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> Ten Out Of Ten > Places 29-11
Between February and June 2013, we asked you to vote for your favourite Neighbours characters from the last decade,
to mark Perfect Blend's tenth birthday. The votes have now been tallied, and below are the characters who came in places 29 to 11.
29
- Zeke Kinski (168 Points)
With Zeke Kinski, we saw both character and actor grow up on screen. As someone who was in Erinsborough for six years of the last decade, perhaps Zeke should have been higher than 29th place, especially as we saw Zeke (and Matthew Werkmeister) develop, holding his own in scenes with Karl, Susan and Libby, despite their decade long headstart as an onscreen family. We watched Zeke as he dealt with the loss of his father, the challenges of adolescence and memory loss following the rafting accident; however Zeke will forever be remembered for his involvement in Pirate Net as Lost Boy. Let's hope he's found himself since his move to England.
28
- Janae Timmins (172 Points)
Janae is one of those characters who turned her life around during her time on Ramsay Street. Starting out as a boy-mad bogan with a lack of self-respect, using her sexuality to get what she wanted. Following disaster after disaster with men, Janae seemingly found happiness as she married Boyd Hoyland and matured, holding down a job as a mechanic. Her marriage broke down as Boyd had an affair with Glenn Forrest, despite a brief reunion following the death of her brother, Stingray, but Janae moved on, buying Carpenter's Mechanics with her mum, Janelle and beginning a relationship with Ned Parker. Their relationship was not to last either as Janae kissed Darren Stark and realising that she had hurt not only Ned, but his son, Mickey, decided she had a lot to learn before she could be a parent and left to be with her family in Cairns.
27
- Frazer Yeats (187 Points)
Frazer Yeats, or George Brown as he was born, came in as one of the four new residents of Number 30 and won over viewers with his good looks, mix of comedic and dramatic storylines and his tighty whiteys. It was Frazer's relationship with Rosetta Cammeniti that propelled them to Golden Couple status as viewers followed their 'Will they? Won't they?' romance and their ups and downs all the way to the altar and through their grief at losing a baby they were told never existed, only to find out that Rosie was indeed pregnant. Last we heard, Rosie and Frazer were living in Italy with the baby son, Marco, enjoying the happy ending viewers had hoped for.
26
- Connor O'Neill (192 Points)
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Surprisingly popular, Connor O'Neill is like Marmite (or should that be Vegemite?), you either love him or hate him, but clearly he's popular as he's reached 26th place. Whilst his recent return may have gained him additional votes, no-one can dispute that Connor provides comic relief amongst the teen angst and other dramas on Ramsay Street. It's easy to forget that Connor was actually quite a serious character when he was introduced, falling in love with Michelle Scully and struggling with his illiteracy, poisoning her with industrial strength floor cleaner. It was Connor's move to Number 30 which saw him become the light-hearted character he remained for much of his time on the show, however it was for his exit that he is best remembered, visiting Robert Robinson, before disappearing, being presumed dead. Just how he managed to escape Robert is still unknown, but Connor returned to Ramsay Street to give Toadie the push he needed to truly move on from the hurt of Dee's death and his disastrous wedding and marriage to Steph and finally tie the knot with Sonya, and for that we're thankful. The same can't be said for Rhys Lawson and Priya Kapoor though.
25
- Ringo Brown (196 Points)
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Another surprisingly popular character, although maybe not so surprising that it was largely amongst teenaged girls, Ringo arrived in Ramsay Street to see his brother, George, now known as Frazer Yeats and stuck around for three years, long past the departure of his brother and sister-in-law. Ringo's curse was probably being the nice guy, naive at times and easily led, however he used his time on Ramsay Street wisely, overcoming his fear of water, anorexia and copping off with Carmella Cammeniti. Ringo had many love interests during his time on the show, but it was Donna Freedman who truly captured his heart, marrying her in episode 6000 to the sound of his own recording of 'Suddenly' by Angry Anderson, which Paul Robinson had suggested having heard it at his brother's wedding. Sadly, unlike Scott and Charlene who have (so far) lived happily ever after, Ringo died as Harold's sold out of cupcakes, causing him to leave the safe confines of the Lassiter's Complex to visit a bakery across town, managing to walk into the path of Steph Scully's oncoming motorbike. Thankfully, Harold's are unlikely to run out of cakes these days, at least whilst resident baker, Vanessa Villante is on hand.
