in place, new concepts and new scripts, the second season of Neighbours debuted in 1986. Amazingly, this change has thrust the show into the world of legends, and it’s still running today. In fact, Neighbours is in its 34th season and just as popular as ever.
Of course, there are many reasons why fans of Neighbours tune in each week to watch the residents of Ramsay Street deal with their everyday lives, but one of the most impressive aspects is the cast. Over the course of its run, Neighbours has debuted the talents of some of the biggest Australian actors and actresses. Many of them are still working on the show today, others have disappeared out of the spotlight, and others have become Hollywood legends. This is what the cast of Neighbours are up to now…
[post_page_title]Annie Jones – Then[/post_page_title]
Although she is a hugely talented actress, Annie Jones struggled to get her start on Neighbours. She originally auditioned to play Charlene Mitchell but was unsuccessful. Nevertheless, she was incredibly persistent and eventually landed herself a major role as Jane Harris in 1986. The character Jane is known for being quiet, mousey and very plain looking. She is so plain that even her own mother forces her to wear stylish clothing because she thinks her daughter looks too dowdy.
