Harold Wayne Bishop is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Ian Smith. The actor was offered the role by the show's creator and executive producer Reg Watson. Smith made his first screen appearance as Harold during the episode broadcast on 30 January 1987. He departed in September 1991, but returned five years later in October 1996. Harold remained on screen for over twelve years, making him one of the longest-running characters in the show's history.
Madge Bishop is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Anne Charleston. She made her first appearance during the episode broadcast on 20 January 1986. Madge was introduced as the sister of original character Max Ramsay. She soon becomes the main matriarch of the Ramsay family. Madge arrives with her marriage in tatters, her son in prison, and her daughter a runaway teen; she rolled up her sleeves and got a job in The Waterhole to support the family as a single mother. She departed on 27 November 1992, before making a return on 7 November 1996. Madge died on 6 April 2001 from terminal pancreatic cancer. Charleston reprised the role for the show's 30th anniversary celebrations from 4–20 March 2015, and for the intended finale on 28 July 2022.
Lucy Robinson is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Melissa Bell. The character has previously been portrayed by Kylie Flinker and Sasha Close. She was created by producer Reg Watson as one of the serial's original characters. Lucy was a prominent figure during the early 1990s of Neighbours, with Bell playing her on and off for five years. Portrayed originally as being clever, a recast was implemented to fit the character's transformation and she became the stereotype of a ditzy blonde female. She has been involved in storylines including battling a brain tumour, coping with blindness, incest, modelling and addictions to drugs, alcohol and spending. She has also been positively and negatively received by critics for her "busty blonde" image while played by Bell. After making a brief return on 6 May 2013, Lucy made subsequent return visits until 2016. She was reintroduced as part of the serial's 35th anniversary in 2020, before returning briefly in late 2021 as part of the reintroduction of her half-brother, Glen Donnelly, and twice in 2022, appearing in the show's finale episode. Bell returned on 18 September 2023 following the show's renewal, but departed again on 21 September 2023.
Joe Mangel is a fictional character from the Australian Network Ten soap opera Neighbours, played by Mark Little. He debuted on-screen in the episode airing on 8 August 1988. Joe left in 1991 when Little departed the serial. In 2005 Little agreed to reprise the role as part of Neighbours' twentieth anniversary celebrations and remained for four months. Joe's storylines included his bad relationship with his mother, being widowed, life as a single parent and a custody battle to keep his child. Joe is deemed a stereotype Australian man and a likable rogue character. Little returned to Neighbours in 2022 to celebrate the show's final episode.
Sky Mangel is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours. She made her first screen appearance during the episode broadcast on 1 February 1989. The character was originally played by Miranda Fryer until 1991. When Sky was reintroduced on 13 August 2003, Stephanie McIntosh took over the role. She departed on 3 August 2007. McIntosh reprised her role as part of the show's 30th anniversary celebrations on 20 March 2015. She returned for a longer stint as part of the 35th anniversary on 13 March 2020, and made an unannounced cameo appearance in the final episode on 28 July 2022, though her appearance was only broadcast in the Australian cut of the episode.
Eleanor "Nell" Worthington is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Vivean Gray. She made her first on-screen appearance on 29 April 1986. She was known almost exclusively to others as Mrs Mangel. The character caused controversy among some of the public, who in turn abused Gray constantly because of Nell. In the short time she was in the series her constant sparring with Madge Bishop was a focal point in her storylining, as well as being a continual annoyance among her neighbours with her nosy, interfering and nasty attitude. She is often described as one of the series' most iconic characters and one of its greatest villains.
Matthew "Matt" Robinson is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Ashley Paske. He made his first screen appearance during the episode broadcast on 22 May 1989. Paske secured the role after Neighbours' broadcaster, Network Ten wanted him to remain on their network after they cancelled the show Richmond Hill, which he had appeared in. Matt was introduced during a time Neighbours producers were creating new characters to rejuvenate the show. Matt was created by a team of several writers headed by Ray Kolle. They wanted to include a teenager unlike the others previously portrayed in the show. Producers also needed to fill the void met with the departure of popular character Scott Robinson, with Matt debuting a couple episodes after Scott departed. Kolle branded Matt a "cool" yet "remote" character who is "disinclined to be involved" with others. They also created a backstory in which he is revealed to be the long lost son of Hilary Robinson. Writers implemented a dyslexia story for Matt and they used this to create further issues between Matt and Hilary.
