Neighbours finale bigger than Kylie Minogue’s 1988 hair

Erinsborough alumni are heading back to the hood as the final curtain falls on the Australian soapie, but these big names are unlikely inclusions.

There goes the neighbourhood.

So far, the reunion party guest list for the Neighbours finale looks bigger than Kylie Minogue’s 1988 hairstyle.

Minogue, Jason Donovan, Guy Pearce, Peter O’Brien, Melissa Bell, Natalie Bassingthwaighte, Olympia Valance, Jodi Gordon, Kate Kendall, and many more Erinsborough alumni, are heading back to the hood.

Neighbours executive producer, Jason Herbison, said: “Whether the 80s, 90s, noughties or teens is your favourite decade, we’ll be delivering something for everyone as Neighbours draws to a close.”

Kylie Minogue, Anne Charleston and Craig McLachlan on the set of Neighbours in 1988.

However, with so many Ramsay St residents returning for one more ride around the famous cul-de-sac, there was always the prospect some former householders wouldn’t return.

They have their reasons, of course — prior commitments, work, Hollywood schedules, long distances, or plain common sense they’d never be involved anyway.

But, possible Zoom calls pending, or that email trick they used to sneak Samantha Jones into the Sex And The City reboot, here are 10 neighbours unlikely to take a final bow on Neighbours.

Delta Goodrem on the Neighbours set in 2003.

DELTA GOODREM – NINA TUCKER

Goodrem catapulted from Ramsay St to pop superstardom with hits including Born To Try, Lost Without You and Sitting On Top Of The World. She was cast on Neighbours as an aspiring singer, then turned into the real thing. But Goodrem was always grateful for the role, and the showbiz experience it gave her. She said: “It truly is the end of an era. The show was a true school of the industry for so many people’s paths including mine.”

Russell Crowe in a scene with Jason Donovan (L) in 1987.

RUSSELL CROWE – KENNY LARKIN

He was a minor character who only lasted four episodes. After that, of course, he became the Gladiator, Oscar winner, and critically acclaimed actor of blockbuster hits including Cinderella Man and A Beautiful Mind. But poor Rusty played down his minuscule role in Neighbours, once saying: “I was on that set for three hours one morning … it’s really unfair to keep associating me with the show. It was a wage. I was young. I needed the money.”

Liam Hemsworth played Josh.

LIAM HEMSWORTH – JOSH TAYLOR

Liam moved into the neighbourhood for one — repeat, one — episode. But for the self-described “naughty kid” at school, the experience was enough to inspire a future in acting, and movies including Hunger Games. He once said: “When I came back to school after Neighbours, I just didn’t want to be there anymore. My head wasn’t in the same place and I knew I had to get out.”

Ben Mendelsohn went from Neighbours to Spider-Man and Animal Kingdom.

BEN MENDELSOHN – WARREN MURPHY

His film and television credits include Animal Kingdom, Spider-Man: Far From Home, and an iconic movie set in a galaxy far, far away — Star Wars: Rogue One. But Ben has never gone to the dark side regarding his time in Ramsay St. “Neighbours and Home And Away have potentially produced, or had more people, who have gone on to have spectacular careers through their doors than any other show I can think of. No other shows have come close,” he said. “It’s sink or swim. It pays off hugely to have worked in that style of television.”

Margot Robbie (R) with Carla Bonner and Alan Fletcher.

MARGOT ROBBIE – DONNA BROWN

Margot says Neighbours prepared her for the big league. “It was a brilliant training ground. I used to sit down with 60 pages in my lap in a morning and just fly through it, read it once. Got it,” she said. “I don’t think I could do that now.’ Her Tinseltown success stories include Suicide Squad and Once Upon A Time In Hollywood. She said working on Neighbours taught her to be aware of every department. “In feature films,” she said, “you can kind of be like, “Oh, everyone can work around my process.”

Ashleigh Brewer starred in Neighbours before joining The Bold and The Beautiful in the US.

ASHLEIGH BREWER – KATE RAMSAY

Ashleigh trained on Ramsay St before getting recruited to the sudsiest soap of them all, the US institution, Bold and The Beautiful. “I doubt (Brewer’s LA success) would have come up without the platform of Neighbours, I started there when I was 17 and I adored my time there.” She added: “I look back on it as one of the best experiences of my life in terms of growth, I’m so grateful for Neighbours.”

Madeline West is taking a tilt at politics.

MADELEINE WEST – DEE BLISS

Her Neighbours character came back from the dead once, but she won’t be seen alive in the finale. West is also hoping for a different role next year. She is taking a tilt at politics, and will run in the 2023 NSW state election. West isn’t sad about not returning to Neighbours for a final fling. “I like the idea that I’m forever going to be remembered as the girl who married Toadie, then died on her wedding day,” she once said, adding the demise of Neighbours signals “a time of change … (and) it’s time to divert some funds towards another type of storytelling.”

Holly Valance in 2002, during her last day on set.

HOLLY VALANCE – FELICITY SCULLY

Let’s be real — Holly doesn’t need the finale money, but her work ethic was always inspiring. She briefly flirted with pop stardom, smooching all the way to No.1 with Kiss Kiss. She’s married to a billionaire, and her sister is Olympia Valance. Winning much? Yet, Holly knows her roots are back in Ramsay St. “There is no better way to learn than on the job. You are thrown in the deep end,” she said. “No amount of training could prepare you for the workload and schedule. It’s the best place to start, and you have the best work ethic afterwards.”

Natalie Imbruglia (L) with former Neighbours castmates Bruce Samazan, Rachael Blake, Kimberley Davies and Sara Vandenberg.

NATALIE IMBRUGLIA – BETH BRENNAN

Natalie also went the pop route of Kylie and, gulp, Gayle and Gillian Blakeney, but with slight alt-indie cred. Torn and Wrong Impression were bangers, and 25 years since those releases, Imbruglia is still making music. Her Neighbours memories are still fuzzy and fond. “I have a lot of great friendships from that time, and it was a really good introduction to the industry,” she once said. “I learned a lot, and it’s the reason I’m still here.”

CRAIG MCLACHLAN – HENRY RAMSAY

McLachlan, cast as a loveable larrikin, moved from Erinsborough to Summer Bay, and musical theatre to TV detective, and lest we forget that chart-topping detour with Hey Mona, the biggest selling single of 1991. “I feel lots of emotion about it – for being lucky enough to be part of that golden era of the show,” McLachlan said about the inevitable end of Neighbours. “It really was a magic time for all of us, that this little show we all loved so much had become so popular.”

Originally published as Neighbours finale bigger than Kylie Minogue’s 1988 hair