Ramsay Street is the fictional cul-de-sac in which the characters of the Australian soap opera Neighbours live. The street is set in the equally fictional Melbourne suburb of Erinsborough. Neighbours storylines primarily centre on the residents of the street, which was named after Jack Ramsay, the grandfather of original character Max Ramsay. A blackjack game between Jack and Sam Robinson determined whom the street would be named after. Only six houses on the street are featured on a regular basis; numbers 22 to 32. Number 34 was featured for the only time in 2018. The cul-de-sac is at the end of a long street and the rest of the houses are on the other side of the main road which bisects it. The street behind Ramsay Street is named Mirrabooka Drive. A storyline within the show saw the name of the street nearly changed to Ramsbottom Street. Harold Bishop led a protest against it and won.
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, following a brief but passionate affair with Raymond Philips, 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.
Kevin Rebecchi is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Anthony Engelman. He made his first appearance on 31 March 1994. Stonefish was the first of the Rebecchi family to appear and he was later followed by his mother, father and brothers. The character left in 1996, but returned briefly in 2003. In 2007, Engelman reprised his character again and Stonefish returned to Ramsay Street. He departed on 28 August 2007. The character then returned for brief guest stints from 2015 until 2018.
Sarah Beaumont is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Nicola Charles. Shortly after Charles moved to Australia, she was encouraged to try out for a part in the serial by a drama coach. The actress received the role of Sarah and made her first screen appearance during the episode broadcast on 25 September 1996. In January 1999, it was announced that Charles had decided to quit Neighbours to move to London with her then fiancé. She filmed her final scenes in April 1999 and Sarah departed on-screen on 13 July 1999. Charles later appeared in the show's 20th anniversary episode, which was broadcast in July 2005. Charles reprised the role in 2012 and Sarah made a six-week return from 4 February 2013. She returned again from 5 April 2016.
Rick Alessi is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Dan Falzon. He made his first screen appearance during the episode broadcast on 8 June 1992. Rick and his family were introduced to the show following several cast departures. The character remained on-screen until 9 March 1995.
Gaby Willis is a fictional character from the Australian television soap opera Neighbours, played by Rachel Blakely. The show's casting director spotted Blakely on the cover of a magazine and asked her to audition for the role of Gaby. Blakely received the part and she was introduced to the show during a period of roller-coaster ratings. She made her first appearance during the episode broadcast on 12 August 1991. Gaby was introduced as the eldest daughter of Doug and Pam Willis. She comes to Erinsborough after taking a business course in Japan. Gaby is characterised as beautiful, intelligent and the apple of her father's eye. She also has a temper, leading Blakely to call her fiery.
Cheryl Stark is a fictional character from the Australian television soap opera Neighbours, played by Caroline Gillmer. She made her first appearance during the episode broadcast on 26 July 1993. Colette Mann took over the role for eight weeks from late 1995 to early 1996 when Gillmer fell ill. In September 1996, Gillmer departed the show and Cheryl was killed off.
Mark Gottlieb is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, acted by Bruce Samazan. Samazan hoped the role would help him further his aspirations to become a popular Australian actor. He relocated from Sydney to Melbourne for filming and signed a six-month contract, which he then required to extend. He made his first screen appearance during the episode broadcast on 13 August 1993. Mark was introduced as the brother of established regular Stephen Gottlieb. The role initially required Samazan to put on a French accent, which he based on his own father's. In order to distinguish Mark from his E Street character Max Simmons, Samazan got a Caesar cut and Mark had a trendy European wardrobe.
Sam Kratz is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Richard Grieve. He made his first screen appearance during the episode broadcast on 13 June 1994. Grieve quit the serial two years later and Sam departed on 21 June 1996. Grieve reprised his role in April 2005 for Neighbours' 20th anniversary episode.
Marlene Kratz is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Moya O'Sullivan. She made her first appearance during the episode broadcast on 5 July 1994. She was introduced as the estranged mother of Cheryl Stark. The pair often argued and Marlene constantly interferes in other people's business, but O'Sullivan believed Marlene meant well. She also described her as enormously caring, but Cheryl struggles to forgive Marlene for leaving her and her father. As she settles in, Marlene opens a bric-a-brac store and is often up for a scam or a bet. She also has a brief romance with Colin Taylor. The character was written out in mid-1997 and exited the serial on 14 October 1997, when she went on a three-month cruise and never returned. O'Sullivan reprised her role for the show's 20th anniversary episode, which was broadcast on 27 July 2005. Marlene revealed that she is still sailing the seas.
