Neighbours veteran Stefan Dennis wins his first individual award

Neighbours veteran Stefan Dennis has won his first individual award as the popular soap notches yet another significant milestone.

Stefan Dennis

Neighbours veteran Stefan Dennis has won his first individual award after 40 years in the industry.

Dennis was named Best Daytime Star while Neighbours won Best Daytime Soap in the UK Inside Soap magazine awards overnight.

“This is a very special prize during what has been a hard year for many people and a big thank you to our UK fans who have stuck with us through thick, thin and COVID,” said Dennis, who is the only remaining original cast member from the first episode of Neighbours in 1985.

The long-running soap notched another milestone on Monday night when its 8,500th episode aired.

Neighbours has hit its 8500th episode

“It’s an incredible milestone and very simply put, Neighbours is in a very small and let’s say royal minority of television shows around the world that have clocked up that many episodes. It’s a rare thing these days,’’ Dennis said.

“The changes have been massive, and some of them wouldn’t even be noticed by the general public — by that I’m talking about the technological changes, the changes of cameras, filters, lighting and the public probably wouldn’t see that over time.”

How long can the show go on?

“This is a question that has been asked of me before, and there’s a simple answer — as long as life goes on!” Dennis said.

“The reason I say that is because even though it’s incredibly dramatised and condensed, most of the storylines that happen on Neighbours are gathered from real life.

“We are presenting a story about life, we are presenting stories that happen within a street and within the community of that street. As long as there are life stories, there will be fodder for Neighbours to keep going.”

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