List of Neighbours characters introduced in 1998

Neighbours

Company type	Television soap opera
Industry	Television
Founded	March 18, 1985 (1985-03-18)
Founder	Reg Watson
Area served	Australia

Neighbours is a long-running Australian soap opera created by Reg Watson, which first aired on 18 March 1985. The following section lists characters introduced in 1998, all under the guidance of executive producer Stanley Walsh. The show's 14th season commenced on 19 January 1998. Sally Upton was introduced in February; Nicholas Atkins and Drew Kirk arrived in March; May saw the debut of Joel Samuels and Veronica Olenski; August brought Karen Oldman and Mike Healey; while Tad Reeves and Geri Hallett were added in November.

Sally Upton

Sally Upton, played by Sally Davis, made her first appearance on 23 February 1998. Prior to this, Davis had a brief guest role as Alison Nova just three weeks earlier. Soon after her arrival, Sally became romantically linked with Joel Samuels (Daniel MacPherson). Although initially incompatible, their relationship deepened when Sally opened up about her mother's passing.

Sally was described as "opinionated" and somewhat "pushy". She held a position as an assistant at UniFM, the university radio station at Erinsborough University, where she worked alongside Toadfish Rebecchi (Ryan Moloney). Toadie introduced her to his housemate Joel, sparking mutual attraction. Their relationship encountered difficulties, including jealousy over Joel’s friendship with Libby Kennedy and tensions involving Sarah Beaumont, whom Sally befriended despite family disagreements.

Dealing with the emotional weight of her mother’s death anniversary, Sally experienced turmoil that led her to wrongly suspect Joel of cheating, resulting in their breakup. Later, she made an unexpected attempt to kiss Drew Kirk (Dan Paris), a friend of Joel's, which he declined. Following Joel’s hospitalization, Sally pretended to have feelings for him to aid his recovery but eventually ceased all contact.

One memorable incident highlighted by the BBC's official Neighbours website was Sally’s spontaneous attempt to kiss Drew while he was changing.

Nicholas Atkins

Nicholas "Nick" Atkins, portrayed by Jason Crewes, appeared for the first time on 12 March 1998. At that time, Crewes was also featured in the soap Breakers. Nick was the third member of the Atkins family to be introduced and soon found himself at odds with his younger sister Caitlin Atkins (Emily Milburn) after discovering her with her boyfriend. Early plots included Nick impersonating Toadfish Rebecchi (Ryan Moloney) and facing assault allegations. Once cleared of charges, Nick felt disillusioned and uncertain about his future at Erinsborough High.

In May 1998, it was announced that Nick would be leaving the show; he departed alongside Caitlin in June, with their final episode airing on 24 June 1998. As part of their farewell, Caitlin painted a message on the road to ensure they left a lasting mark. Author Tony Johnston described Nick as "handsome," while Peter Grant from the Liverpool Echo referred to him as a "big bad brother." Stephen Murphy of Inside Soap commented that Nick and Caitlin made a strong impression during their time in Erinsborough.

Nick arrived in Erinsborough to look after Caitlin following her attempt to run away with boyfriend Josh Hughes (Sullivan Stapleton). He clashed with their brother Ben Atkins (Brett Cousins) over who should assume responsibility for her care. After being mistaken for Toadie by fan Karen Oldman (Pia Miranda), Nick briefly impersonated him before confessing the truth. With Ben relocating elsewhere, Nick took charge of Caitlin’s welfare, secured a teaching role at Erinsborough High School, and established himself within the community.

He developed a friendship with colleague Jacquie Boyd (Amy Lapin), which upset Caitlin. When student Mickey Dalton (Trent Fowler) was injured during a fight, his mother Jean Dalton (Joanne Canning) accused Nick of assault, leading to his suspension. After being exonerated, Nick returned to teaching but remained unsure about continuing his career there. When their mother returned from the Middle East, Nick decided they should move back to Adelaide despite Caitlin's resistance.

