Tuong Pham

Neighbours

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

Neighbours is an Australian soap opera created by Reg Watson, which premiered on 18 March 1985. This list details characters introduced during 1998, all under the guidance of executive producer Stanley Walsh. The show's 14th season began broadcasting on 19 January 1998. Sally Upton made her debut in February, followed by Nicholas Atkins and Drew Kirk in March. In May, Joel Samuels and Veronica Olenski were introduced, with Karen Oldman and Mike Healey arriving in August. Tad Reeves and Geri Hallett joined the cast in November.

Sally Upton

Sally Upton, played by Sally Davis, first appeared on screen on 23 February 1998. Davis had a brief role three weeks earlier as Alison Nova. Sally became romantically involved with Joel Samuels (Daniel MacPherson), their bond strengthening after she confided in him about her mother’s passing. Her personality was described as "opinionated" and "pushy". Later, her green Volkswagen Beetle was passed on to Libby Kennedy (Kym Valentine), who was a rival for Joel’s attention.

Sally held a position as an assistant at Erinsborough University’s radio station UniFM, working alongside Toadfish Rebecchi (Ryan Moloney). Introduced to Joel Samuels by Toadie, she initially felt attracted to him. Their connection grew stronger after she revealed her personal grief, but jealousy surfaced due to Joel’s closeness with Libby Kennedy. Additional tensions involving Libby and Sarah Beaumont (Nicola Charles) further complicated their relationship. On the anniversary of her mother’s death, Sally misread Joel’s sympathy as betrayal and ended their relationship.

Subsequently, Sally tried to kiss Drew Kirk (Dan Paris) at a pub, but he declined out of respect for his friendship with Joel. After Joel was hospitalized, Sally's concerns about possibly hurting him increased. Eventually, she admitted the truth and ended the relationship.

The BBC’s official Neighbours website noted Sally’s most memorable moment as "bursting in on Drew while he was changing and attempting to kiss him."

Nicholas Atkins

Nicholas "Nick" Atkins, brought to life by Jason Crewes, made his debut on 12 March 1998. At the time, Crewes was also appearing in the soap opera Breakers. Nick was introduced as the third member of the Atkins family and quickly stirred conflict by confronting his sister Caitlin Atkins (Emily Milburn) about her romantic involvement. Early plots featured Nick impersonating Toadfish Rebecchi (Ryan Moloney) and being accused of assault. Once the charges were dismissed, Nick became resentful and uncertain about continuing his teaching position at Erinsborough High.

In May 1998, it was confirmed that Nick would be leaving the show, along with Caitlin, as they planned to move back to Adelaide. Their departure was broadcast on 24 June 1998 and included a memorable scene with Caitlin painting a farewell message on the street. Writer 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 left a strong impression in Erinsborough.

Nick arrives in Erinsborough to look after Caitlin, who is trying to run away with her boyfriend Josh Hughes (Sullivan Stapleton). He soon comes into conflict with his brother Ben (Brett Cousins) over who should take responsibility for her. Nick briefly pretends to be Toadie in an effort to impress Karen Oldman (Pia Miranda), a fan of Toadie, before settling into his teaching role at Erinsborough High.

He develops a friendship with fellow teacher Jacquie Boyd (Amy Lapin), which causes tension with Caitlin. When student Mickey Dalton (Trent Fowler) injures himself during a fight, Nick faces an assault lawsuit and is suspended. After being cleared of wrongdoing, he returns but questions whether he wants to continue teaching. Following their mother’s return from the Middle East, Nick informs Caitlin that they will be moving back to Adelaide despite her objections.

Drew Kirk

Drew Kirk, played by Dan Paris, first appeared on 27 March 1998. Neighbours marked Paris’s initial acting audition, and he secured the role immediately with a contract extending through March 2002. Drew is characterized as a country lad from Oakey, who joins Erinsborough as a mechanic at Carpenter Mechanics, taking over from Ben Atkins (Brett Cousins). Critics have described Drew as a "spunky rival" and praised him as "nice, naive and gorgeous." Notably, producers insisted Paris keep Drew’s signature long hair, which contributed to his "hippy" style.

Joel Samuels

Joel Samuels, portrayed by Daniel MacPherson, made his first appearance on 13 May 1998. MacPherson was cast after auditioning for casting director Jan Russ, who decided to create the role specifically for him. At seventeen years old, he relocated from Sydney to Melbourne for filming. Annette Dasey from Inside Soap described Joel as "good-looking, down-to-earth, friendly and a champion triathlete," labeling him a "heart-throb." MacPherson explained that Joel’s romantic troubles were due to his innocence. His portrayal earned him a nomination for the Logie Award for Most Popular New Male Talent in 1999.