24
- Rhys Lawson (200 Points)
In 24th place is Doctor Darc... Rhys Lawson. Yes, whilst we may have thought that the mould was well and truly broken with Darcy Tyler, dastardly and dashing Doctor, Rhys Lawson came along to prove us wrong. Unlike Darcy though, Rhys' motivation wasn't money, just to move up the career ladder as quickly as possible, aiming for a career as a Surgeon. Whilst Rhys could come across as cold, his love for his mother, Elaine, and then Vanessa Villante, showed that he was more than a two dimensional bad boy, deeply affected by his father abandoning both him and his mother, seeing emotion as a sign of weakness. In true soap opera style, just as it seemed Rhys may have the chance to confront his demons by meeting up with his father, he died of his injuries sustained in the explosion at Toadie and Sonya's wedding reception. Perhaps it was for the best though, as had Rhys resolved his issues he may have changed from the a-typical neighbour we knew and loved.
23
- Rachel Kinski (206 Points)
Rachel Kinski arrived in 2005 with her brother Zeke and was soon falling in love with every boy she clapped her eyes on, from Stingray Timmins to Ringo Brown then to her teacher, Angus Henderson. Each one was the love of her life, of course, driving her step-mum Susan to despair, however it was her relationship with Ty Harper that was the truly unforgettable, with them pairing up on stage as well as off. As Rachel departed Erinsborough, the pair carried on their relationship long-distance, before being reunited a few months later as Ty moved to England to be with her, no doubt not wanting to miss an opportunity to continue performing their duet. Ready? "And I'll sing with everything I have inside of me, you're always in my heart there's no letting go, you gotta know, you're unforgettable... you're unforgettable." Sorry, who were we talking about?
22
- Janelle Timmins (221 Points)
When neck-brace wearing bludger Janelle Timmins arrived to visit son, Stingray in 2004 few could imagine that she'd become one of Erinsborough's most beloved residents. In an era filled with plane crashes and explosions, Janelle provided us with some true Neighbours' style comedy and became a character we hoped the best for. We also saw that she was more than comic relief as she comforted Karl Kennedy in the wake of the plane crash as his ex-wife, Susan was missing. Through her time on the show we went on to share in her joy as she became owner of Number 26 and co-owner of Lassiter's, her grief as she lost her youngest son, then her happiness as she became married Allan Steiger. Whilst we may have been sad to wave goodbye to Janelle, we knew she was getting the happy ending she deserved.
21
- Lyn Scully (224 Points)
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From one owner of Number 26 to another, Lyn Scully is at 21st place. Always slightly eccentric, Lyn was driven to despair by her children, especially her husband Joe and eldest daughters, who she referred to as Stephie and Flick. In 2003, we saw Lyn give birth to Oscar, suffering from post-partum depression, and then the following year, Lyn had to deal with raising a child alone for the first time as Joe left for Bendigo. We followed Lyn as she lost her job, started dating again, and then lost her home at the hands of Paul Robinson and Izzy Hoyland as they set her up for a fall over copyright infringement over Steph's baby belt. Paul then destroyed Lyn's life further by marrying her and leaving her humiliated as he ended their marriage hours later. As Lyn fled to New York in 2006 it seemed we may not see her again, but after learning that she had return to Australia, having set up a salon in Shelley Bay, she returned again in 2008, clearly troubled and blackmailing Paul to try and save her now failing business. Lyn returned again though, shocking guests at Paul's wedding to Rebecca by announcing that she was still Mrs Robinson and using the news to get her life back on track, buying Harold's Store with her divorce settlement. As Lyn regained her place at Number 26, with Steph having bought the house, it seemed like Lyn had turned her life around, but she couldn't stop the way she felt for Paul, admitting to Susan that she still loved him. Lyn's second stint in Erinsborough was brought to an end as Steph was sent to prison for the death of Ringo Brown, and just after moving back into her house following a fire, she moved to Bendigo so that Charlie could be near his mother who had moved to a low security prison. Whilst it seems that Lyn's ties to the area may have been severed having sold Harold's to Lauren Turner, she could still pop up to visit Susan or maybe just like, y'know take another crack at Paul. That's when she's not trying to sort out Steepppphhhhieeee.
