List of Neighbours characters (2016)

Neighbours is an Australian television soap opera. It was first broadcast on 18 March 1985 and currently airs on digital channel Eleven. The following is a list of characters that appeared or will appear in the soap in 2016, by order of first appearance. All characters are introduced by the show's executive producer Jason Herbison. The 32nd season of Neighbours began airing from 4 January 2016.^[1] Julie Quill and Xanthe Canning were introduced during the same month. March saw the first appearance of Jacka Hills. Jack Callahan, Ned Willis and Madison Robinson arrived in April, while Angus Beaumont-Hannay, Walter Mitchell and Mandy Franze made their debuts in May. August saw the arrival of James Udagawa, while brothers David and Leo Tanaka were introduced in September, along with Xanthe's mother Brooke Butler.

Julie Quill

Julie Anne Quill, played by Gail Easdale, made her first screen appearance on 12 January 2016.^[2] The character and Easdale's casting was announced on 4 January.^[2] The actress revealed that she had previously auditioned for another role on the show in 2015, but was unsuccessful. She was then asked to play Julie and she accepted.^[2] The role marks Easdale's return to acting after a break to raise her children. She is also the real-life wife of Stefan Dennis, who portrays Paul Robinson.^[2]

Julie will be introduced as the new owner of Lassiter's Hotel and Paul's enemy. Easdale described Julie as being "a hard nut, but she also has a softer side because she has worked hard and she appreciates others that put in the effort."^[2] Easdale said Julie was forced to make an impact in a male dominated environment, which she admired. She added that Paul was "a great character to play against", which made her guest stint more interesting as Dennis is different at home.^[2]

Julie comes to Erinsborough to inspect Lassiter's hotel, the Quill Group's newest acquisition. Julie holds a grudge against the hotel's previous owner Paul Robinson, following a failed romance between them. When she learns Paul's nephew Daniel (Tim Phillipps) has applied for a job at the hotel, she turns him down after an interview. Julie discusses her struggles as a woman in the hotel industry with Terese Willis (Rebekah Elmaloglou), and she decides to hire Daniel after realising that he and Paul have fallen out. She tells Terese that if there are problems, she will be held responsible. Julie returns a few weeks later for a meeting with Terese, and she clashes with Paul again. She later reveals to Terese her plans for a second hotel tower to be built on existing businesses within the Lassiter's complex. Julie becomes determined to ruin Paul's bid to host the Erinsborough Citizen of the Year event. She manages to persuade the council to hold the launch party at The Waterhole, but Paul arranges a job offer for the Lassiter's chef, causing him to quit before the launch. Harold's Store does the catering and leaves Julie, the guests and Mayor Sonya Rebecchi (Eve Morey) with food poisoning. Robinson's Motel is awarded the ceremony.

Julie meets with her stepson Tom Quill (Kane Felsinger) to discuss the progress of the second tower. Tom informs Julie that he has persuaded those opposed to the development to withdraw their objections. When Robinson's loses its liquor license, Lassiter's regains the Citizen of the Year event and Julie gloats to Paul. She also puts pressure on Tom to sort the environmental report for the tower by replacing any negative report with a more positive version. When Tom's deception is later exposed, Julie disowns him. Shortly after, the boiler room at Lassiter's explodes, destroying the hotel. Julie moves in with Terese, who is grieving for her son Josh Willis (Harley Bonner), and learns that Tom is missing and possibly buried under the hotel rubble. She hires Sarah Beaumont (Nicola Charles) to take over Lassiter's during Terese's grief. Julie attacks Paul as he is accused of causing the explosion, and when he tries to comfort her she accuses him of assault. Tom turns up alive, and Julie is angry with Aaron Brennan (Matt Wilson) for lying to her as he attacked Tom just before the explosion. Julie fires Terese when it transpires that she paid someone to give a false alibi, ensuring Paul was put away. At the reopening of Lassiter's, Julie is arrested by Mark Brennan (Scott McGregor), as John Doe's (Andrew James Morley) memory returns, and he saw her conspire with Jacka Hills (Brad McMurray) to cause the explosion. Mark charges Julie and she attempts to apologise to Terese and her family. Terese's daughter, Piper Willis (Mavournee Hazel) slaps her and Terese refuse to forgive Julie. Mark then takes Julie away, and she is later sentenced to ten years in prison.

Xanthe Canning

Xanthe Canning, played by Lilly Van der Meer, made her first screen appearance on 22 January 2016.^[4] The character and casting was announced on 30 November 2015.^[4] Colette Mann, who plays Sheila Canning, previously teased a new member of the Canning family in an interview with Daniel Kilkelly of Digital Spy in October. She commented that the new arrival would start "a big new storyline."^[5] Of Van der Meer's casting, Mann said "Lilly's world has certainly been opened up since joining the show and we're loving having her here. She was already a Canning after just a couple of weeks, we had converted her."^[4] Xanthe is Sheila's granddaughter and the half-sister of Kyle Canning (Chris Milligan). Their father Gary (Damien Richardson) also made a return to be with the family.^[4]

After arriving in Erinsborough, Xanthe makes her way to Number 26 Ramsay Street. When no one answers the door, she heads towards the garden, but Daniel Robinson (Tim Phillipps) advises her to come back later instead, as there has been a number of burglaries in the area. Xanthe goes to The Waterhole and tries to get her meal for free by claiming there is a hair in her food. Sheila Canning thinks Xanthe planted the hair and she tries to run out the door, but is stopped by Kyle Canning. Constable Mark Brennan (Scott McGregor) gives Xanthe a warning. Sheila and Kyle later spot Xanthe in their garden and she tells them that she is looking for Gary Canning, as he is her father. Sheila tells Xanthe that Gary is her son and he is in prison. Sheila also learns Xanthe's mother Brooke Butler (Fifi Box) has run off. Xanthe clashes with Kyle and she later leaves. She ends up staying in a show home. Xanthe befriends Piper Willis (Mavournee Hazel), who suggests throwing a party and charging an entry fee as a way to make money. After being caught by Brennan, he tells Xanthe that she can either stay with Sheila or be taken to a foster home. Sheila enrols Xanthe at Erinsborough High and she initially refuses to go, until Kyle talks with her. On her first day, Xanthe struggles with a reading exercise and is taunted by Alison Gore (Madeleine Andreopoulos).