Drew Kirk

Drew Kirk, brought to life by Dan Paris, made his first appearance on 27 March 1998. This role marked Paris's initial audition, through which he immediately won the part. His contract extended until March 2002. Drew originates from the rural town of Oakey and arrived in Erinsborough to take over from Ben Atkins (portrayed by Brett Cousins) at Carpenter Mechanics. James Joyce of the Newcastle Herald characterized Drew as a "fittingly spirited competitor" to Ben, while Denise Everton from the Illawarra Mercury described him as "kind-hearted, innocent, and handsome." Drew was notably recognized for his lengthy hair that contributed to a unique "hippie style," a look the producers insisted Paris maintain.

Joel Samuels

Joel Samuels, played by Daniel MacPherson, was introduced on 13 May 1998. MacPherson secured the role after auditioning for casting director Jan Russ, who suggested creating the character specifically for him. At age seventeen, he relocated from Sydney to Melbourne to join the production. Annette Dasey of Inside Soap portrayed Joel as "attractive, grounded, approachable, and an accomplished triathlete," dubbing him a "heart-throb." However, MacPherson pointed out that Joel's innocence often resulted in romantic setbacks. His portrayal earned him a nomination for Most Popular New Male Talent at the 1999 Logie Awards.

Veronica Olenski

Veronica Olenski, portrayed by Caroline Lloyd, appeared sporadically from 18 May 1998 until 29 October 2009 as a doctor and gynaecologist at Erinsborough Hospital. Over more than a decade, her character was central to numerous story arcs, including managing intricate patient cases and dealing with personal difficulties such as her husband Greg Michaels' affair with patient Stephanie Scully. Although separated, Veronica and Greg continued cohabiting amid strained relations intensified by the affair and Veronica's leadership role as chairwoman of a breast cancer charity.

Dr. Olenski’s medical duties encompassed treating athletes like competitive swimmer Caitlin Atkins and triathlete Joel Samuels, responding to emergencies involving characters such as Craig "Pinhead" Pinders, Libby Kennedy, and Brendan Bell, and assisting with multiple births including Libby's son Oscar Scully, Ashley Thomas, and Charlie Hoyland. She also cared for Izzy Hoyland, unintentionally disclosing Izzy’s pregnancy to her family.

Significant medical events included delivering Sky Mangel’s child during a hospital fire, diagnosing stage 2 cervical dysplasia in Pepper Steiger, and initially mistaking Susan Kennedy’s symptoms for menopause instead of multiple sclerosis. Dr. Olenski conducted ultrasounds during critical pregnancies, such as that of Carmella Cammeniti—whom she delivered via caesarean—and the Cammenitis’ uncertain pregnancy later confirmed.

Her professional life intersected with personal conflict when she confronted Steph about the affair with Greg, leading to public confrontations before attempts at reconciliation. Dr. Olenski also counseled Susan Kennedy against surrogacy due to MS-related health risks, opposed hospital resistance to IVF treatments, performed IVF procedures herself, and oversaw care for newborns like India Napier.

Karen Oldman

Karen Oldman, brought to life by Pia Miranda, made her first appearance on 13 August 1998. This role was Miranda's inaugural television performance, arriving three years after completing drama school. She recalled feeling embarrassed on her initial day of filming due to an accidental incident where a tampon dropped into the lap of co-star Todd MacDonald (who played Darren Stark). Miranda viewed her time on Neighbours as an invaluable learning experience, emphasizing the demanding script preparation and the high-pressure environment.

Karen represented Toadfish Rebecchi's (Ryan Moloney) "first significant romantic involvement," and he was heartbroken upon uncovering her infidelity.

As a freshman at Eden Hills University, Karen initially confuses Nick Atkins (portrayed by Jason Crewes) with Toadie after hearing Nick's radio program on UniFM. Since Toadie is too timid to approach her directly, he and Nick concoct a plan where Nick dates Karen. When the truth is revealed, Karen reacts with anger but eventually begins a genuine relationship with Toadie.

During dinner with Toadie's housemate Sarah Beaumont (Nicola Charles), Karen finds herself drawn to Sarah's boyfriend Alex Fenton (Guy Hooper). They depart together amid escalating tensions between Toadie and Sarah, confessing to seeing one another and ending their previous relationships. Karen later returns and reconciles with Toadie.

Toadie proposes that Karen pilot a flying device he co-developed with Lou Carpenter (Tom Oliver) to earn prize money for a trip to Bali; however, she declines after an incident involving a helium doll. She later tests an updated version but is unsuccessful. Eventually, Karen announces her family's relocation to New Zealand. They attempt to maintain a long-distance relationship, but she ends it months later, leaving Toadie heartbroken.

