If you’ve been binging the Kylie Minogue documentary like the rest of us, you would’ve been tearing up at her reunion with Jason Donovan… especially if you’re a Neighbours fan. The iconic Australian soap opera that launched so many Aussie stars to fame had an iconic run in the 1980s, a time when the show (and Kylie) was on the cusp of becoming globally renowned.
Neighbours almost became a rite of passage for ambitious young Australian performers hoping to edge their way into Hollywood, the music industry, or British television.
The new documentary KYLIE sheds light on her relationship with Jason Donovan (who features as an interviewee) as both stars share insights into their personal and professional relationship.
Meeting on the set of Neighbours in the 80s, the pair played on-screen sweethearts Scott Robinson and Charlene Mitchell, while also having an off-screen whirlwind romance of their own.
While both Minogue and Donovan left the set of the Aussie soap opera in 1988 and released UK-chart-topper Especially For You together, their relationship ended in 1989, with Kylie dating INXS frontman Michael Hutchence months later.
As Minogue and Donovan reflect on their relationship in KYLIE, it’s hard not to be nostalgic for that era of 80s Aussie television, and the familiar faces of Neighbours that soon became everything from tabloid celebrities and teen heartthrobs to popstars.
Ever wondered where this iconic 80s Neighbours cast is now? Look no further.
Stefan Dennis – played Paul Robinson
In Neighbour’s golden late-1980s era, Stefan Dennis played Paul Robinson, the older brother to Scott Robinson (played by Jason Donovan).
First introduced as a slick young entrepreneur, the character soon developed into the show’s longest running villains, intertwining Dennis into the identity of the show itself.
While Dennis pursued UK opportunities on the stage, acting in British pantomime roles and scoring some short TV stints in the early 2000s (and also dabbled in music!), he often returned to Neighbours over the decades as his character came to represent the scheming plotlines overshadowing Ramsay Street.
Stefan has been married to his wife Gail Dennis for 26 years and they share three children, Cameron, Declan and Darci.
Guy Pearce – played Mike Young
Guy Pearce started out playing Mike Young on Neighbours, playing the loyal friend to Minogue and Donovan’s characters.
After sticking with the show for several years, Pearce went on to start his film career, becoming one of the show’s most acclaimed alumni after winning an Emmy and being nominated for a Golden Globe.
Guy Pearce now lives in the Netherlands near Amsterdam with his partner Carice van Houten, who is a Dutch actor, and their son Monte, who is nine.
If you haven’t just been watching Neighbours re-runs the last 40 years, you would have seen Pearce in the critically acclaimed The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, L.A. Confidential and Christopher Nolan’s Memento.
Alan Dale – played Jim Robinson
Alan Dale starred as Jim Robinson – father of Scott and Paul Robinson – on Neighbours, acting as quite the patriarch during the show’s formative 80s years.
Despite leaving the show in the 1990s, Dale quickly became one of the show’s most recognisable figures that grounded the suburban dynamic the show hinged on.
After leaving the show, Dale appeared on TV masterpieces like The O.C., Ugly Betty, Lost, 24, Dynasty, and NCIS.
It’s safe to say Dale proved it was well and truly possible to build a second career in US network television after reigning of Australia’s own.
He now lives in Manhattan Beach near Los Angeles and has four sons; Simon and Matthew from his first marriage, and Daniel and Nick with his current wife, Tracey Pearson.
Anne Charleston – played Madge Bishop
Anne Charleston played the tough but caring mother of Charlene (Kylie Minogue).
However, it was her romance with Harold Bishop (played by Ian Smith) that gave the soap such an emotional pull at the time, broadening the show beyond it’s teenage viewership.
While Charleston did go on to pursue a career in television, stage, and independent films overseas, most notably starring as Lily Butterfield in ITV’s Emmerdale (2006–2009).
However, given how beloved her character was, Charleston remained firmly rooted in Neighbour’s nostalgia culture, making guest appearances and participating in reunions over the decades.
Anne moved back to Australia in 2016 after living in Ireland for years.
She has one son, Nick, with actor David Ravenswood before the couple divorced.
Ian Smith – played Harold Bishop
Ian Smith’s role as Harold Bishop – the eccentric but lovable suitor of Madge Bishop – quickly became one of the most endearing and defining soap characters of the 80s Neighbours era.
While starting out as mere comic relief, Harold became unexpectantly beloved, particularly in the UK, and represented the moral heart of the show.
After leaving the show multiple times over the 90s and early 2000s, Smith largely avoided pursuing Hollywood fame, and solidified his career as one of the show’s enduring fan-favourites.
Ian resides in Melbourne and was married to his wife, Gail Smith, for 50 years before she passed away from cancer in 2019.
Russell Crowe – played Kenny Larkin
We just had to sneak this one in.
Russel Crowe’s time on Neighbours was short but sweet, as he performed a four-episode stint playing ex-convict Kenny Larkin in 1987 who was a former friend and inmate of Henry Ramsay.
After leaving Neighbours, Crowe did a short stage stint before Australian film Romper Stomper (1992) launched him into the global eye.
Soon after, his leading role and Academy Award win for Gladiator (2000) solidified his status as a Hollywood icon.
But every Australian knows where his roots lie (at least every Australian good at TV trivia).
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