20
- Chris Pappas (234 Points)
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Now we move to a much newer character, Chris Pappas. Arriving in Erinsborough as a teammate to Harry Ramsay on the school basketball team, he quickly started dating Summer Hoyland, but it turned out that Chris was really more interested in Harry's cousin, Andrew Robinson. Neighbours' has gone to great lengths to ensure that Chris' sexuality was not just a sensational story, but a story about a teenager struggling to adjust to the realisation that he was gay, ensuring that they developed Chris as a character, with his love of sports, interest in mechanics and his insatiable appetite. With Chris now the only regular not related to another of the core characters, he is one of the few characters to interact with everyone, from the teens to the pensioners. We have gradually seen Chris fall in love with his first boyfriend, experiencing their first kiss, taking part in the background of a scene so not to sensationalise an important milestone in Chris' life. We have seen Chris go through the same dramas as any relationship and experience him breaking up with his first love. Chris has now moved on with swimmer, Hudson and continues to work at the garage with Lucas and eat the contents of every fridge on Ramsay Street. Neighbours' efforts to make Chris a well-rounded, well-developed character, dealing with both comedic and dramatic storylines, plus James Mason's portrayal of Chris, holding his own with the likes of Stefan Dennis and Colette Mann has rightfully earned Chris his position in the top 20.
19
- Natasha Williams (241 Points)
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Natasha Williams arrived in Erinsborough was clearly trouble. An only child brought up by a single parent, Tash had been the sole object of her father's affection and attention all her life, seeing off any potential suitor that came along, ensuring that she didn't have to share her dad, Michael. Tash spent half of her stint repeating a constant cycle of nastiness with few glimmers of a nicer side. After some much needed character development where Natasha first learnt about how her mother died and then learnt why. The discovery that her mother died because her father was (insert explosion footage here) with her Aunt Emilia in the back of the Sandman and her subsequent rejection of Michael provided her with some much needed progression. As Tash moved into the Kennedy house, Karl became the kind of father she needed, offering guidance and discipline, whilst still allowing her independence. Tash became a strong, independent woman, but with a conscience and consideration towards others. Her concern for Andrew Robinson following his epilepsy diagnosis and the support she provided showed a different side to Tash, showing that she was no longer the self-obsessed teen she was upon her arrival in Ramsay Street, and thanks to her time there, "Natasha is so much more beautiful."
18
- Lucas Fitzgerald (256 Points)
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Neighbours' resident average Joe, well, technically it's Lucas, but you see where we're going. Lucas is another of those characters, much like Chris, who works well with everyone; he's inoffensive, but well developed. Lucas is a nice guy who'd do anything for anyone; he loves football, motorcycles and mechanics, but unfortunately has an addiction to gambling. In the past year we have seen Lucas have a real place within the show for the first time since the departures of his brother Dan and ex-girlfriend Elle Robinson; he is truly part of a family with Vanessa and baby Patrick; plus with him owning the garage and Number 32, Lucas seems firmly entangled in the Erinsborough life, even looking at buying an apartment at Lassiter's. It is Lucas' friendship with Sonya Rebecchi that has probably had most impact; to have a male and female be friends and have no underlying sexual tension is a rarity in soap. Lucas and Sonya turn to each other in their hours of need and were brought together by their addictions rather than an attraction, which provides a unique and refreshing relationship, whereby Lucas can be a friend and confidante to Sonya without viewers or Toadie having to worry about where a touching moment might lead and proves that Lucas is much more than just a grease monkey.