Mike Healey

Mike Healey, portrayed by Andrew Blackman, entered the series on 17 August 1998 as both a university lecturer and newspaper editor. Introduced as a romantic interest for Libby Kennedy (Kym Valentine), their relationship encountered difficulties stemming from their age difference and his position as her lecturer. Mike's ongoing involvement with his estranged wife Victoria, with whom he shared a child, further complicated matters. Valentine remarked that the romance would involve "a lot of drama" due to these complexities. The BBC's Neighbours website spotlighted Mike’s significant storyline involving impregnating his ex-wife while dating Libby. An Inside Soap columnist labeled Mike as "just the latest in a long line of rotters who caused Libby heartache."

While teaching at Eden Hills University, Mike began secretly dating student Libby, concealing their relationship because of potential university consequences and their age disparity. After Libby was reported missing following a fabricated horse-riding story, she disclosed the relationship. Her family arranged a dinner to meet Mike, but her father, Karl, expressed disapproval, particularly upon discovering Mike had a young daughter, Sasha (Chelsea Driessen). Mike introduced Sasha to Libby, prompting her to reassess their relationship. Although Mike assured Libby he harbored no feelings for his ex-wife Victoria (Tamar Kelly), Libby grew uneasy about Mike’s continued socializing with Victoria. To show his dedication, Mike rented Number 32, which helped solidify their bond.

Mike’s mother, Bianca (Joy Mitchell), informed Libby that she could never replace Victoria. Mike falsely told Libby that Bianca had changed her stance, which was untrue. While Libby developed a connection with Sasha, Mike’s behavior became erratic. Drew Kirk (Dan Paris) discovered Mike cheating with Victoria and confronted him physically but chose not to reveal this to Libby in order to protect her feelings. Libby insisted that Mike divorce Victoria if they were to continue their relationship; both agreed initially. However, when Sasha disclosed that Victoria was expecting another child, Libby ended things, realizing she would always be second in priority. Mike tried to reconcile but eventually moved out of Number 32.

Tad Reeves

Wayne "Tad" Reeves, portrayed by Jonathon Dutton, made his first appearance on 16 November 1998. Introduced as the younger cousin of Toadfish Rebecchi (Ryan Moloney), Tad was created to assume the mischievous "rascal" persona as Toadie grew older. At the time of casting, Dutton was sixteen and had previously appeared in a guest role on Neighbours. To accommodate his education alongside filming, he received tutoring on set. Denise Everton from the Illawarra Mercury characterized Tad as "outgoing". Dutton found the scenes involving Tad's adoption storyline to be especially demanding.

Geri Hallett

Geri Hallett, enacted by Isabella Dunwill, debuted on 25 November 1998. Initially contracted for a fortnight, Dunwill's portrayal earned her an extended recurring role lasting until 2001. Geri is depicted as a scheming journalist who incites discord between Drew Kirk (Dan Paris) and Libby Kennedy (Kym Valentine), motivated by jealousy over Drew's romantic interest.

Working at the Erinsborough News alongside Libby, Geri dated Libby's employer and quickly secured a byline, an accomplishment that took Libby years to attain. Dunwill appreciated playing Geri’s antagonistic nature and the rivalry with Libby. Their frequent confrontations continued at Eden Hills University; Geri briefly dated Drew but ended the relationship upon realizing his affections for Libby.

Subsequently, Geri joined Toadfish Rebecchi as co-host of UniFM, where Toadie attempted to have her removed after uncovering her acceptance of bribes to promote local businesses. Libby exposed this misconduct in a magazine article, resulting in Geri’s dismissal. Further antagonism arose when Geri spread rumors about Drew and Stephanie Scully (Carla Bonner), but Libby and Steph cleverly orchestrated a scheme that revealed Geri’s gossiping.

Geri intensified hostilities by publishing details of Libby's rejection of Drew's marriage proposal, prompting Libby to reveal Geri’s bribery scandal. Following Libby and Drew's wedding, Geri appeared during their honeymoon on the Gold Coast, photographing them for her newspaper—a storyline that marked her final appearance in 2001.