Henry Ramsay is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Craig McLachlan. He made his first screen appearance on 19 February 1987. Henry is the only son of Fred and Madge Mitchell and brother to Charlene and Sam Cole. Henry was known as a joker and was always coming up with schemes to make money. Henry dated Sue Parker and Melanie Pearson before beginning a relationship with Bronwyn Davies. He later moved to New Zealand to be a Disc jockey and married Bronwyn. He departed on 23 November 1989. McLachlan won three Logie Awards for his role as Henry during his time with Neighbours.
Jane Harris is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Annie Jones. She was created by writer Ray Kolle and debuted during the episode broadcast on 31 July 1986. Jones originally auditioned for the role of Charlene Mitchell, but she was not successful. This prompted Jones to telephone the producers for two months asking for a role in the show until eventually she was cast. In 1989, Jones decided to quit the serial in order to pursue other projects and the character departed on 9 September the same year. In 2005, Jones was one of many former cast members who agreed to return to the serial to mark the 20th anniversary of Neighbours. On-screen she was featured making a cameo in Annalise Hartman's documentary about Ramsay Street. Jones reprised the role again in 2018 for two guest stints starting on 6 April and 26 November 2018. She returned on 10 February 2020 as part of the serial's 35th anniversary celebrations, before returning to the regular cast from 8 July 2020. Her final appearance aired on 28 July 2022 in the Neighbours finale. She reprised the role as part of the series' continuation, via Amazon Freevee, on 18 September 2023.
Hilary Robinson is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Anne Scott-Pendlebury. The character first appeared on-screen during the episode broadcast on 25 June 1987. Hilary departed the show on 28 February 1990, following Scott-Pendlebury's decision to quit in 1989. Scott-Pendlebury reprised her role in 2005 for the serial's 20th anniversary episode, and again in February 2015 ahead of the 30th anniversary. Writers established that Hilary is back living in Erinsborough, so she could continue to make sporadic appearances from 2015 until 2023.
Melanie Pearson is a fictional character from Australian soap opera Neighbours played by Lucinda Cowden. The actress was initially signed to the soap on a recurring basis for a few weeks. She made her first screen appearance during the episode broadcast on 30 July 1987. The character departed on 24 October 1991. In 2005, Cowden reprised her role for Neighbours' 20th anniversary celebrations. She reprised the role again on a recurring basis from 8 January 2021, then later as a regular from 22 September 2021. Melanie appeared until the last episode of Neighbours, which sees her marry Toadie Rebecchi. Cowden reprised her role in Neighbours 2023 reboot.
Mike Young is a fictional character from the Australian television soap opera Neighbours, played by Guy Pearce. Pearce was in his final year at school and only had amateur theatre experience when he auditioned for the role. After winning the part of Mike, Pearce soon relocated to Melbourne and began filming in December 1985. He made his first appearance during the episode broadcast on 20 January 1986. Mike's arrival was part of an attempt to give the serial a youthful look. He was given immediate links to the other character through a friendship with Scott Robinson, who helps him secure work at the local coffee shop.
Bronwyn Davies is a fictional character from the Australian television soap opera Neighbours, played by Rachel Friend. She made her first appearance during the episode broadcast on 7 July 1988. Bronwyn is the sister of Sharon Davies. Bronwyn fell in love with Henry Ramsay and when he left for New Zealand, she followed him not long after. Bronwyn departed on 22 February 1990.
Ryan McLachlan is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Richard Norton. He made his first appearance on 15 February 1990 and remained on the show until 21 March 1991.
Nick Page is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Mark Stevens. He made his first screen appearance during the episode broadcast on 22 July 1988. Stevens auditioned for the role alongside forty one other actors and successfully made it through screen-tests. Nick is characterised as a tough orphan who is made homeless following the death of his grandmother. Nick is also portrayed as problematic and wayward, causing trouble for other characters in the show. Stevens has stated in different interviews that he self-identifies with Nick's tough persona. Writers created stories for Nick which eventually lead to him becoming a "nicer" character.
Bouncer is a Labrador Retriever featured on the Australian soap opera Neighbours. He made his first screen appearance during the episode broadcast on 4 February 1987 and he exited the series on 12 February 1993 after six years. He was played by Bouncer throughout his duration on the show and he was trained by Luke Hura.
"Friends for Twenty Years" is the 4773rd episode of the Australian television soap opera Neighbours. The episode was written by Ben Marshall, directed by Jovita O'Shaughnessy, and executively produced by Ric Pellizzeri. It first aired on 27 July 2005 on Network Ten in Australia, as part of the soap's 20th anniversary. Planning for the episode began in March 2004, twelve months before the anniversary. Producers decided to celebrate the 20th anniversary on-screen in July, as winter ratings are usually higher.