Xanthe takes Brad Willis's (Kip Gamblin) iPad and makes copies of an exam, which she sells to other students, including Piper. She is caught and suspended for a week. Xanthe organises a party at Robinson's Motel for Ainsley Gilzan (Emma Lucy Haughey) when she and her friends are also suspended for cheating. Sheila breaks the party up and is reprimanding Xanthe when she collapses with chest pains due to a panic attack. Xanthe takes care of Sheila after she is discharged, but soon realises that she has been making out her condition is worse than it is and they argue again. Sheila collapses with a heart attack, but Xanthe believes she is faking it and leaves her alone. Kyle calls the DHS about the incident and as Sheila cannot take care of her, Xanthe is taken to a group home. After a meeting with her DHS caseworker, Kyle apologises to Xanthe and she agrees to stay. Lauren Turner (Kate Kendall) employs Xanthe as a waitress at Harold's Cafe. She accidentally gives everyone food poisoning at a council event. Sheila convinces Lauren not to fire Xanthe, who learns Sheila bribed Lauren into giving her the job. Xanthe avoids going to school to meet one of her idols, actress Katherine Kelly Lang, but she is caught by Sheila. Xanthe is instantly attracted to Ben Kirk (Felix Mallard) and spends the day him. She gets drunk, resulting in her being sick on Susan Kennedy (Jackie Woodburne). Ben is banned from seeing Xanthe. However, she tells Ben that she has arranged a meet-and-greet with his favourite guitarist Angus Young at Lassiter's Hotel. Xanthe and Ben take a large amount of money from Tom Quill's (Kane Felsinger) room.

Xanthe is the victim of cyber-bullying. Angus Beaumont-Hannay (Jai Waetford) takes an interest in Xanthe, initially to wind up Ben. He pulls a fire alarm to get Xanthe out of an exam, and then buys her concert tickets for her favourite band. After, Angus and Xanthe share a kiss. Xanthe's sixteenth birthday is spoilt when few attend her party because Alison is having one on the same day. Xanthe decides to have sex with Angus, but Sheila finds out and stops them. Angus then tells her they should just be friends. Suffering from low self-esteem, Xanthe decides to have breast enlargement surgery. She changes her mind at the last minute. When Tom discovers that Ben and Xanthe stole his money, he demands they pay it back. They sell unwanted clothing and busk with Angus to raise the money. Xanthe tells Angus that his mother has cancer, after learning that he did not know. He runs away and takes the busking money with him. Ben and Xanthe find him at Off-Air, and Xanthe follows Angus when he decides to hitch a ride to the airport. They run away from the man who picked them up and Gary finds them and takes them home. Ben and Xanthe confess to stealing Tom Quill's money and Gary orders them to go to the police. Xanthe falls behind at school and needs a private tutor. Gary tells Xanthe that he cannot afford to buy the dress she wants for the school formal, but Xanthe buys it with money set aside for her tutor.

Xanthe plans to return the dress, but Piper accidentally throws a drink on it. At the end of the formal, Ben and Xanthe kiss. But when she learns Gary paid Ben to take her to the formal, she breaks up with him. Xanthe befriends Alison and flirts with Cooper Knights (Charlie Hannaford) to make Ben jealous. However, he begins dating Alison. Xanthe and Ben eventually make up and arrange to meet, but Xanthe becomes trapped in a shed with a snake. Xanthe is eventually rescued by Piper and her cat. Thinking he has been stood up, Ben kisses Alison and they begin dating. During a media assignment held at Lassiter's, Cooper assaults Xanthe. She reports him to her teacher Elly Conway (Jodi Anasta) and the police, but lack of evidence means Cooper is not charged. Eventually video footage proves that Xanthe was telling the truth. Xanthe suspects Ben is dating Madison when she sees them together. But she realises she is mistaken when he sings a song he wrote for her at The Waterhole. They get back together. Xanthe defies Susan and Sheila by travelling to the Gold Coast with Ben and Madison. Xanthe plans to lose her virginity to Ben, but they are interrupted by Susan. Xanthe applies for her family and Amy to appear on Family Feud, as she wants to use the money to find her mother. On the day, Xanthe learns Gary is in a secret relationship with Terese, and she struggles with nerves. However, the family win $10,000. Xanthe contacts her half-sister, Jessie, to find their mother and Brooke arranges to see her the following day. Xanthe suspects, correctly, that her mother is up to something dishonest and discusses her concerns with Amy. Later she raises the matter with her parents and Brooke denies it. She later sees her parents hugging.

Jacka Hills

Jackson Derek "Jacka" Hills, played by Brad McMurray,^[6] made his first screen appearance on 7 March 2016. Jacka is an old friend of Stephanie Scully (Carla Bonner).^[7] He was billed as the show's "newest villain" and a writer for the official website said with "trouble brewing", Jacka would be in the middle of it.^[7] McMurray enjoyed playing the role, saying "It's a great show to be apart of and I'm quite adept at playing the bad guy so this is really a lot of fun. I love causing trouble and there are definitely a few surprises in store where Jacka is concerned."^[7] Following his original guest stint, the character returned in September. Jacka asks Steph to visit him in prison, after learning that his wife Regan Davis (Sabeena Manalis) might be having an affair. Steph agrees to speak to Regan to find out the truth.^[8]

