Christina Alessi
Christina Alessi | |
|---|---|
| Occupation | Fictional character |
| Known for | Neighbours |
Christina Alessi (also known as Robinson) is a character from the Australian television soap opera Neighbours, portrayed by Gayle Blakeney. She first appeared on screen on 18 January 1990, moving into Ramsay Street alongside her twin sister, Caroline Alessi, who was played by Gayle's actual twin sister, Gillian Blakeney. Christina marries Paul Robinson (played by Stefan Dennis) and later becomes the mother of their son, Andrew Robinson. Her exit from the show occurred on 5 August 1992 when she left with Paul and Andrew following Paul's decision to relocate to Hawaii. The character was brought back by Blakeney in June 2019, with her return broadcast on 6 September, appearing alongside her sister once again.
Development
In 1989, TV presenters and sisters Gayle and Gillian Blakeney secured roles as twins Christina and Caroline Alessi after reaching out to the producers at the Reg Grundy Organisation. Their filming commenced seven months subsequent to signing the contracts. Fascinated by the psychology of twins, the Blakeneys worked closely with the scriptwriters to ensure an accurate depiction of twin relationships.
According to soap opera reference materials, the twins' background involves being identical siblings born to an Australian mother and a father who is a second-generation Australian of Italian heritage. They have an older sister and two younger brothers; however, their strongest connection is with each other. Their characteristics differ significantly: Caroline is portrayed as confident and academically inclined, whereas Christina is more introverted, less ambitious, untidy, and quieter in demeanor. Christina’s primary aspiration revolves around excelling as a wife and mother; her fashion sense is relaxed in contrast to Caroline’s professional wardrobe.
The producers developed a romantic storyline between Christina and Paul Robinson. Off-screen, Blakeney and Dennis were in a relationship for two years. Early in 1991, scripts explored themes of jealousy and difficulties within Christina and Paul’s relationship. This was followed by a pregnancy plotline where Paul carefully prepares for their child’s birth. A dramatic moment occurs during labor when Paul runs out of petrol before they reach the hospital. To portray this convincingly, Blakeney undertook extensive research on pregnancy. Christina eventually gives birth to their son Andrew.
Paul experiences mental health challenges amid the decline of his business Lassiters, leading him to admit himself into a psychiatric hospital before disappearing to New Zealand. There he reconnects with his daughter Amy Williams and returns with her to live with Christina and Andrew. This arrangement causes friction as Christina resents Amy’s presence; their interactions are marked by frequent disputes.
An affair storyline unfolds when Paul develops feelings for Caroline, creating a love triangle that jeopardizes his marriage. Caroline battles guilt but cannot resist her attraction to Paul; this culminates in a kiss between them. To preserve their marriage, Paul conceals the truth from Christina while Caroline escapes to Italy to deal with her emotions. Upon returning, Paul attempts to mend their relationship by recreating their wedding ceremony—a grand gesture that helps revive their bond.
On 1 June 2019, it was revealed that the Blakeney twins would return for three episodes scheduled for September broadcast. They filmed together before departing back to Los Angeles on 7 June. Gayle Blakeney expressed excitement about the storyline that brought them back. Christina’s reappearance was shown in scenes set in Queensland on 6 September 2019.
Storylines
After witnessing a homicide, Christina and Caroline enter witness protection and relocate to 22 Ramsay Street under the assumed name 'Linda Giles'. Caroline thrives in her role at The Robinson Corporation under Paul's leadership, whereas Christina struggles. Their cover is blown when Paul discovers them together. Once the killer is apprehended, the sisters reclaim their true identities and invite Paul to move in with them. Both develop romantic feelings for him; meanwhile, Christina surprises everyone by successfully managing the Lassiter's Hotel gift shop.
Christina pursues Paul romantically after Caroline dates Adam Willis. Paul confesses his love but reveals it is directed toward Isabella Lopez (Mich White), who is engaged overseas. Christina exposes Isabella’s intentions as financially motivated and aimed at gaining citizenship. Although Paul insists he is finished with relationships, Christina flirts with Rory Marsden to provoke jealousy, which leads Paul to admit his affection for her. They quickly become engaged, marry on a cruise ship, and plan to start a family. Christina mistakenly believes she is pregnant; after initially hiding the truth, she eventually conceives and gives birth to their son, Andrew Robinson (Shannon Holmes).
Following financial difficulties and a nervous breakdown, Paul temporarily leaves Christina and Andrew, returning with his daughter Amy Williams, creating tension that resolves before Amy returns to her mother. When Caroline unexpectedly departs town, Christina overhears an affair between Paul and Caroline, prompting her to evict Paul and visit her sister. They reconcile, and Christina files for divorce while seeking custody of Andrew. Paul persuades her to give their marriage another chance; they renew their vows at No. 22 before moving to Hawaii to manage a hotel, later relocating to Brazil. Their marriage ultimately ends after Paul receives a seven-year prison sentence for fraud.
Years later, Andrew (now Jordan Patrick Smith) visits Erinsborough from Sydney, where he and Christina settled after living in Scotland. Andrew clashes with Paul's wife Rebecca Napier, who requests that he return; Christina refuses.
Paul encounters Christina and Caroline at a Queensland resort while eloping with fiancée Terese Willis. Discovering that his daughter Elle Robinson arranged the ex-wives’ presence as a protest against the wedding, they reconcile. Christina and Caroline witness Paul and Terese's marriage before parting ways.
Reception
The BBC identified Christina’s most memorable moment as "When she took off with Andrew without Paul knowing." In one plotline where Christina and Caroline swapped identities to secure a business deal, James Cockington from The Sydney Morning Herald criticized it as a "contrived" and risqué storyline designed to boost ratings against rival soap Home and Away. A critic from the Hull Daily Mail found Christina unimpressive, labeling her "drippy" and overly emotional in contrast to her "wooden" husband Paul.
An Inside Soap writer described Christina as the "dim, slightly podgier twin" compared with Caroline. Chris Twomey of What's on TV referred to her as "Paul's long-suffering wife." A TVTimes reporter observed that although no marriage is flawless, Paul and Christina Robinson’s relationship endured more than its fair share of challenges, often stemming from Paul's ambition. Kate Randall of Heat ranked the twins among the top ten Neighbours characters, emphasizing the ongoing rivalry Paul experienced between them.
References
- Bibliography