Others

Date(s)	Character	Actor	Role Details
19 January–20 February	Dr. Shepherd	Drew Tingwell	Dr. Shepherd attends to Ben Atkins following a severe car accident, performing surgery to address a depressed skull fracture. He provides updates to Ben's family and later treats Madge Bishop for an aneurysm.
20 January–17 March	Geoff Burke	Andrew McKaige	Geoff, father of Ben Atkins and former partner of Ruth Wilkinson, visits Ben during his hospital stay after the crash. Despite initial reluctance, they develop a bond. Geoff coaches Caitlin Atkins and offers Ben employment at his Sydney garage, which Ben accepts to strengthen their relationship.
9 February 1988–24 June 1999	Shannon Jones	Diana Glenn	Single mother Shannon forms a friendship with Toadfish Rebecchi and dates Darren Stark, causing friction with Libby Kennedy. After her house is destroyed by fire, community members assist her; she briefly dates Drew Kirk before returning to her restored home.
9 February 1998–7 June 1999	Brian Jones	Joshua Wojniusz
5 February	Alison Nova	Sally Davis	Alison is Perry Pinchen’s girlfriend who finds amusement in Amy Greenwood using Perry to provoke Lance Wilkinson into ballroom dancing.
16 February–7 July	Kim Howard	Paul Dawber	Kim is a teacher at Wangaratta High School who shares accommodation with Susan Kennedy and supports her through marital challenges, encouraging Susan’s temporary return to rural life.
18 February–17 March	Josh Hughes	Sullivan Stapleton	Josh trains with the Erinsborough swimming team and dates Caitlin Atkins. He fakes an injury to avoid training sessions, which causes conflict with Caitlin’s brother Nick; they briefly run away together before returning home.
26–27 February	Kenny Hyland	Jonathon Dutton	Kenny is a scout under Harold Bishop’s leadership who injures himself after falling into a ravine during a hiking trip; Harold rescues him.
23 March 1998–18 November 2003	Tony Simpson	Stan Tsitas	Tony oversees operations at Eden Hills University's radio station UniFM.
30 March–15 June	Mickey Dalton	Trent Fowler	A classmate of Paul McClain and Hannah Martin who falsely accuses Paul of shoplifting, leading to conflict and legal issues involving teacher Nicholas Atkins; ultimately the truth is revealed and Nick reinstated.
23–28 April	Declan Hewitt	Chris Milne	Libby Kennedy’s guest lecturer and former lover of Susan Kennedy; Libby uncovers his womanizing tendencies after developing an infatuation.
27 April–12 June	Jacquie Boyd	Amy Lapin	Teacher at Erinsborough High School and colleague of Nicholas Atkins; provides support during assault allegations against Nick.
5 May–29 October	Lily Madigan	Alethea McGrath	Elderly woman befriended by Anne Wilkinson and Libby Kennedy while resisting a corporation's attempt to purchase her home; she bequeaths her house to Anne in her will.
20 May–6 October	Mark Sindon	Marc Stafford	Student at Erinsborough High who dates Hannah Martin before their breakup prior to her departure for France.
22 May 1998–13 July 2001	Ryan Moller	Pieter Siertsema	Local police officer investigating threats against Libby Kennedy, assault claims involving Nicholas Atkins, robberies in Tasmania, and missing person cases; promoted to Sergeant during service.
12–15 June	Jean Dalton	Joanne Canning	Mother of Mickey Dalton who files an assault complaint against teacher Nicholas Atkins but retracts it after truth emerges; attempts to withdraw Mickey from school.
17 June–26 November	Maddie Harford	Karly Drever	Year 12 student attending social events including birthday parties and camping trips with peers such as Billy Kennedy and Amy Greenwood; instigates dares that create tension among friends.
17 June 1998–16 November 2000	Craig "Pinhead" Pinders	Nathan Godkin	Student repeatedly held back who was nominated for school captain but lost to Anne Wilkinson and Amy Greenwood; involved in peer conflicts and recovers from injuries sustained in a car accident; later trains as a primary school teacher.
18 June–5 February 1999	Janine Sumner	Caroline Wilson	"Real estate agent advising Karl Kennedy on property sales amid favorable market conditions."

External links

• Cast and characters on the Official AU Neighbours site
• Cast and characters on the Official UK Neighbours site
• Cast and characters at the Internet Movie Database