Rats in bondage gear and the ‘cockroach’ with 300 online profiles, TV insiders tell of bizarre behaviour of Neighbours fans

Neighbours insiders have dished on the weird fan behaviour they put up with, from receiving disturbing items in the mail to one obsessive fan who had trouble separating fact from fiction.

Jordy Lucas and Alexandria Funnell host the That's Showbiz, Baby! podcast.

The bizarre behaviour of over enthusiastic soap fans has been laid bare by two Neighbours insiders who have told of receiving shockingly inappropriate items in the mail and managing obsessive social media followers while working on the show.

The hit Netflix series Baby Reindeer has brought the issue of unsettling fan behaviour to the mainstream and prompted former Neighbours star Jordy Lucas and former Neighbours social media producer, Alexandria Funnell, to share their most intense fan interactions on their That’s Showbiz, Baby! podcast.

For Lucas, who played Summer Hoyland between 2010 and 2013, it was photos of a cat and rat in leather bondage gear contained in a disturbing three page letter from a man, that caused concern.

Jordy Lucas (left) played Summer Hoyland on Neighbours between 2010 and 2013. Picture: Supplied

“One (photo was of) him with tight leather pants on with a crucifix coming out of his crotch,” Lucas said on That’s Showbiz, Baby!

“Number two was … a picture of a dog bowl, or a bowl that an animal would drink out of, and a cat and a rat, both in leather bondage costumes, drinking out of a bowl.

“There was nothing directed at me, it (the letter) was not threatening, but it was very clear that whoever had sent this was very unwell.”

Funnell’s experience managing a highly emotional fan on the Neighbours social media accounts and forums was more involved and exhausting.

The unnamed fan, who was based in the UK, was most active in the mid 2000s and deeply believed in the relationship between Kate Ramsay, played by Ashleigh Brewer and Mark Brennan, played by Scott McGregor.

Former Neighbours stars Scott McGregor and Ashleigh Brewer. Picture: Supplied

Jordy Lucas with her Neigbours co-star Margot Robbie in their days on the soap. Picture: Supplied

“In the bible (guide book) of how to do my role we had an entire section dedicated to this particular fan because she was such a problem,” Funnell said.

“Part of my workflow was controlling and maintaining the hundreds and hundred of comments and new accounts that she would create on a daily basis and it was hilarious but exhausting.

“She was relentless in her posting and her obsession. She was like a cockroach, you could not block her enough times because she would continuously create new accounts.”

Funnell said after being blocked the fan would create a new account and play it cool for a few weeks.

“But then, sure enough, something would happen and it would send her over the edge and she would be like ‘BRING BACK MARK’, BRING BACK MARK’, KATE ISN’T DEAD’,” Funnell said.

“It was just like capitals continuously. It went on for years and years and what she would do is turn on other fans who dared to suggest that Kate and Mark did not belong together.”

Alan Fletcher, Gabriella Darlington and Jordy Lucas on Neighbours. Picture: Supplied

Jordy Lucas is now a successful podcast host and producer. Picture: Supplied

The fan even found Funnell’s personal social media.

“If I made a mistake when I was uploading a photo gallery or something she would message me personally and be like ‘just so you know, you f---ing moron, you haven’t put the episode stills in the right order’,” she said.

Funnell said she had been contacted by a Neighbours fan in the UK who had also drawn the wrath of the Ramsay St devotee who told her it was estimated the individual had created up to 300 profiles on Twitter and Facebook.

Channel 10 and Fremantle, via 10, were contacted for comment.