Steph Scully recognises her old friend Jacka, after he pulls his bike up alongside her and Mark Brennan (Scott McGregor). Steph suggests they round up their old friends for a beer and a talk. When Jacka mentions that they have been kicked out of their usual place, Steph invites them to Robinsons Motel. Paul Robinson (Stefan Dennis) voices his displeasure at having a gang of bikers at the motel and asks them to leave. Unhappy at the way Paul spoke to Steph, Jacka and the group return to trash the room and steal Paul's prosthetic leg. A few weeks later, Jacka leaves some boxes of alcohol at Robinsons for Steph. Mark Brennan (Scott McGregor) recognises that they are stolen. Steph confronts Jacka and he warns her not to tell the police about his connection to the alcohol. However, Mark has already called it in. In retaliation, Jacka sprays graffiti over the motel's entrance. He is later seen leaving the scene of the explosion at Lassiter's Hotel with a cash box. Steph approaches Jacka to do some investigating into the explosion for her and Paul. Jacka refuses, as he is convinced Steph is trying to set him up. Jacka calls someone to let them know that no one knows he placed the hotel's blue prints in Paul's briefcase. Due to their gang connections, Jacka is revealed to be old friends with Ned Willis (Ben Hall). Jacka goes to Robinson's Motel where he wipes Paul's list of suspects from the whiteboard. Paul later contacts him about buying a fake passport to escape the country, in exchange for money. Jacks tells someone the phone that he will make sure the passport does not get Paul past immigration. Later, he is seen talking to the same person on the phone and laughing at Paul's prison sentence. It soon emerges that hotel owner Julie Quill (Gail Easedale) planned to pay him $10,000 to blow up the Lassiter's boiler to claim the insurance payout. Jacka did so, but Julie refused to pay him afterwards, once they found out that there were fatalities. Jacka is arrested and taken into police custody.

Months later, Jacka asks Steph to visit him. He believes his wife, Regan Davis, is having an affair and he wants Steph to find out who it was with. After speaking with Regan, Steph returns to the prison and tells Jacka that Regan thought they were having an affair before he was jailed, which is why she stopped visiting him. Steph explains that she set Regan straight and Regan will visit him soon. Jacka then reveals that he had someone else check up on Regan and he thinks Steph is lying. He tells her to get him a name. Regan later tells him that she was having an affair with Ned. Jacka is released early to care for his dying mother and he returns to Erinsborough to get revenge on Ned. He watches Ned with Elly Conway (Jodi Anasta) and later finds her at The Waterhole. He introduces himself to her as JD and buys her several drinks. Ned sees them together and pulls Elly away, telling her who Jacka really is. Terese Willis (Rebekah Elmaloglou) then asks for him to be removed. Steph confronts Jacka and urges him to give up his revenge plan. Jacka breaks into Number 32 and poisons Ned's tattoo ink. He breaks in again, and is almost caught by Brad Willis (Kip Gamblin) and Toadfish Rebecchi (Ryan Moloney). After learning that some of Ned's family and Elly are going up in a hot-air balloon, Jacka tampers with the gas cylinders, causing it to crash. At the hospital, Jacka learns that Regan died as a result of the balloon crash and he accuses Karl Kennedy (Alan Fletcher) of killing her. Jacka is then arrested, and he is later sentenced to eighteen years in prison.

Jack Callahan

Father Jack Callahan (also John Doe), played by Andrew James Morley, made his first screen appearance on 4 April 2016.^[9][10] The character and Morley's casting was announced on 30 January 2016.^[9] Morley was surprised to receive a call from his manager asking him to record an audition tape, as he was in Cambodia helping to raise money for charity. Upon his return to Melbourne, Morley was offered a regular role with Neighbours.^[9] He began filming in December 2015.^[9]

The character was initially billed as having "a mysterious past" and no family connection to Erinsborough.^[9] Morley commented that it was "an interesting start" for his character.^[11] He continued, "I'm sure the audience will have lots of questions like, 'Who is this guy? What's he doing here?' He's not related to anyone so why is he in the situation that he is the first time we see him?"^[11] The actor thought John would be likeable, but would cause some controversy.^[11] John befriended Paige Smith (Olympia Valance), who tried to help him.^[9] Morley told Holly Byrnes of The Daily Telegraph, "Paige helps him to discover who he is...working out why he's there and what's his story. It's been fun piecing together the puzzle."^[9] It later emerged John's real name was Jack Callahan and that he was a Catholic priest.^[12] Morley said Jack would decide to stay in Erinsborough, but it would be hard as he is forced to choose between Paige and God. The actor commented, "It's a heartbreaking decision because he wants both, but of course he can't have both!"^[12]

Shortly after arriving at the Lassiter's Complex, John Doe bumps into Paige Smith. They run into each other again outside the hotel, just as the boiler room explodes. John throws himself on top of Paige to protect her. He is taken to the hospital, where he remains in a coma. One of the nurses tells Paige that they do not know who he is, as he had no identification on him. Paige stays by his bedside and is present when he wakes up. John suffers from amnesia and cannot remember his own name. Paige gets him a job with Amy Williams's (Zoe Cramond) handywoman business. Amy also offers him a place to live. John meets with a hotel employee, who spoke to him on the day of the explosion, but she cannot help him find out who he is. Paige puts up flyers, asking if anyone can identify John. A hotel guest named Steven Aniston (Garikai Jani) recalls John saying he has links with Geelong. John and Paige travel to the city and stay in a local hostel. Just as Paige and John are about to kiss, Paige spots a photograph of John with another man, who they later learn is Dustin Oliver (Kevin Clayette). They arrange to meet Dustin in Erinsborough. He greets John as "Jay", before he runs away when he spots Mark Brennan (Scott McGregor) in his police uniform. John decides to leave town, but Paige persuades him to stay. John has two hypnosis sessions with Karl, who later refers him to a psychiatrist.

