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Australia's Daily Telegraph has reported today that a couple more old faces are currently in negotiations to make returns in Neighbours' 20th anniversary year. Kimberley Davies, who played Annalise Hartman from 1993 to 1996 (last seen in episode 2538) and Nicola Charles, who played Sarah Beaumont from 1996 to 1999 (last seen in episode 3347) are both rumoured to be talking to show bosses. A return for Sarah would be especially interesting, as she came between Karl and Susan Kennedy many years before Izzy was on the scene.

Australia's Sunday Telegraph reports this week that Craig McLachlan (Henry Ramsay) is set to hit the stage as a stand-up comedian. His act will debut in Sydney in March, and his material will draw from the past 20 years as he's gone from being a plumber to a household name in Australia and the UK.

This week's copy of the UK's Inside Soap magazine contains an interview with Kym Valentine (Libby Kennedy) as she prepares to leave UK screens for good. Libby's final appearance will be Thursday 3rd February, but it looks like it may not be the last we see of her. Although she'll be touring for the whole of 2005 in Australia and New Zealand with the musical Dirty Dancing, she comments, "I'd love to go back to Neighbours. I miss Libby so much. She's a huge part of my life, like a best friend I can't live without. Hopefully I will get the chance one day."

Maggie Millar (Rosie Hoyland) fans in the UK will have two opportunities to meet her in the coming months. During her appearances, she will talk about her TV and theatres roles, as well as reciting some of her own poetry and signing autographs. Details are as follows:

Location: Anchorage Lodge, Sywell Crescent, Anchorage Park, Portsmouth, Hampshire
Date: Saturday 19th February, 2005
Time: 2-4pm
Cost: £10

Location: Fab Cafe. 111 Portland Street, Manchester
Date: Sunday 6th February, 2005
Time: 5-7pm
Cost: £10

The Sun newspaper reports today that former Neighbour Holly Valance (Felicity Scully) has finally landed a major role in America. After several disappointments over the past year, including turning down a role in Nip/Tuck, she has apparently landed a role in seven-part HBO drama Entourage, which revolves around a young celebrity and the hangers-on that he encounters. Filming is due to begin next month in LA.

Fans in the UK looking forward to this year's dramatic season finale, due to air in March, can get a preview in this week's copy of Inside Soap. The magazine features photos of the event, as well as a brief chat with producer Peter Dodds. Dodds reveals that destroying the pub and Coffee Shop is a means to an end: "There's going to be a new hang-out that will have a very different look to the coffee shop and the bar. It's going to be all things to all people, a lot more contemporary, and will be used at night as well as day."

Meanwhile, the magazine also features interviews with Natalie Bassingthwaighte (Izzy Hoyland), Marisa Warrington (Sindi Watts) and Natalie Blair (Carmella Cammeniti).

Maggie Millar (Rosie Hoyland) will be flying over to the UK next month, and will be a special guest at an evening devoted to the Aussie soap Prisoner: Cell Block H, where she played Top Dog Marie Winter. The one-off night is being organised by the Prisoner website On The Inside and hopes to gather as many fans as possible to pay tribute to the show and give them the opportunity to meet Maggie in person, purchase Prisoner and OTI memorabilia, view original uniforms worn in the series and also meet other fans of the show.

Maggie would love to meet fans of Neighbours who may be interested in attending the evening, so for all the latest info and to register your interest in attending the event, visit On The Inside.

Following yesterday's news that Melissa Bell will reprise her role as Lucy Robinson for this year's 20th Anniversary, we can exclusively reveal that another character will also be returning for the event. Stephen Hunt will briefly return to his role as Matthew Hancock as part of the celebrations. The character was axed in 2002 along with the rest of his family, but Stephen hinted to us in an interview in 2003 that he would be prepared to return, saying "I might return if asked. I think my character was left completely unresolved and could do with a proper resolution."

Another country has bought the rights to show Neighbours, as Estonian channel TV3 will begin broadcasting the series each weekday from Monday 24th January. The screenings will start from episode 3640, which saw things building towards the end of the 2000 Season. The initial order is for 130 episodes.

As if having one member of the Robinson family back on Ramsay Street wasn't a big enough treat for 2005, news now reaches us that another original character is returning. This week's Inside Soap reveals that Melissa Bell is set to reprise her role as Lucy Robinson for a couple of weeks later this year. Melissa was the third actress to play Lucy, following on from Kylie Flinker and Sasha Close. Find out more about the character's past exploits, here.

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