Drew Kirk

Drew Kirk
Born	Andrew Kirk Oakey, Queensland, Australia (fictional)
Died	2002 Erinsborough (fictional)
Occupation	Mechanic
Years active	1998–2002, 2005, 2014 (web series)
Known for	Character on Neighbours
Notable work	Neighbours

Andrew "Drew" Kirk is a character from the Australian television soap opera Neighbours, brought to life by actor Dan Paris. After choosing to embark on an acting career, Paris landed the role of Drew on his very first audition. Although he initially found the filming process demanding, he gradually adjusted. Drew made his debut appearance on 27 March 1998.

Originating from a rural background in Oakey, Drew secured employment at the local garage in Erinsborough. He was portrayed as kind-hearted, innocent, and devoted, traits that mirrored Paris’s own background and look, especially his long hair which gave him a distinctive "hippy" style. His narrative arc included a romantic involvement with established character Libby Kennedy (Kym Valentine), leading to marriage and parenthood.

Paris departed from Neighbours in 2002 to explore new ventures; Drew’s final episode aired on 13 September 2002 before the character was written off through death. He returned briefly in 2005 as a figment of Stephanie Scully's (Carla Bonner) imagination. In 2014, Drew reappeared as a zombie in the web spinoff Neighbours vs Zombies.

Casting

Dan Paris transitioned from modeling into acting and auditioned for Neighbours, marking his first acting role, where he was immediately cast as Drew. He described this career move as a natural step forward and was contracted until March 2002. Prior to filming his initial scenes, Paris underwent a week of drama coaching but initially found adapting to acting challenging. It took nearly a year before he felt at ease on set. His first episode aired in March 1998.

Characterisation

Drew is depicted as a country lad from Oakey who moves to Erinsborough to live with his aunt Janet (Roberta Connelly). He is employed by Lou Carpenter (Tom Oliver) at Carpenter Mechanics, filling the position left by Ben Atkins (Brett Cousins). James Joyce of the Newcastle Herald described Drew as a "suitably spunky rival" to Ben, who felt marginalized after his accident. According to a BBC writer, Drew initially found adjusting to city life and working for Lou challenging. Colin Vickery of the Herald Sun noted that women in Erinsborough frequently experienced car troubles that only Drew could resolve; Paris remarked that Drew naively believed their visits were solely for his mechanical expertise.

Denise Everton from the Illawarra Mercury described Drew as "eternally nice, naive and gorgeous." Jason Herbison of Inside Soap observed that Paris shared several traits with Drew such as loyalty, humor, and rural origins, though Drew held more traditional views on marriage and family life. The character’s signature long hair contributed to his "hippy look." When Paris requested to cut his hair, producers declined out of concern it might alienate female viewers. A BBC representative confirmed they avoided any style changes that might diminish his appeal.

Marriage to Libby Kennedy

Drew developed feelings for Libby Kennedy (Kym Valentine) but approached their courtship cautiously. Paris highlighted that Drew had never desired anyone as strongly as Libby and was determined to win her affection. Valentine added that Drew understood Libby well enough for her to lower her defenses. Their romance blossomed during a visit to Drew’s hometown of Oakey. Both actors expected their characters would eventually become a couple but felt the process took longer than anticipated.

Soon after their engagement, Libby endured a motorcycle accident resulting in internal bleeding. Drew confronted Brendan Bell (Blair Venn), responsible for the crash. Brendan nearly admitted guilt before succumbing to his injuries. Libby's condition deteriorated with fever and hallucinations. Her father, Karl Kennedy, cautioned Drew about the seriousness and potential fatal outcome. Paris described this emotionally charged storyline as some of his finest work.

Libby called off their wedding upon learning the accident might have caused infertility. Paris explained that Drew was caught off guard and initially misunderstood her distancing. Libby revealed she no longer loved him and could not proceed with their plans. This left Drew feeling "bewildered and devastated." Paris believed that although Drew would be patient, he might eventually move on if Libby refused to reconsider their relationship.

Following reconciliation prompted by fan demand, Drew and Libby's wedding took place featuring "Scottish splendour," including Drew performing a traditional Scottish song at the reception. Paris was hesitant about singing on camera but agreed to deliver it humorously. He considered the scene well-edited and emotionally impactful.

Departure

In June 2002, Herbison reported that Paris had completed filming his final scenes for Neighbours. It was confirmed that Drew would be killed off in a cliffhanger after Paris decided to leave seeking "fresh challenges". Having appeared in over 1,000 episodes, Paris felt there were no further directions for his character. He stated, "I've taken the character as far as he can go... I'm now in the frame of mind to do other things." The character died in hospital following a fall from a horse. Years later, Paris told Andrew Bucklow of News.com.au that leaving was motivated by wanting to travel Australia with his partner and reduce studio time. He requested that Drew be killed off to firmly close the door on any return, explaining, "I needed to do other things in life and at the time that felt really right." Paris admitted he did not watch or hear about the funeral episode for Drew.

Storylines

Drew arrives in Erinsborough to live with his aunt Janet and begins working for Lou Carpenter at Carpenter Mechanics, taking over from Ben Atkins. When Lou suspects Drew is cultivating marijuana due to his interest in plants, it turns out he is growing tomatoes instead. Lou and Drew develop a strong friendship.

Drew becomes interested in Libby Kennedy but only realizes it later; their relationship ends when Libby's motorcycle accident leaves her fearing infertility. They later reconcile and have a son named Ben; both face serious health challenges along the way. While visiting Oakey, Drew suffers a fatal fall from his horse causing internal injuries that lead to his death, devastating Libby. At his funeral, Libby places flowers on his coffin and sings "Wild Mountain Thyme", recalling their wedding day.

Drew reappears as an apparition to Stephanie Scully (Carla Bonner) warning her about her cancer's recurrence.

Other appearances

On 18 September 2014, Dan Paris reprised the role of Drew in the web series Neighbours vs Zombies. Transformed into a zombie through makeup effects, he reunited with Alan Fletcher and Jackie Woodburne, who portrayed Karl and Susan Kennedy, respectively—Drew’s in-laws. Paris commented, "This was just too much fun to pass up and it was great to see Alan and Jackie again; it felt like no time had passed – somewhat like how a zombie feels I guess."

Reception

In the 1999 Neighbours.com Awards, viewers voted Drew second Best Male Under 30 and second Sexiest Male. For his portrayal, Paris won Best Aussie Actor at the 2000 Australian Inside Soap Awards. In June 2002, Drew ranked fourth in a Newsround poll for favourite Neighbours character with 11.57% of votes.

Colin Vickery of the Herald Sun described Drew as a "heart-throb" who arrived as a "hunky new resident" sparking female interest. The BBC highlighted key moments including: marrying Libby; welcoming son Ben; rescuing Lolly from fire; and ultimately being killed.

Virgin Media listed Drew among "Soap's most tragic deaths," emphasizing the emotional weight of his funeral scene. Cameron Adams from the Herald Sun noted, "Erinsborough isn't big enough for two hotties," signaling Paris's exit from the show. Darren Devlyn of The Daily Telegraph remarked that Drew’s death was unusually abrupt for soap operas—a "quick, sharp shock" for viewers.

A reporter from the Daily Record criticized the 2005 storyline involving Drew’s return as implausible, likening it to an X Files-style plot centered around dreams of a deceased character.

External links

• Drew Kirk on BBC Online