Mandy Franze (Kristy Best) claims to be John's girlfriend, but they soon find out she is lying. Paige tries to kiss John, but he rejects her and Paige asks him to leave. John sees a woman driving a van and says he remembers her and the company, which he later learns repairs boilers. John suffers flashbacks of the Lassiter's boiler room and believes that he may have caused the explosion. He then goes to the police to confess, but the detective tells him that he did not cause the explosion. John kisses Paige. The witness who saw him on the morning of the explosion later reveals she was paid to lie. John's memory returns and he is able to tell Mark that Julie Quill (Gail Easdale) and Jacka Hills (Brad McMurray) caused the explosion. Paige comes to the station and John emerges in clerical clothing. He reveals his name is Jack Callahan and that he is a priest. He explains that he was questioning his faith when he came to Erinsborough and was staying with a priest in Elliot Park, but when he went away to Rome, Jack was left to counsel Julie at the church. He followed her to Lassiter's and saw her in the boiler room, but did not expect her to cause an explosion. Jack briefly leaves Erinsborough to see his family and Paige says she will wait for him. Jack faces conflicting pressures between his love for Paige and his vow of celibacy. Jack looks after a little girl named Poppy Jarvis, who has cystic fibrosis, whilst her mother is in hospital, and he oganises an fancy dress party for her. Ari Philcox reveals in the confessional that he's been releasing the snakes. Jack's priestly vows forbid him passing on this information. Jack thinks that Paige is the intended target, but later learns that Steph is. He rejects Paige again or his faith. He then sees Paige dressed as a nun at her mother, Lauren Turner's (Kate Kendall) hen party.

Jack receives an audio message from Paige's sister, Piper Willis (Mavournee Hazel) of Paige declaring her love to him while on a hot air balloon trip, but during the voice message, Jack learnt that Paige and her family are in danger and drive to the crash site. Jack sees everyone, except for Paige, and Piper told him that Paige jumped off the balloon before it crashes. Jack went to find her and found her red scarf in a dam. After searching, he finds an unconscious Paige on the shore, who suffers from hypothermia. He carries her to an abandoned shed to warm her up. Jack told Paige that he knows how sorry she is and confess his love to Paige. The pair then slept together, reconciling their relationship. They were soon found by Paige's father, Brad Willis (Kip Gamblin). Jack leaves for Queensland, later returning with his former girlfriend, Simone Bader, causing Paige to again feel betrayed.

Ned Willis

Ned Willis, played by Ben Hall, made his first screen appearance on 6 April 2016.^[13] Hall's casting was announced on 11 March 2016, while the character has been referred to for several years following his off-screen birth.^[13] Following his initial guest stint, Hall later returned to filming and Ned returned on 10 August.^[14][15]

Ned is the son of Brad Willis (Kip Gamblin) and Beth Brennan (Natalie Imbruglia).^[13] His introduction united all of Brad's children on-screen for the first time.^[13] Hall explained that Ned has been living with his grandparents in Darwin.^[16] He also said there would be tension between Ned and Brad, explaining "having missed out on a childhood with his immediate family he will now have a different learning experience. Learning how to be a brother and a son, all those things. He gets it right sometimes and he gets it wrong sometimes too."^[16] Ned is a tattoo artist and Hall commented that it would lead to some "mischief".^[16] He also described Ned as being "very complex" and "quite manipulative", adding "he has had a bit to deal with and it's really interesting how his story line pans out."^[13]

Ned is invited to Erinsborough by his grandfather Doug (Terence Donovan) and half-brother Josh Willis (Harley Bonner), who hope to reunite him with his father Brad (Kip Gamblin). Ned is staying at Lassiter's Hotel when the boiler explodes. He overhears Karl Kennedy (Alan Fletcher) telling Hilary Robinson (Anne Scott-Pendlebury) that Josh is dead. He locates Doug in his room and asks Mark Brennan (Scott McGregor) to get Doug to safety as he does not want to risk running into his father. Ned and Brad later reunite outside the hotel, shortly before Doug collapses and dies. Ned is then reunited with his half-sisters Imogen (Ariel Kaplan) and Piper (Mavournee Hazel). He agrees to stay in town for the funerals. Brad's girlfriend Lauren Turner (Kate Kendall) notices a gang tattoo on Ned's chest, but he tells her he was not part of the gang. Ned becomes worried about Piper when she takes her anger out on Stephanie Scully (Carla Bonner) and shows her a video Doug made to help her with her grief. It also emerges Ned knows Jacka Hills (Brad McMurray).

Lauren mentions to Ned that his story about the day of the explosion has inconsistencies, explaining that Piper found Josh's phone with a message from Doug asking about Ned's whereabouts on it. Ned tells Lauren that he got to the hotel early and went for a walk. He came across set up for the Citizen of the Year and learned that Brad had won. Angry, he wrecked the photo of his father, injuring his hand in the process. He then had it treated, before returning to his room. Lauren encourages Ned to tell Brad, but before he can, the police arrive to question him. After Ned is found to have an alibi, he tells Brad he does not need him and decides to leave for Sydney. Brad's wife, Terese Willis (Rebekah Elmaloglou) tells Ned about Beth keeping him from Brad and he is persuaded to stay. Ned is sexually attracted to Lauren despite the age difference. He befriends Tyler Brennan (Travis Burns) and tells him he has feelings for an older woman. Ned later kisses Lauren, but she pulls away. When Piper overhears them discussing the kiss, Lauren is forced to tell Brad. Lauren later asks Ned to leave and he does. After receiving a call from Piper inviting him to Brad and Terese's divorce party, Ned returns to Erinsborough to apologise to Lauren and reconcile with Brad. He tells Brad that he has moved on and will respect his relationship. After congratulating Brad and Lauren on their engagement, Ned looks at a lock of blonde hair that he keeps in his wallet. Ned goes on a date with Elly Conway (Jodi Anasta). When he asks her out again, she plays hard to get and he takes Madison Robinson (Sarah Ellen) out to make Elly jealous. Ned and Elly begin dating, but she finds the lock of hair in his wallet and assumes it belongs to Lauren. When Lauren and Brad confront him, Ned reveals that the hair belongs to a girl he was dating before his return. Ned's friend Bree Wozniak (Kate Boladian) tells him that his former girlfriend, Regan, wants to see him. Regan meets Ned and Ned tells her that their relationship is over, but he kisses her goodbye which is seen by Matt and causes problems when Elly hears about it. On learning that Jacka has been released on parole to be with his dying mother, Ned and Regan leave Erinsborough together. Ned returns after leaving Regan in Albury. Ned announces he's leaving again for safety and Elly wants to go with him and arranges leave from the High School. Ned, however, leaves without her. Ned burns down Maxine Cowper's house and Brad pays her rent in a flat in return for her not telling the police.