17
- Stingray Timmins (304 Points)
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Spiggin' awesome! When it comes to resonance, you could say that Stingray has won given that the remaining sixteen characters have been seen on screen beyond his final episode; however that's not to say the others don't deserve their higher positions. Stingray is almost fifty points ahead of Lucas, our biggest jump so far, which is no doubt due to his uniqueness, one of Neighbours' select few, one of the characters that are unlike no other. From the outset, Stingray had his own language and energy unlike no other and whilst Ramsay Street (or at least Karl and Susan) worked wonders as usual in taming Stingray's wild side, he still managed to retain his individuality as other characters such as Sky lost theirs. Although Stingray experienced the usual trials and tribulations of teenage life, it was only right that the departure of this unique character was unlike any other, dying from an aneurysm in the middle of Ramsay Street at a street party to celebrate his mother's birthday, allowing viewers the chance to experience the sting of grief along with the Ramsay Street residents, rather than watching them carrying on as normal once a yellow cab turned out of the street, which would've been Belgian.
16
- Declan Napier (327 Points)
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Declan Napier has reached 16th place with a bucket load of caveats that votes for him were for James Sorensen's portrayal and perhaps rightly so. From Declan's arrival in Erinsborough, the chemistry between him and his mother, Rebecca was noticeable, as if they really had been together since Declan's birth. Whether or not you were a fan of Decget (as they were dubbed), James' performances as we watched Declan fall in love with and marry Bridget Parker and then as he faced becoming a father to India were so believable that when it came to Didge's death, you could almost see Declan's heart breaking as he heard the news. To then recast a role the audience were so committed to was never going to be well received, poor Erin Mullally never really stood a chance, he lacked the maturity that Declan had developed through his experiences, having moved on from the troublesome teen he once was to being a responsible father, and his innocent and at times naive portrayal of Declan seemed to ignore all that Declan had gone through in his life. As Declan departed Ramsay Street for Portugal with Rebecca, India and the newly returned Oliver, Carmella and Chloe, viewers watched, knowing that James Sorensen had returned to set for Jane Hall's departure, hoping that he would step in front of the camera so that our final memory of Declan could be of the Declan we knew and loved.
15
- Kyle Canning (346 Points)
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Neighbours' current resident lovable larrikin, we have seen Kyle Canning evolve from bad boy to good guy, from guest character to regular, it's hard to believe that Kyle has been on our screens for five years, although only a regular since 2011. During that time we've seen Kyle grown from school boy to barman to handyman and move into 26 Ramsay Street, first as Lyn Scully's lodger, before taking on a lease on the house following her departure. Kyle has been joined by a revolving door of housemates ever since, but it is his latest housemate, Kate Ramsay who has been entangled in Kyle's life since their schooldays. Whilst Kyle's feelings for Kate were unrequited to the point that he seemingly moved on from them, we have seen Kyle betray two girlfriends and Kate betray two best friends, first by sharing a kiss as Kyle dated Jade, then by them sleeping together whilst Kyle was on a break from his current relationship with Georgia. Whilst it remains to be seen as to when Georgia will inevitably find out the truth, Kyle will surely do his best to try and fix things, as he always does (with a bit of nagging from Gran, Sheila), but maybe Kyle would do better to consider who he really wants to be with, and when he makes that call, who will he dial?
14
- Rebecca Robinson (348 Points)
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Perhaps the best thing to come out of the 2007 'back to basics' revamp, Rebecca Robinson, or Rebecca Napier as she was then strolled into town as she met with Oliver Barnes, the son she had given up for adoption 26 years earlier. Whilst the Parkers were promoted as the new family on the street, the Napiers proved to be the true stars, with the strong bond between Rebecca and youngest son Declan shining through on screen. It was Rebecca's relationship with Paul Robinson that defined much of her time on the show, with a back story dating to the first year of Neighbours, having met and had a brief fling whilst Paul was working as an trolley dolly, in fact, it was only the meddling of Paul's sister, Julie, who pretended to be Paul's wife when Rebecca phoned the Robinson house that had kept them apart for over two decades. Rebecca quickly became on of Erinsborough's most popular residents, being placed at the heart of the community as she took over Charlie's bar. Whether it was as a mother, grandmother, wife or friend, Rebecca was fiercely loyal, however when crossed, she was never afraid to put someone in their place, especially given all she had been through with the father of her children, Richard Aaronow, so when Paul cheated on her for a second time it wasn't just Rebecca that was pushed to the edge, it was Paul, right to the edge of the Lassiter's Mezzanine. Whilst Rebecca only pushed Paul away from her, he was unable to keep his (one) footing and ended up crashing to the ground below. It was a shame that the storyline meant the end of Jane Hall's time on the show, as it always seemed as though she was in for the long haul, but her actual exit couldn't have been more perfect, after tricking Paul into signing an affidavit so that he couldn't bring charges against her, Rebecca left for Portugal with sons Oliver and Declan, granddaughters Chloe and India plus Oliver's partner, Carmella. Whilst her ending may not have been happy, her new life was certainly destined to be.
