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A report on the 20th Anniversary in The Australian has added a couple of new returning names to the list which seems to be growing longer with every week that passes. Several past actors are back on set this week, filming the anniversary episodes and amongst them are Terence Donovan (Doug Willis), a name that had been mentioned but not confirmed until now, as well as Andrew Bibby (Lance Wilkinson).

The BBC have cancelled the lunchtime screening of Neighbours on Friday April 8th, for coverage of the royal wedding of Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles. Horse Racing from Aintree has stopped the show being moved to BBC Two, which means there will be only one screening at 5.35pm. RTE broadcasts remain unaffected.

Rumours have been flying around for weeks about Russell Crowe filming a Neighbours cameo, having spent only a few episodes playing Kenny Larkin in the late 80s. This weekend, The Age seems to have put that rumour to bed with official word from his publicist that he won't be involved. The same report, as well as recent television interviews, have also ruled out Natalie Imbruglia (Beth Brennan), who is said to be too busy to take part.

She's rumoured to be filming a cameo for Neighbours' 20th Anniversary this year, and it looks like Holly Valance (Felicity Scully) has had a big breakthrough in her bid for Hollywood stardom. The Herald Sun reports that she is playing one of the three lead roles in upcoming film DOA and will spend four months living in China whilst she films it.

Rumours were circulating a few months ago that Natalie Bassingthwaighte might leave her role of Izzy Hoyland, as it looked like she'd scored the lead role of Sandy in the stage revival of Grease. However, Inside Soap reports this week that, although she did end up winning the role, she will juggle both productions when the musical opens in May.

Inside Soap has today confirmed another couple of names returning to Erinsborough this year - Daniel MacPherson (Joel Samuels) and Jacinta Stapleton (Amy Greenwood). Daniel was probably the more obvious choice, as he's currently appearing on Ten anyway, presenting the Australian version of The X Factor. Meanwhile, Jacinta recently concluded her long-running role as Chris on Stingers when the series was axed. Amy was last seen heading off, pregnant, to marry her fiance Damien - and that was the last we heard from her. Hopefully her return might at least reveal whether she had a boy or a girl five years ago!

A series of Neighbours novels are to be published later this year in another nod to the show's 20th anniversary. The stories will follow characters who have left Ramsay Street and find out what happened to them after they moved away from Erinsborough. Among the characters who will feature are firm favourites Libby and Darren, who both started a new life in Shepparton late last year.

TV Week has added a couple of new names to the ever-increasing list of returning characters. Jesse Spencer (Billy Kennedy) and Holly Valance (Felicity Scully) will reprise their parts for brief cameo appearances later this year. It doesn't look likely that they'll set foot in Ramsay Street however, as they are both busy working abroad and will film their parts whilst overseas.

Speculation over just what reason Neighbours storyliners have come up with to explain the return of so many old characters to the show has been rife in recent weeks, with theories on message boards ranging from the funeral of a long standing character to a school reunion. However, it now seems that a documentary on the history of Erinsborough is to be the cause of so many blasts from the past. In an interview with TV Week, returning star Kimberley Davies reveals that her character Annalise Hartman comes to town to film the documentary. "That’s how they tie in the return of all the cameos of past characters," she says.

The film career of former Neighbours star Radha Mitchell, who played Catherine O'Brien, continues to flourish. In an interview with Sunday's Herald Sun, Radha talks about returning to her home town of Melbourne for production on her latest movie, Guests. Her new film, Melinda and Melinda, opens in the UK this week.

One of the greatest and longest running Neighbours websites has closed its doors, apparently for good. We would like to take this moment to thank Alan and his team at Erinsborough.com for all that they have done for the Neighbours community.

Long time visitors will know that we have had our disputes, but that is all in the past, as it has been ever since it happened. As Erinsborough.com moves out of the neighbourhood, we all feel that it is indeed a sad moment.

We would like to honour Alan for all that he has accomplished with Erinsborough.com - he brought many fresh and exciting new ideas into the community - things which are now taken for granted. We here at The Perfect Blend will continue to bring you Neighbours coverage as best as we can, and of course will continue introducing new ideas into the community. Hopefully another site will move into the neighbourhood and speed up the evolution of the Neighbours community once more.

The Perfect Blend Team

AlanFletcher.net has announced details of Alan's UK tour, with his band, later this year. Dates are as follows:

Wed, 25 May, 2005:
Loughborough Students' Union
Ashby Road, LOUGHBOROUGH

Wed, 25 May, 2005:
Walkabout (Nottingham)
Friar Lane, NOTTINGHAM

Thu, 26 May, 2005:
Walkabout (Leeds)
67-83 Cookridge Street, LEEDS

Thu, 26 May, 2005:
University of Central Lancashire Students' Union
Fylde Road, PRESTON

Fri, 27 May, 2005:
University of Surrey Students' Union, Union House
University of Surrey, GUILDFORD

Fri, 27 May, 2005:
Southampton University Students Union, University Road
Highfeild, SOUTHAMPTON

Sun, 29 May, 2005:
Butlins (Bognor Regis)
BOGNOR REGIS

Mon, 30 May, 2005:
Walkabout (Durham)
15 North Road, DURHAM

Tue, 31 May, 2005:
Walkabout (Derby)

Wed, 1 June, 2005:
Plymouth University Students' Union
Drake Circus, PLYMOUTH

Fri, 3 June, 2005:
Royal Holloway University of London Students' Union
Egham Hill, Egham, SURREY

Sat, 4 June, 2005:
Portsmouth University Students' Union, The Student Centre
Cambridge Road, PORTSMOUTH

Sat, 11 June, 2005:
Nottingham Trent University Students' Union, Byron House
Shakespeare Street,NOTTINGHAM

BBC Radio Five Live today interviewed Alan Fletcher (Karl Kennedy) regarding Neighbours' 20th Anniversary.

