Only a few months remain till Neighbours returns, and Amazon has revealed seven additional cast members will be returning to Ramsay Street.
The return of Georgie Stone (Mackenzie Hargreaves), Rebekah Elmaloglou (Terese Willis), Annie Jones (Jane Harris), and Tim Kano (Leo Tanaka) as regulars was revealed in a video shared on the soap’s social media channels.
We’re thrilled to share that Tim Kano, Annie Jones, Georgie Stone, and Rebekah Elmaloglou will all be appearing in new episodes of #Neighbours later this year! 🎉✨ Moreover, Ian Smith, Melissa Bell, and April Rose Pengilly will make special guest appearances! pic.twitter.com/6ZLKkmKJWE
— Neighbours on February 28, 2023 (@neighbours)
In the Lassiters facility, the four actors are shown swapping phones back and forth until the clip ends with an enthusiastic “see you soon!”
Ian Smith (Harold Bishop), April Rose Pengilly (Chloe Brennan), and Melissa Bell (Lucy Robinson) will all return to the returning series in a guest role.
The four Neighbours legends, Alan Fletcher (Karl Kennedy), Jackie Woodburne (Susan Kennedy), Stefan Dennis (Paul Robinson), and Ryan Moloney (Toadie Rebecchi), whose comeback to the show was announced back in November, are included in today’s announcement.
Rebekah, who made her debut on Ramsay Street in May 2013 as Terese Willis, elucidated her thoughts on the show’s return:
Sincerity be damned, she admitted, “I’m just as clueless as our fans, and equally as thrilled, and a little nervous, to see what the writers have planned for Terese.” Paul will undoubtedly be present in the shadows. Really missing Melbourne right now.
Terese and Paul separated during the final season of the show, went through the divorce process, and then reconciled in the final episode.
In 1986, Annie, who played Jane Harris, a.k.a. “Plain Jane Superbrain,” on Neighbours, said:
I’m so thrilled to be returning for this new Neighbours chapter. Being asked to return to the cast was completely unexpected, but it was an amazing thrill. I’m eager to learn about Jane’s upcoming adventures.
Beginning in 2019, Georgie Stone played Mackenzie Hargreaves, first in a guest role until being elevated to a main cast member. After the announcement, she commented on Facebook:
We are approaching Ramsay Street. (again!) Very thrilled to be returning to Neighbours with these icons. Watch this space!
The series’ executive producer, Jason Herbison, who appeared in the not-quite-final episode in July, also offered his thoughts on the news:
There will be more returns in the upcoming months, and we are excited to announce the most recent group of them. The upcoming episode of Neighbours will be a fantastic blend of the old and the new. With new twists and surprises, it will be the Erinsborough we know and love, he added.
Two times in the previous week, there have been hints about the impending announcement, first by Jodi Gordon (Elly Conway) on Studio 10 on February 22. When host Angela Bishop questioned her about a potential return, she gave a subtle yet confident response:
There are discussions going on, she informed Bishop. And I’m grinning broadly as I say that.
While Jodi Gordon’s comeback hasn’t been confirmed in the episode of today, April Rose Pengilly’s return as Chloe Brennan as a guest star does imply that we might learn more about “Chelly” when we visit Ramsay Street again later this year.
The majority of Ramsay Street residents were going to sell their homes and move on in the final episodes of Neighbours. The majority ultimately elected to remain, but Chloe was the only one to actually make the change, departing to resume her relationship with her ex-fling Elly.
Tim Kano, who has been playing Leo Tanaka since 2016, told The Daily Telegraph three days later that he wouldn’t be disclosing any information but that there would soon be some breaking news.
He told the publication, “There will be a few announcements about what is occurring, the new cast, and the future of the show, it is absolutely amazing.”
Jason Donovan’s portrayal of Scott Robinson is one that won’t be returning.
On the final episode of the show, he and Kylie Minogue played teenage sweethearts Scott and Charlene once more. On a recent episode of Studio 10, Jason made the announcement that no one in his family, including his daughter Jemma, who recently joined the cast of Hollyoaks and portrayed Harlow Robinson, will be returning to Neighbours later this year.
He did, however, inform the presenters that he had been asked about returning for the reboot, and that the producers wanted him to do so in order to wrap up a certain plot line.
He informed the presenters, “There was discussion of anything to tie something up. There was talk about tying up a loose thread, but I don’t believe that will happen.
According to executive producer Jason Herbison, other returnees as well as a few new faces will be appearing. The comeback of the soap opera is undoubtedly going to be the biggest television event of the year.
In Fremantle’s studios in Nunawading, work is anticipated to start up again in April.