Veronica Olenski

Veronica Olenski, portrayed by Caroline Lloyd, featured intermittently from 18 May 1998 until 29 October 2009 as a physician and gynaecologist at Erinsborough Hospital. Throughout more than a decade, her storyline included significant events such as her husband Greg Michaels’ infidelity with patient Stephanie Scully (Carla Bonner). Despite separating, Veronica and Greg maintained a shared household amid complicated emotional circumstances. Professionally, Veronica also experienced tension with Steph, particularly when she chaired a charity organization where Steph encountered opposition.

In her medical capacity, Dr. Olenski treated competitive swimmer Caitlin Atkins (Emily Milburn) for fatigue and identified sports-related injuries like the knee ligament damage that ended Joel Samuels’ triathlon ambitions. She was involved in emergency care cases involving characters such as Craig "Pinhead" Pinders, Libby Kennedy, and Brendan Bell. Significantly, she delivered Libby’s baby and revived her during cardiac arrest, as well as assisting in the births of Oscar Scully, Ashley Thomas, and Charlie Hoyland. Additionally, she cared for Izzy Hoyland (Natalie Bassingthwaighte) and unintentionally exposed Izzy’s secret pregnancy.

During critical incidents, Dr. Olenski delivered Sky Mangel’s child amidst a hospital fire and treated Pepper Steiger for cervical dysplasia. She initially misdiagnosed Susan Kennedy’s symptoms as menopause rather than multiple sclerosis but later provided support through Susan’s IVF treatments and newborn care. Dr. Olenski conducted ultrasounds for pregnancies including those of Carmella Cammeniti and the couple Rosetta Cammeniti and Frazer Yeats, identifying complications and confirming pregnancies.

Her professional duties often intertwined with personal conflicts, notably when confronting Steph over Greg’s affair, which escalated to physical confrontations before attempts at reconciliation. Dr. Olenski also counseled Susan Kennedy on the dangers of surrogacy given her MS diagnosis, dealt with hospital resistance to IVF procedures, and managed public scrutiny related to fertility treatments.

Karen Oldman

Karen Oldman, enacted by Pia Miranda, first appeared on 13 August 1998. This role marked Miranda’s television debut three years after completing drama school. She regarded the experience as essential training, emphasizing how the demanding script workload enhanced her abilities. Karen was the initial significant romantic interest for Toadfish Rebecchi (Ryan Moloney), though their relationship ended poorly following revelations of her infidelity.

Karen is introduced as a first-year student at Eden Hills University. Initially confusing Nick Atkins (Jason Crewes) for Toadie through his UniFM radio program, Karen remains too timid to meet Toadie directly. Consequently, Toadie and Nick devise a plan where Nick dates Karen. When the truth emerges, Karen feels hurt but eventually decides to give Toadie a chance.

Drawn to Toadie’s housemate Sarah Beaumont’s (Nicola Charles) boyfriend Alex Fenton (Guy Hooper), Karen leaves with Alex following an argument between Toadie and Sarah. Both admit to their affair, terminating their previous relationships. Karen later returns and reconciles with Toadie.

Toadie invites her to pilot an aircraft he built with Lou Carpenter (Tom Oliver) in hopes of winning money for a trip to Bali; however, she declines after an accident during the attempt. She tests a subsequent model but does not succeed in winning the prize. Eventually, Karen relocates to New Zealand with her family; despite efforts to maintain a long-distance relationship, she ends things months later, leaving Toadie heartbroken.

Mike Healey

Mike Healey, portrayed by Andrew Blackman, made his initial appearance on 17 August 1998, introduced as a romantic interest for Libby Kennedy (Kym Valentine). Initially presented as Libby's university tutor, their relationship encountered resistance due to differences in age and professional ethics. Further complications surfaced when Libby learned that Mike was still in contact with his separated wife, with whom he had a child. Valentine remarked on the continuous dramatic developments as the couple faced additional challenges. According to the BBC's Neighbours website, one of Mike's most significant storylines involved him impregnating his former spouse while involved with Libby. Inside Soap labeled him "just the latest in a long line of rotters who caused Libby heartache."

At Eden Hills University, Mike and Libby engaged in a clandestine romance to avoid scrutiny. After Libby went missing during a horse-riding excursion, she revealed their relationship. Her family arranged a dinner to meet Mike, where her father Karl (Alan Fletcher) voiced concerns, particularly upon discovering Mike had a young daughter named Sasha (Chelsea Driessen). When Mike introduced Sasha to Libby, she began to question their relationship. Although Mike assured Libby that he harbored no feelings for his ex-wife Victoria (Tamar Kelly), Libby became uneasy about their continued communication. To affirm his dedication, Mike leased Number 32 and strengthened their connection.