Madison Robinson

Madison Robinson, played by Sarah Ellen, made her first screen appearance on 22 April 2016.^[17][18] Ellen's casting was announced on 20 February, while Madison has previously been mentioned by other characters following her off-screen birth in 1995.^[17] Ellen filmed her guest appearance in the same month, but producers have said that she could return on a more permanent basis in the future.^[17] Of the casting, series producer Jason Herbison said "we always knew the character of Madison would appear in the Neighbours universe at some point and I'm thrilled to have cast Sarah in the role."^[17] Madison returned on 24 June.^[19]

Madison is the younger child of iconic Neighbours couple Scott (Jason Donovan) and Charlene Robinson (Kylie Minogue). She comes to Erinsborough to check up on her brother Daniel (Tim Phillipps), on behalf of their parents.^[17] To help her prepare for the role, Ellen watched footage of her on-screen parents. She commented, "I watched a lot of episodes with Charlene and she was a very feisty and adventurous character and I think Madison has definitely inherited a few of those characteristics."^[17] Madison is "a budding journalist".^[20] Holly Byrnes from the Herald Sun described her as a "stylish teen".^[17] On 22 August, Byrnes colleague Nui Te Koha reported that Ellen had wrapped her guest stint and would be pursuing new roles in Hollywood.^[21] Ellen commented, "Neighbours is such a great training ground. I feel like I could easily walk on to another set and it would be a breeze."^[21]

When no one answers the door of Number 24 Ramsay Street, Madison attempts to enter through an open window. When she is pulled down by her brother Daniel, she punches him. They get reacquainted with each other and Madison reveals that she has come down from Brisbane on behalf of their parents, following Daniel's announcement that he is getting married to Imogen Willis (Ariel Kaplan). Daniel tells Madison that he and Imogen are getting married so they can go to the United States. Madison lends some of her clothes to Daniel's neighbour Xanthe Canning (Lily Van der Meer). When she later enquires about Xanthe's photo shoot, Xanthe is disheartened by the pictures, but Madison tells her not to be. Daniel and Imogen's marriage license comes through and Daniel tells Madison that they are getting married in secret the following day. When Imogen's parents learn about the wedding, they get Madison to tell them where it is happening. Daniel and Imogen are persuaded to hold the wedding at home in front of their family and friends. After they leave town, Madison decides to stay and speak to her uncle Paul Robinson (Stefan Dennis), who had been accused of causing the Lassiter's Hotel explosion. Madison tells Paul that she believes in him, as he had once taken her family out to dinner and told the waiter she was going to be the next Ita Buttrose. Madison explains that Paul is one of her heroes and she refuses to lose faith in him. After encouraging Paul to continue looking at the evidence, she leaves for Brisbane.

Paul is imprisoned for the explosion, but several months later, is found innocent when the police charge Julie Quill (Gail Easdale). When he is freed, Paul frames a trainee reporter for the West Waratah Star for writing a bad article about him and uses it to blackmail the editor into hiring Madison as a cadet at the paper. She takes the opportunity, flying to Erinsborough and abandoning a boyfriend and university plans. Paul urges Madison to write a feature about the locals, and he later alters some of the profiles so they become personal attacks. Paul's actions are soon discovered and Madison moves out of Paul's motel to live with Terese Willis (Rebekah Elmaloglou). As an apology, Paul tells Madison about another story involving the new cleaning company at Lassiter's, who used to employ ladies in lingerie. Madison discovers that her cousin Amy Williams (Zoe Cramond) worked for the company and tells her editor that she no longer wants to write the article. She is fired from the paper, so Terese hires Madison as her assistant. Madison encourages Terese to put in a bid for Lassiter's. When her aunt Lucy Robinson (Melissa Bell) accepts the offer, Madison flies to New York with her to oversee the paperwork on Terese's behalf. When singer Rhonda Riley (Shayne Francis) is late for her performance at The Waterhole, Madison is encouraged to take her place. Aaron Brennan (Matt Wilson) later arranges for her to perform again. Xanthe assumes Madison is dating Ben Kirk (Felix Mallard) when she sees them together, and her grandmother Sheila Canning (Colette Mann) fires Madison from The Waterhole. It soon emerges that Ben is working on a song for Xanthe with Madison's help. Madison receives an audition for a singing residency at Lassiter's Gold Coast courtesy of Lucy. At SeaWorld, Madison unexpectedly meets her former boyfriend Logan Dunne (Nick Slater), who she thought had gone to California. She confronts him about their break-up and learns that he did not receive her texts, as he threw his phone off a bridge. He also explains that he does not have a new girlfriend and that he still loves her. Madison is late to the audition, but impresses the judges is offered the job. She decides to give it up to accompany Logan to California, but he tells her that he will stay on the Gold Coast with her.