Serendipity "Ren" Gottlieb is a fictional character from the Australian television soap opera Neighbours, played by Raelee Hill. Hill was spotted by the serial's casting director in a café, while she was on a break from filming another show. She was told to audition for the role, as she looked exactly how the producers had imagined Serendipity to look. She made her first appearance during the episode broadcast on 25 August 1994. Serendipity was introduced as the sister of Mark Gottlieb. Having been raised in a hippy commune, Serendipity retains her beliefs and is a "real bohemian". She moves in with Mark after returning to Australia from Amsterdam, where she worked as a nanny. During her time in the show she becomes good friends with Sam Kratz and Annalise Hartman, is almost beaten up by her boyfriend, becomes a designer and gets engaged to Luke Handley. Hill left the show after her contract was not renewed and her final scenes aired on 7 September 1995.
Wayne Duncan is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Jonathon Sammy-Lee. He made his first screen appearance as Wayne during the episode broadcast on 4 February 1993. Wayne becomes a chemistry teacher at Erinsborough High with an unorthodox approach. He is arrogant, intelligent and articulate – all traits that make him confident in arguments. A country man and strong believer in violence when protecting property – Wayne's attitude and gun possession polarized the way other characters viewed him. He has a destructive romance with Gaby Willis. The pair enjoy sparring throughout their relationship but eventually realise they need to separate.
Beth Brennan is a fictional character from the Australian television soap opera Neighbours, played by Natalie Imbruglia. She made her debut screen appearance in the episode broadcast on 6 January 1992. Beth is characterised as a nice person who lets people take advantage of her kind personality. Beth works as a builder's apprentice in the construction industry and this meant she was supposed to have a "tough" persona. Writers never developed these traits and Imbruglia felt that they had let the character down. Instead, Imbruglia described Beth as "too nice" and just "goes all ga ga and cries." In her backstory, Beth is a product of a broken home and was sexually abused by her mother's boyfriend. The character was also portrayed as a virgin, which played an important part in forming her early stories. Beth's main relationship was her long-standing partnership with Brad Willis. Beth jilted him on their wedding day when she discovers Brad has been having an affair with Lauren Carpenter. Imbruglia believed the story was unrealistic but provided good drama.
The Willis family are a fictional family from the Australian soap opera Neighbours. They were introduced by Don Battye in 1989, but left screens in 1996, before being reintroduced in 2013. The first family member to be seen on-screen was Brad Willis, who appeared in a guest capacity from October 1989, and then his sister Cody from November. The family became a more permanent fixture with the arrival of patriarch Doug Willis and his wife Pam, who moved onto Ramsay Street the following year. Cody was the last family member to regularly appear in the show until her on-screen death in 1996, which brought Pam back briefly to bury her daughter.
Joanna Evans is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Emma Harrison. Joanna was introduced as the younger half-sister of established character, Annalise Hartman. She made her first on screen appearance on 26 May 1995. Following Davies' departure from Neighbours in 1996, rumours began that Harrison's character would be written out of the show. However, the actress signed a new long-term contract with Neighbours a few months later. In February 1997, producers decided to write Joanna out of the show. A reporter for the Daily Mirror said Harrison was written out due to rows with the producers over her poor acting. Joanna departed on screen on 15 April 1997. In 2005, Harrison was invited to return to Neighbours for the 20th anniversary episode, but she did not appear.
Brad Willis is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours. He made his first screen appearance during the episode broadcast on 31 October 1989. The character was initially played by Benjamin Mitchell, before Scott Michaelson took over the role two years later. Brad was re-introduced alongside his sister, Gaby, during a period of roller coaster ratings for the show. Michaelson revealed that as soon as he learnt he had won the role of Brad, he went surfing five days in a row, as he knew he was going to be busy over the upcoming months. Michaelson signed a new twelve-month contract with Neighbours in October 1992 and a year later, he announced he would be leaving the soap. Michaelson filmed his final scenes in November and departed on 15 December 1993.
"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.
Guy Carpenter is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Andrew Williams. The actor was initially hesitant about joining the show, as he had been about to secure a record contract. He made his first screen appearance on 10 September 1991. A few months later, Williams decided to leave Neighbours as he felt unfulfilled by the role. He also wanted more time to pursue his music career. Guy departed on 27 March 1992. Williams reprised his role for one episode as part of the show's 30th anniversary on 18 March 2015.