13
- Sky Mangel (414 Points)
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Just over two weeks after Perfect Blend launched, news came of the casting of Stephanie McIntosh, but little did we know at that time but she would be playing a recast Sky Mangel. When Sky returned to Erinsborough in late 2003 she was the image of her late mother, as strong-willed and unconventional, but was harvesting anger towards Kerry for leaving her to fight for a cause which ultimately got her killed. As Sky reverted to her blonde hair to distance herself from her mother, it was her mother's journal that helped her to come to terms with her mother's death. It was the loss of more family members, this time her Uncle David, Auntie Liljana and cousin Serena following the explosion aboard the Lassiter's joyflight that brought about a change in Sky, following in her mother's footsteps by falling pregnant at a young age, however Sky's pregnancy was in the unfortunate circumstances of having three possible fathers. Whilst JP Valasco was quickly ruled out, brothers Stingray and Dylan Timmins were still in the running, but Dylan was eventually revealed to be the father of baby Kerry. After a brief stint wrongly imprisoned for the murder of Terence Chesterton, Sky left Erinsborough alongside one time love, Boyd Hoyland to be near to Dylan, who was now living in Port Douglas. Last we heard, Sky had become a mum for the second time, however as with Kerry, the father is unknown, at least to us.
12
- Elle Robinson (427 Points)
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The youngest daughter of Paul Robinson, Elle proved to be one of Neighbours' most popular characters during her time on the show and also within our vote. Played by Nicole Kidman look-a-like, Pippa Black, Elle arrived in 2005 and instantly started to cause trouble for her dad and girlfiend, Izzy Hoyland. During her four year tenure, Elle went from being a manipulative teen and her father's accomplice to a strong-minded, but good hearted businesswoman and journalist plus acting as her father's conscience. Whilst Elle had her share of relationships during her time on the show, from Ned Parker to Oliver Barnes, it was her relationship with Lucas Fitzgerald that proved to be the most important, with Lucas bringing out the adventurous side in Elle, perhaps giving her the courage to accept a job with the New York News. Elle's farewell was one of the most memorable and emotional in recent years, from the touching scene as she shared an expensive bottle of wine with her father, to her last scene in Number 22 with her looking back at the house, reminiscent of her mother, Gail's exit in 1989 to her tearful airport farewell and the final image of her disappearing down the escalator truly was one of Neighbours' most magical moments.
11
- Sonya Rebecchi (441 Points)
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Sonya Rebecchi, or Mitchell as she was previously known started her life in Erinsborough as a Guide Dog trainer and a love interest for Toadie. Eve Morey's performance captured the hearts of Neighbours viewers and we saw Sonya go from guest character to regular character as we watched her and Toadie fall in love, then be torn apart by Steph & Toadie's baby lie and subsequent marriage. Whilst we eventually got our wish, to see Toadie, Sonya and Callum as a family, little did we, or Eve Morey, know at the time that Sonya would be revealed as Callum's estranged ex-addict mother. This complex back-story has built layer upon layer on Sonya's foundation that hopefully will provide many years worth of story to explore, but in the meantime we have seen the Rebecchis become one of Ramsay Street's strongest current family units, with baby Nell providing a blood link between them all. The fact that Sonya spent much of the vote in the top ten, proves how popular she is and whilst some last minute votes may have seen her land in 11th place - that's an incredible achievement for a character only ever intended to be around short term.
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