Angus Beaumont-Hannay

Angus Beaumont-Hannay,^[22] played by Jai Waetford, made his first screen appearance on 2 May 2016.^[23][24] Waetford's casting was announced on 10 February, but his character's identity was initially kept secret.^[23] He later revealed to Angus O'Loughlin of the Hit 30 radio show that his character was called Angus.^[25] Of his casting, Waetford said "I am super excited to be joining the Neighbours team. It's my first TV role and I am looking forward to spending time on set, learning new things and meeting new people."^[23] Waetford had a guest contract with the show.^[23] Waetford's character was initially billed as the "rebellious" son of "a controversial Erinsborough character."^[23] It was later revealed that Angus is Sarah Beaumont's (Nicola Charles) son.^[24] The show's series producer Jason Herbison commented that Waetford would have fun with his character, who pushes boundaries.^[23] Following Waetford's initial guest stint, he later returned to filming with the cast on the Gold Coast.^[26]

Angus comes to Australia after being expelled from his boarding school. He believes he is taking a holiday with his mother Sarah, but she tells him he is staying with her friends Karl (Alan Fletcher) and Susan Kennedy (Susan Kennedy) in Erinsborough while she goes to Germany for business. Angus clashes with Ben Kirk (Felix Mallard), after he finds and steals some money that Ben hid in his guitar case. Angus wants to leave, until he meets Xanthe Canning (Lily Van der Meer). Angus continues to feud with Ben, who later accuses him of planting matches and lighter fluid in his locker. Ben punches Angus in front of Xanthe and Susan. When Angus learns Xanthe has not prepared for an exam, he sets off the fire alarm. When Susan confronts him, he denies it was him. Angus buys Xanthe concert tickets and while sheltering from a storm, they kiss. When her friends fail to turn up for her 16th birthday party, Xanthe plans to make the day memorable by having sex with Angus. But after her grandmother Sheila (Colette Mann) stops them, Angus tells Xanthe that they are not right for each other and he ends their romance. Angus also tells Susan that he set off the fire alarm.

Angus also sprays graffiti on the wall at the high school, but is not punished, which angers Ben and they fight again. Angus overhears Ben asking Susan why he was allowed to get away with his bad behaviour and Angus asks Karl if he is his father. Karl assures Angus that he is not. Angus becomes involved when Tom Quill (Kane Felsinger) demands that Xanthe and Ben pay back the money they took from his hotel room. Aaron Brennan (Matt Wilson) helps them out with a clothes sale, while they also form a band so they can go busking. Angus learns from Xanthe that his mother has cancer, so he takes the money that Ben and Xanthe made busking and runs away. They find Angus at the Off-Air bar and he tells them he is going to Bali, but Ben takes his passport. Angus decides to hitch a ride to the airport and Xanthe goes with him, assuming that he has done it before. After becoming scared of the man who picked them up, Angus and Xanthe flee and her father, Gary Canning (Damien Richardson) takes them home. A few days later, Sarah returns to see Angus and apologises for not telling him about her cancer. She asks him to come to Germany with her, where she will continue her treatment. Angus asks if he can stay with Karl and Susan. However, after talking with his mother and realising that he did not cause her cancer, he agrees to go with her and they leave for Germany.

Weeks later, while he is on the Gold Coast with his father, Angus is reunited with Ben and Xanthe, after finding them on the beach. When he learns Madison Robinson (Sarah Ellen) is late for a singing audition, Angus fills in to by her more time. After speaking with Susan about how he has been effected by his mother's condition, she invites him to return to Erinsborough and he accepts. Susan's niece Elly Conway (Jodi Anasta) persuades Angus to return to school and he develops a crush on her. After Elly rejects Angus, he loses his virginity to Piper Willis (Mavournee Hazel), who also lost her virginity to him. He later decides to get a tattoo using Ned Willis's (Ben Hall) stolen ink, but Karl stops him as the ink is contaminated. Angus sings to Elly at the Halloween dance, rousing Susan's suspicions. That same night, Angus kisses Elly while she is sleeping and she reprimands him, but decides not to tell Susan. Leo Tanaka (Tim Kano) warns Angus to stop pursuing Elly. Angus decides to leave Erinsborough High, but he is persuaded to attend a music school instead. His drink is spiked by one of his new school friends and he makes a drunken phone call to Elly, who picks him up from the bar, with help from Tyler Brennan (Travis Burns). Aaron Brennan (Matt Wilson) informs Angus that an independent record label want to meet with him after seeing his music video. Elly plans to meet up with her former boyfriend and Angus asks Piper for her help in keeping them apart, but the plan fails and Elly asks Angus to stay out of her life. Angus helps a drunk Elly to bed and takes advantage of her state to kiss her. Susan finds him lying next to her on the bed and reports the incident to the education board, who refer the case to the police. At the same time, Angus is offered a record deal. Angus and Elly tell Mark Brennan (Scott McGregor) that nothing happened between them, but Elly later remembers what happened in her bedroom. Angus begs her to keep quiet, but she tells Susan and Angus is questioned by the police again, where he faces assault charges. Angus apologises to Elly and explains that he knows what he did was wrong. She decides not to press charges, and Angus's father escorts him to Sydney.

Walter Mitchell

Walter Mitchell, played by Greg Stone,^[27] made his first screen appearance on 13 May 2016. Walter was introduced as Sonya Rebecchi's (Eve Morey) estranged uncle. It soon emerged that Walter was hiding a secret from Sonya concerning the night her parents died in a car crash.^[28] He eventually revealed that he was actually Sonya's father.^[29] Furthermore, Sonya also learned Walter had a fourteen-year-old daughter called Zoe (Nicola Billie Gullotti). Sonya's half-sister suffers from leukaemia and Walter asks Sonya to get tested as Zoe needs a bone-marrow transplant.^[30] Daniel Kilkelly of Digital Spy branded Walter a "troubled relative",^[28] while an All About Soap columnist called him "cunning".^[30]

Walter arrives in Erinsborough, and Toadie tries to stop him meeting Sonya. Walter assures Toadie that he is three weeks sober, but he lent the money Toadie gave him to a friend instead of going to rehab. Toadie's friend Stephanie Scully (Carla Bonner) offers Walter a room at her motel. When Sonya arrives home early from a meeting, she meets Walter, but Toadie lies that Walter is one of his clients called Mitch. When she learns Mitch is an alcoholic, Sonya goes to an AA Meeting with him, where he meets Terese Willis (Rebekah Elmaloglou). Terese and Walter go for a drink and end up kissing. Sonya reveals that she has seen Mitch again, prompting Toadie to finally admit he is her uncle Walter. Sonya confronts Walter, who apologises for not finding her sooner, and though she tells him she cannot handle him in her life right now, he sticks around and continues to date Terese. Terese convinces Sonya to give Walter a second chance, but she becomes suspicious when she realises Walter was present in the car when her parents crashed and died. Walter reveals that he was arguing with his brother John, as he wanted Sonya to know he was actually her father, due to a brief affair between him and Sonya's mother.