When asked about his most memorable story he replied "The most memorable will always be Karl's affair with Sarah Beaumont, which lasted two years, and managed to establish my character in a completely new light". He also revealed that he enjoys the sillier storylines, commenting on when Karl was stealing Marlene's garden gnomes.

To check out the interview, click here

Today marks the 20th anniversary of Neighbours. Yes, it's been two whole decades since the Aussie soap debuted on Channel Seven. Since then, it's changed channels, undergone several revamps and seen hundreds of cast members come and go. We're all extremely proud to be fans of the show, which looks set to go from strength to strength for another 20 years!

Happy Birthday Neighbours!

Sunday's Herald Sun revealed yet another old face will be back this year - Craig McLachlan (Henry Ramsay). He is quoted as saying, "Brace yourself for the return of the navy blue overalls, although I can't promise a mullet. Henry will be involved in the celebrations, although exactly how at this stage is still being worked out." The same article indicated that Kym Valentine has filmed a cameo as Libby.

The latest name reported to be making a cameo appearance in Neighbours this year is Richard Grieve, who played Sam Kratz from 1994 until 1996. He was quoted yesterday in the Herald Sun, saying "I was working on Neighbours when we celebrated the 10th anniversary, so I can't believe it's now 20 years.

Neighbours takes its annual Easter break from BBC One and RTE 2 screens next Friday, returning on Tuesday March 29th. Iceland's Stöð 2 ends its broadcasts on Wednesday March 23rd, returning Tuesday March 29th. The omnibus edition of Monday - Wednesday's episodes will still be shown on Easter Sunday, at the time of 1.35pm

The Robinson Reunion on Ramsay Street is set to continue with the news that longtime Neighbours favourite Rosemary Daniels will be back on the show later this year. The daughter of Helen Daniels, Rosemary was played by Joy Chambers intermittently for the first 12 years of the show’s run. “I’m delighted to be back on Ramsay Street for the happy occasion which is the celebration of 20 years of Neighbours on our screens,” Joy told us. “Rosemary will enjoy her few days back in Australia with all the gang... Though there is no doubt she’ll be trying to do a deal or two at the same time.

A 20th Anniversary supplement in this weekend's Herald Sun newspaper has mentioned that Annie Jones (Jane Harris) and David Clencie (Danny Ramsay) are the latest names to be making cameos in the show this year.

Meanwhile, in an article about the anniversary in Monday's newspaper, it is mentioned that Ten has signed the series for at least another three years, after its return to form in the past couple of years. Executive producer, Ric Pellizzeri, is also promising "a year of onscreen fireworks, including a major storyline in June to mark the anniversary featuring the return of several iconic characters."

As part of their ongoing documentary series, Australian Story, Australia's ABC channel will be focusing on Ian Smith (Harold Bishop) and the story of his adoption and search for his birth mother. The episode, which will be presented by Smith's former cast-mate Delta Goodrem (Nina Tucker) can be seen at 8pm, Monday night on the ABC.

Andrea McEwan, who played Neighbours' Penny Watts in 2002, is set to join the cast of British soap Coronation Street. She will play a character named Lisa Ditchfield, who is apparently a love rival to Sally Webster.

The BBC Neighbours website has just launched an exclusive Neighbours game entitled "Harold's Food Flinging Frenzy".

The website's Abbie explains: "The game is set in the famous Coffee Shop. Harold, (you) need to serve the customers (the Neighbours characters) as they come in and place their orders. You lose a life each time you don't meet an order. When you lose all your lives the Coffee Shop blows up, which is in line with yesterday's UK episode, where it actually did go up in flames!"

To check out the new game click here

UK fans will be able to see her in a brief return to Neighbours next week, but it seems that it won't be the last we'll see of Nina Tucker (Delta Goodrem). The Herald Sun is reporting today that Delta spent yesterday on set in Melbourne filming a role for this year's 20th anniversary celebrations. She's quoted as saying, "I couldn't be happier, it's kind of like, wow, I'm going back to Neighbours."

The list of returning characters seems to be growing with every week that passes, and today, Inside Soap has added another couple of names to the list. Moya O’Sullivan (Marlene Kratz) hasn’t been seen since 1997, when her character set off on a short cruise and hasn’t been mentioned by anyone since, while Ian Rawlings played Philip Martin for most of the 90s, until he moved to Darwin with wife Ruth and daughter Hannah. According to the magazine, both actors will be back “as part of a storyline which will unite dozens of stars, past and present.”

Sydney's Daily Telegraph yesterday confirmed that Kimberley Davies will rejoin the Neighbours cast for two episodes later this year as Annalise Hartman. The paper's Sydney Confidential magazine quotes Kimberley as saying "It'll be really weird actually. It'll be great to see some familiar faces, because I know a lot of the crew and even some of the cast are still the same." It is believed Davies will fly to Melbourne soon to film the special episodes and will later settle permanently in Sydney.

The same article also suggests we shouldn't be too keen to believe that Kylie Minogue, Natalie Imbruglia and Guy Pearce will definitely not appear during this twentieth anniversary year. The piece refers to a Network TEN spokesperson who confirms that appearances by the actors, who have found worldwide fame since leaving Neighbours, has "definitely not" been ruled out and that we should "never say never".

To view our archive of past news stories click here