Neighbours 35th anniversary: Jackie Woodburne spills on iconic slap moment

Jackie Woodburne has opened up about that memorable slap scene from Neighbours when Susan discovered Karl was having an affair.

It was the slap that was heard around the nation.

When Susan discovered Karl had been having an affair with Sarah, she let him have it with a right hook to the face. And it was brutal.

Ahead of Neighbours’ 35th anniversary week, which kicks off on 10 Peach on Monday night at 6.30pm, news.com.au sat down with Jackie Woodburne who revealed some behind-the-scenes secrets about that iconic scene.

We also spoke to some of the soap’s other most-loved cast members (who are set to return to Ramsay street next week) who revealed their most memorable moments from their time on Neighbours.

Jackie Woodburne who plays Susan Kennedy

After 25 years on the show there have obviously been many memorable days, but I guess the one that stands out is the one we refer to as “The Slap”.

Susan had discovered Karl had cheated on her with Sarah Beaumont and confronted him with the accusation. Susan was angry and inconsolable and in the heat of the argument, she slapped Karl.

It was a pivotal moment in their relationship and I think we all understood how high the stakes were. Everyone stepped up on the day and gave their all.

When the scene was complete, the crew lined up to have a crack at Karl themselves. I still have the photo. It’s hysterical!

Susan when she found out about Karl and Sarah’s affair.

Neighbours stars Alan Fletcher, Jackie Woodburne, Stefan Dennis and Ryan Moloney celebrate the show’s 35th anniversary. Picture: Channel 10

Colette Mann who plays Sheila Canning

There have been many, many memorable moments over the last eight years, but I guess one of the most memorable would be the day I had manure poured all over me.

It was the climax of a long storyline involving Clive Gibbons (Geoff Paine) and myself. We had broken up and then gotten back together behind the back of his new squeeze, Dr Beverley Robinson.

Sheila (played by me) unknowingly blabbed about the affair and was covered in a bucket of “pretend” manure.

The day was particularly memorable because it was the middle of winter at 5pm on one of the coldest days of 2019.

There was a mistake made so we had to do the scene twice. And we had to do it once again the following week in studio, so three times in total. Memorable? Oh yes!

Neighbours actor Colette Mann.

Sheila cops a load of manure on her head.

Alan Fletcher who plays Karl Kennedy

My most memorable day on set was the burning down of Lou’s Place in the Lassiters complex.

It was a night shoot and the culmination of three days of filming packed full of drama and stunts.

Seeing the Lassiters complex on fire was startling but it was also a watershed moment because the rebuilding of the complex started a drastic upgrade to the look of Neighbours.

The show was transformed from a quaint ’80s drama to a modern, sophisticated-looking show.

The most significant moment of the day was the return of arch villain Paul Robinson (played by Stefan Dennis). Almost all the cast and an extended crew were required on the day. It was one of the biggest shoots ever completed.

Lou's Place burning on Neighbours.

Stefan Dennis who plays Paul Robinson

I’ve worked on Neighbours for a very long time (I was on set for the very first episode), so I found choosing my most memorable moment a difficult task.

A moment that I remember vividly is during my first week of filming on the show in 1985, 35 years ago. It was my first shoot on location and it was an extremely late night/early morning – we wrapped at around 1.30am.

The scene was creating a moment from Danny Ramsay’s (played by David Clencie) nightmare. We were at the end of the cul-de-sac at Ramsay Street with car headlights shining on us and smoke at our feet. For the scene the group had to huddle around Danny and laugh. It was quite bizarre.

The entire principal cast were involved which back then was 12 people, and as a young, green actor it was an incredible moment to be a part of.

Over the past 35 years at Neighbours I have had so many amazing experiences but because of the context of this moment, it’s stuck in my memory forever.

Stefan Dennis plays Paul Robinson.

Bruce Samazan who plays Mark Gottlieb

I will always remember the “World’s Longest Sausage Roll” filming day. It actually gets mentioned in the show during my recent return for the 35th anniversary.

It was a massive day with loads of extras and cast. We also had a special guest Iain Hewitson from Healthy, Wealthy And Wise come as a celebrity chef to help Mark (played by me) out.

It was also when Mark was spotted by a network in Sydney and became a celebrity chef himself, albeit it meant he was leaving Erinsborough not long after.

Another crazy scene I will never forget was dumping Annalise (played by Kimberly Davis) at the alter on our wedding day. This was when Mark suddenly and unexpectedly found a connection with God.

Old-school Bruce.

Bruce will return to Neighbours next week.

Stephanie McIntosh who plays Sky Mangel

My most memorable day on set was my very last day of filming when I wrapped as Sky Mangel. (I’ve since been lucky enough to come back as a guest star for the 35th anniversary.)

I was not only filming my very last scene but I was also filming the last scene Sky would appear in on air in Neighbours.

I know that it may sound obvious that they’d be the same moment but we often film out of order so it could have easily been shot a week before my last day on set.

I was incredibly emotional on this day, on so many levels. I didn’t have to do any acting when Sky was saying goodbye because the tears were flowing naturally.

I was sad for Sky and I was sad to be leaving a job, workplace and character I loved so much.

There were a lot of principal characters in my final scene because it was a party but the main cast I was with were the ever-wonderful Ian Smith who played my grandad Harold, as well as Sky’s first love interest on the show, Kyal Marsh (who was played by Boyd Holland).

The scene was also Kyal’s character’s farewell too. Our characters left the show together which was a perfect, full-circle moment.

I adored working with Kyal and we were very close friends, so it was lovely to be there for each other in what was a huge chapter in our lives and the end of an era for both of us.

Kyal Marsh and Stephanie McIntosh.

Stephanie McIntosh will return to Neighbours next week.

In celebration of the big birthday, Neighbours is bringing you a week of special anniversary episodes from Monday, March 16 at 6.30pm, plus an additional five explosive episodes at 7pm only on 10 Peach.