Sonya is shocked and initially rejects Walter, prompting him to get drunk. When Sonya finds him, she agrees to help him get clean and invites him to move in. Walter breaks up with Terese and babysits Sonya's daughter Nell (Scarlett Anderson), impressing her, but she finds a text on his phone from his ex-wife Roxanne, urging him to be honest with Sonya about something. Walter admits that he has another daughter called Zoe, who has leukaemia. He asks Sonya to get tested to be a bone marrow donor. Sonya meets Zoe and gets tested, but they learn she is not a match. Walter then suggests that Nell could be a donor instead, and Sonya gets her tested in secret as Toadie objects. When she is found to be a match, Sonya tells Toadie, who refuses to let his daughter donate due to her young age. Walter collects Nell from nursery and takes her to the hospital. Realising what Walter has done, Zoe takes Nell back home. Walter apologises to Sonya and Toadie for kidnapping Nell, and Sonya decides not to press charges against him. When Sonya's son Callum (Morgan Baker) is found to be a match for Zoe, she and Walter leave for the United States.

Mandy Franze

Mandy Franze, played by Kristy Best, made her first screen appearance on 26 May 2016.^[31] The character and Best's casting was announced on 1 May.^[31] Of her guest appearance, Best said "Shooting Neighbours was really great, especially because the crew and cast are so friendly. I enjoyed acting opposite Andrew Morley and being directed by the multi-talented Scott Major."^[31] The actress revealed Mandy is the ex-girlfriend of Morley's character John Doe. When she finds him, she "strives to get him back" and to repair their relationship, but Paige Smith (Olympia Valance) stands in her way.^[31] Alicia Vrajlal of the Daily Mail Australia branded Mandy "mysterious".^[31]

Mandy claims to be John Doe's girlfriend. She tells him that his real name is Jason Jones and that they live together. She had just got back from a trip when she learned where he was and what had happened to him. John questions Mandy about his life with her and she explains that they met in Geelong and that he is a handyman. Paige Smith is suspicious of Mandy, but John continues to get to know her and they kiss. Before John and Mandy leave town, Paige brings over a Hawaiian pizza for them. Mandy claims that it is John's favourite, as he loves pineapple, making him realise that she is lying about their relationship, as he is allergic to pineapple. Before she goes, Mandy reveals that she met John on the day of the Lassiter's explosion, but he did not tell her his name or many details about himself.

James Udagawa

James Udagawa, played by Samuel David Humphrey, made his first screen appearance on 3 August 2016.^[32] The character and casting was announced on 25 July 2016.^[33] Humphrey, who has acrodysostosis, came to the attention of the casting directors after starring in a documentary about young people with physical disabilities. He was initially going to appear as an extra, but "a more substantial role" was later written for him.^[33] Of his casting, Humphrey stated "I love the whole process and I've learnt so much on Neighbours. I want to keep improving my skills and hopefully inspire other people to chase their dreams."^[33] James was billed as a "corporate whizz kid" and "highly-intelligent".^[33] He is brought in to help save Lassiter's Hotel from financial ruin and rein in Terese Willis (Rebekah Elmaloglou).^[33]

James joins Terese Willis in the lift at Lassiter's Hotel, where she mistakes him for a child due to his shortened height and directs him to the children's activity centre. When James later comes to Terese's office, she asks if he is lost and whether she can contact his parents. He then informs her that he is here to see her and the hotel's books, as he is a representative of his family's company, who have invested in the hotel. He explains that he wanted to experience the hotel as a guest and jokingly tells Terese that the children's activity centre is great. He asks to see the accounts, Terese's projections for the next year and the supplier contracts. A couple of weeks later, James returns for The Waterhole's quarterly review and to discuss the hidden cameras found in the hotel rooms. Elly Conway (Jodi Anasta) interrupts the meeting to explain that the cameras were part of a school media project and she apologises for it getting out of hand. James is satisfied with the explanation. Mr. Udagawa surprises Terese with his appearance a few weeks later. He lets her know that the figures for the Lassiter's pigeon race were satisfactory. Sheila Canning (Colette Mann) brings over a stock report for The Waterhole, which Udagawa takes from her. He tells Terese the takings are stagnant and demands to know what her plan is to improve them.

David Tanaka

David Tanaka, played by Takaya Honda, made his first screen appearance on 21 September 2016.^[34] The character and Honda's casting was announced on 22 August 2016, along with Tim Kano who plays David's twin brother Leo Tanaka.^[35] Of his casting, Honda said, "I feel so privileged to have the opportunity to join the regular cast of Neighbours. To learn from such prominent and longstanding Australian talent is truly seeing my dreams fulfilled."^[35] David and Leo come to Erinsborough in the hope of solving "a family mystery".^[35] David is a doctor, who has "a social conscience".^[35]

While visiting his great-grandmother at Erinsborough Hospital, David befriends Paige Smith (Olympia Valance), who tells him about Angelina Jackson (Sarah Howett), a patient who has a brain tumour. When Karl Kennedy (Alan Fletcher) comes to check on Paige, David introduces himself and reveals that he is a first-year resident at a hospital in Sydney. He offers to contact renowned neurosurgeon Dr. Anward Adisa (Yasmin Bushby) about Angelina, earning Paige's gratitude. While talking to Karl about his residency, David memorises Karl's hospital system password. Aaron Brennan (Matt Wilson) asks David and Leo about volunteering for the Blaze Outreach program and David drops off a first aid kit to Amy Williams (Zoe Cramond). She later catches him logging onto a computer using Karl's details. He admits to her and Karl that he is looking for his father, and Karl later finds information about a man named Bradley, who was banned from seeing David and Leo's mother in the hospital. Aaron sets David and Amy up on a date.

