By Producer Gareth
We’ve been back from Australia for over two weeks and I still find myself thinking about the literally turbulent journey home. Nicola and I spent 5 hours delayed at Singapore airport and to make matters worse I’d not allowed enough time to change back into jeans from my comfy shellsuit bottoms (yes, what I lack in an up to date hair cut I make up for in ridiculous 80’s based clothing) so, much to Nicola’s amusement, wore them tucked into my workman-style boots for the entire duration – I looked stupid, I stomped around that place like an angry Bob the Builder. Since returning Nik, Russell, Jack and I have all fallen victim to jetlag, its effects noticeably more potent than on previous trips – although I find it increasingly difficult to distinguish between the drowsy results of jetlag and my crippling infatuation with Night Nurse.
Australia was a wonderful, friendly country. We all agreed that it’s easy to see why so many travelling Brits fall in love with the place and never return. I only have two gripes. One – at no point during our stay did I hear anyone utter the phrases “G’day mate”, “Fair dinkum”, or “Put another shrimp on the barbie” – now what sort of loopy, backwards country refuses to adhere to prejudicial foreign stereotypes? And two, I didn’t get to visit the set of Neighbours. My fascination with Neighbours, as with most people my age, dates back to childhood. I lived and breathed that cheery soap opera all through my adolescent years and far too long into adulthood. Its stars were my heroes. As a teenager I took a picture from the Jason Donavan Annual to the hairdressers for two years – he had a wonderful centre parting, that guy. The thought that one day I may actually be able to go to Ramsey Street would’ve blown my tiny mind as a youngster so imagine how excited I was at this prospect when we landed in Melbourne – the home of Neighbours.
Unfortunately my suggestion to visit that sacred street was met with laughter and derision by our travelling band of goons. I did sense that Russ was momentarily curious but he was quickly bullied out of the idea by the other jeering twits I call colleagues/friends. So this magical moment was not to be and as if the Gods where taunting me, my Neighbours torment intensified when I came to within touching distance of meeting one of the stars of the show – Libby Kennedy. Well, apparently. On our penultimate night in Melbourne a few of us went to a nightclub to celebrate a successful gig. Unaware of my fascination with the show, one of our Australian party informed me that we had just missed Libby, who was (allegedly) seen darting from the club – drunk. “No, no”, I insisted, “I won’t have that, not Libby. You must be mistaken. Libby would not be drunk”. “Yes, Gareth – it was her.” Libby, top rate journalist turned teacher, devoted mother, supportive daughter to Karl and Susan – granted there was that bad patch when she dated bad boy Darren Stark, but that was just a silly phase. Drunk? You may as well tell me that Harold has gone nuts and embarked on a mad spree of systematically injecting unsuspecting nightclubbers of Melbourne with the HIV virus. It’s just not in his nature.
Well they do say never meet your heroes so maybe it’s all for the best. In any case, I’ve just seen Libby on BBC Breakfast News promoting Neighbour’s 25th anniversary and she was sober as a judge. Now, the BBC is in London White City, right…?
Oh dear… bless your cotton socks Gareth. Had we have met while you were in Oz, I could have shown you where the grundy’s studio’s are. I am an actor and have spent many long hours on the Neighbours set. Next time hey? I grew up watching East Enders, so I understand the desire. Cheers xx
oh you guys just come on back down to old Oz, I’ll throw a shrimp on the barbie for you, and greet you at my farm gate riding a kangaroo with a cheery, loud, “G’Day!”
the offer’s on the table, it’s out there. :)
i heard the fruit is better in australia.
That bit about never meet your heroes because they never live up to how you have a picture of how you yourself would like them to be, rings true to life, I think people expect to much from other people, and foreget that they are not perfect either.
I mean forget
Your just adorable!
Aww, next time if no one wants to go with you, just go by yourself if it means that much.
You know they have a bus tour that will pick you up from your hotel, take you to all the Neighbours sights and return you… for for a A-List celeb such as yourself i’m sure they would have made special arrangements.
But typing this out made me think of something – when you were here in Melbourne, you were on Rove Live correct? It’s gonna kill you to learn that the building that’s broadcast from is the same building that a lot of the indoor shooting is done for Neighbours, and whatsmore you were about 2-3km from Pin Oak cres aka Ramsay st. You could have literally walked out the back of the building after the Rove live spots into Neighbours sets.
I’m 25 from Melbourne and I totally get your Neighbours thing. I grew up watching neighbours it’s like a second family.
I got to see the set of Neighbours a few years ago and it’s was like being a kid again. Every now and then I’ll see a neighbours star and secertly it makes me giddy. But if I let my friends know this, I’m mocked and taunted. I had to go on the Neighbours tour in secert by myself.
Kym Valentine is back playing Libby Kennedy…she was briefly replaced by Michaela Bannas for reasons which were not disclosed, however it happened around the same time that Kym Valentine hooked up with Jane Hall’s ex, Vince Colossimo, & the women’s magazines here in Australia were running hot with stories about tension on the set…
Hey there Russel…
Remember that really annoying girl that stuffed a cupcake in your face in melbourne?
that annoying person is my sister. Don’t worry i dont like her very much either.
Ga girl……..Iv got to say iv got the right hump with the fact australians never say ‘Good day sheila!’ or ‘Crikey is that a croc!?’,They just tease us with their very unafrican accents.
Next time your in a shell suit with worker boots try adding a creme caramel to the mix……..
xxx
Alfie – since Russ isn’t massive with the tweeting atm maybe you or the others guys can tell us what you’ve been up to?
xx
Haha Gareth,
It is very uncommon to hear any aussies say G’day as for shrimp we dont have them we call them something else although I heard that phrase more times will I was living in the U.K. damn tourism ads … fair dinkum you might hear thow as for the neighbours set visit I am australian and only know one person who has been and visited the set!!
I love reading your posts, you make me laugh every time.
I loved when you guys were over here! Im sorry that you never got to hear the typical stereotypes that are associated with aussies. 1. we dont call them shrimp, we accually call them prawns! 2. We do occasionally say Gday mate, but its usually when mocking someone who thinks we say it all the time and 3. they only say Fair Dinkim if you up in the Northern Territory hanging out with the natives!
:) so sorry!!!