Leo Tanaka

Leo Tanaka, played by Tim Kano, made his first screen appearance on 22 September 2016.^[34][36] The character and Kano's casting was announced on 22 August 2016, along with Takaya Honda who plays Leo's twin brother David Tanaka.^[35] Kano enjoyed portraying his character, saying "I'm loving the role of Leo, who is such a great character to play."^[35] The Tanaka brothers come to Erinsborough in the hope of solving "a family mystery".^[35] Unlike his doctor brother, Leo is an opportunist. Kano described the character as being superficial, "fun and cheeky". He also has "a good heart" and respects his brother.^[35]

Leo blocks Amy Williams's (Zoe Cramond) truck in and tells her he will not be long when she complains. While he is sat in The Waterhole, Leo watches on as Aaron Brennan (Matt Wilson) plays Terese Willis (Rebekah Elmaloglou) and Paul Robinson (Stefan Dennis) against each other. Leo is surprised when David is caught looking at hospital records in a bid to find their father. Terese hires Leo to act as a consultant for Lassiter's, in the hope that he will improve takings at The Waterhole. Leo also secures an apartment for himself and David. Aaron invites Leo to the Back Lane Bar, along with David, Amy and Elly Conway (Jodi Anasta), who Leo knows from his job in venue management. Aaron leaves early after realising Leo is straight. Leo flirts with Amy. When she goes on a date with David, Leo tells her she is with the wrong brother. Paul attempts to blackmail Leo, after learning he managed a nightclub that was involved in money laundering, but Leo tells him it is public knowledge. Paul then offers to pay Leo to ruin Terese's business. Terese catches Leo snooping whereupon he saves his job by agreeing to spy for Terese.

Brooke Butler

Brooke Butler, played by Fifi Box, made her first screen appearance on 28 September 2016.^[37][38] The character and Box's casting was announced on 18 July 2016. She began filming her first scenes during the same week.^[39] Box had previously stated that she had secured an audition for the show scheduled for 15 July.^[40] Of her casting, Box commented, "I'm so excited to be heading to Ramsay Street to join the Neighbours family. Acting has been a lifelong dream of mine and to get this opportunity on Australia's most loved and popular show has blown my mind. I'm too excited for words!"^[37] Executive producer Jason Herbison praised Box's audition and said she won the role after showing that she "could pull off Gold Coast chic".^[37] Brooke is the estranged mother of Xanthe Canning (Lily Van der Meer) and ex-partner of Gary Canning (Damien Richardson).^[37] She was billed as "an opportunistic, flighty and dubious woman who relies on her looks to get by."^[37] Network Ten Executive Producer Claire Tonkin added that Brooke would be a "colourful character".^[37]

Near their old Gold Coast apartment, Brooke sits in her car and watches her daughter Xanthe and Ben Kirk (Felix Mallard). Weeks later, Brooke comes to Erinsborough to reconnect with Xanthe. She is also reunited with her former partner Gary and meets his mother Sheila Canning (Colette Mann). Brooke apologises to Xanthe for leaving her for so long, but explains that she was being chased by several men that she had conned. Xanthe realises that Brooke has been in Perth with her half-sister Jessie the whole time. Brooke apologises for not being there for Xanthe. Brooke reveals that she has a business selling jewellery, but Sheila is suspicious of her timing, as the family have just won a cash prize on Family Feud. She later takes a pair of Brooke's sample earrings to get them valued, and when she learns that they are legitimate, Sheila apologises. Xanthe encourages her mother to host a jewellery party for their neighbours, where Brooke makes several sales. She later meets with Mack Sweetin (Brian Edmond), to whom she owes money, and asks for the jewellery order to be delayed, as she does not want the buyers to know they are getting fakes until she has convinced Xanthe to leave town with her. Ben sees Mack hand over the jewellery to Brooke, but she denies receiving the shipment. She then convinces Xanthe that Ben does not respect her, and the couple fall out.

Gary and Brooke reconcile their relationship, but Xanthe thinks Brooke is using her father. Gary confronts Brooke, but she convinces him that she has feelings for him. Mack warns Brooke that she is late with her repayment. Brooke manipulates Gary and Xanthe by saying Sheila is looking tired from looking after the house, working and caring for a teenager. She adds extra chilli powder to Sheila's meal, leading to her brief hospitalisation with indigestion. Karl Kennedy (Alan Fletcher) enquires about his jewellery order and Brooke lies that she has not received it yet. She later tells Gary that customs are holding the order and she has to pay a $2000 fee, so Gary lends her the money. Brooke arranges to take Xanthe to Perth for a holiday. Shortly before they leave, Brooke's former boyfriend Trey Johnson (Jason Buckley) turns up, demanding the money Brooke stole from him. Brooke repays him and he leaves. Brooke tells Xanthe, Gary and Sheila that she is in debt and that the jewellery is fake. Mack turns up to collect Brooke's latest repayment and Sheila pays him. She tells Brooke that she will organise some shifts at The Waterhole for her. However, Brooke later writes Xanthe a goodbye letter and leaves town. She later calls Xanthe, but hangs up without speaking to her.

Others

References

External links

• Characters and cast at the Official Neighbours website
• Characters and cast at the Internet Movie Database
• Xanthe Canning at the Official Neighbours website
• Jack Callahan at the Official Neighbours website
• David Tanaka at the Official Neighbours website
• Leo Tanaka at the Official Neighbours website