Mike's mother Bianca (Joy Mitchell) cautioned Libby that she could never replace Victoria. Despite Mike falsely claiming Bianca's approval to Libby, this was not true. While Libby developed a bond with Sasha, Mike's conduct took a downturn. Drew Kirk (Dan Paris) discovered Mike's infidelity with Victoria and confronted him physically but withheld this information from Libby to protect her feelings. Libby demanded that Mike divorce Victoria to maintain their relationship, an agreement they initially reached. However, upon learning from Sasha that Victoria was pregnant again, Libby recognized Mike's ongoing unfaithfulness and terminated their relationship. Despite Mike’s efforts to win her back, Libby declined, aware she would always be second best. Following this, Mike moved out of Number 32.

Tad Reeves

Wayne "Tad" Reeves, played by Jonathon Dutton, first appeared on 16 November 1998. Introduced as the younger cousin of Toadfish Rebecchi (Ryan Moloney), Tad was brought in to add a new mischievous element as Toadie matured. Dutton, who had previously appeared in a guest role on Neighbours, was sixteen at the time of casting and received tutoring on set to manage his education alongside filming. Denise Everton from the Illawarra Mercury described Tad as "outgoing." Dutton highlighted that one of Tad’s more challenging story arcs involved discovering he was adopted.

Geri Hallett

Geri Hallett, portrayed by Isabella Dunwill, debuted on 25 November 1998. Originally signed for a two-week stint, Dunwill’s portrayal led to multiple returns. She characterized Geri as a cunning troublemaker who stops at nothing to achieve her aims. Geri caused friction between Drew Kirk (Dan Paris) and Libby Kennedy (Kym Valentine) due to jealousy over Drew's affections.

Employed at the Erinsborough News, Geri quickly earned a byline ahead of Libby and dated Libby's supervisor. She attended Eden Hills University alongside Libby as part of the journalism program, frequently clashing with her rival. Geri briefly dated Drew but ended it after realizing his feelings remained with Libby.

At UniFM, Geri co-hosted alongside Toadfish Rebecchi but was disliked by him. Toadie uncovered that Geri accepted payments to advertise local businesses on the volunteer radio station in exchange for bribes, which led to her dismissal after Libby exposed the scandal in print. Geri further stirred discord by spreading rumors about Drew and Libby's friend Stephanie Scully (Carla Bonner), but Libby and Steph orchestrated a plan that exposed her gossiping.

Geri intensified tensions by publishing news of Libby's rejection of Drew’s marriage proposal; however, this was countered when Libby revealed Geri's bribery scheme. Her final storyline involved trailing newlyweds Libby and Drew on their honeymoon at the Gold Coast to capture photographs for the newspaper. This marked Geri’s last appearance in 2001.

Others

Date(s)	Character	Actor	Context
19 January–20 February	Dr. Shepherd	Drew Tingwell	Following a severe car accident, Dr. Shepherd performs surgery on Ben Atkins to address a depressed skull fracture impacting the temporal lobe. He subsequently provides medical care to Madge Bishop after she suffers a fall necessitating aneurysm removal.
20 January–17 March	Geoff Burke	Andrew McKaige	Geoff, who is Ruth Wilkinson's ex-boyfriend and Ben Atkins' father, visits Ben while he is in a coma after a racing crash. Initially rejected, Geoff eventually forms a connection with Ben and offers him employment at his Sydney garage, which Ben accepts to build their relationship.
9 February 1988–24 June 1999	Shannon Jones	Diana Glenn	Single mother Shannon forms a friendship with Toadfish Rebecchi and becomes involved romantically with Darren Stark, leading to tensions in his relationship. After her home is destroyed by fire, community members assist her; she briefly dates Drew Kirk before moving back into her restored house.
9 February 1998–7 June 1999	Brian Jones	Joshua Wojniusz
5 February	Alison Nova	Sally Davis	Alison is Perry Pinchen's girlfriend and reacts with amusement when Amy Greenwood enlists Perry’s help to provoke jealousy in Lance Wilkinson.
16 February–7 July	Kim Howard	Paul Dawber	Kim works as a teacher in Wangaratta where Susan Kennedy temporarily resides; they share accommodation and develop a friendship. Kim later supports Susan through marital difficulties and recommends a countryside retreat.
18 February–17 March	Josh Hughes	Sullivan Stapleton	Josh is part of the Erinsborough swimming squad and dates Caitlin Atkins. To avoid training sessions, he feigns an injury. When confronted by Caitlin’s brother Nick, they briefly run away before returning home.
26–27 February	Kenny Hyland	Jonathon Dutton	Kenny, a member of Harold Bishop’s scout group, injures himself during an excursion but is rescued by Harold.
23 March 1998–18 November 2003	Tony Simpson	Stan Tsitas	Tony serves as the manager of Eden Hills University’s radio station UniFM.
30 March–15 June	Mickey Dalton	Trent Fowler	As a peer of Paul McClain and Hannah Martin, Mickey falsely accuses Paul of shoplifting, causing tension and legal threats against teacher Nicholas Atkins; the truth eventually clears Nick’s name.
23–28 April	Declan Hewitt	Chris Milne	Libby Kennedy’s guest lecturer who previously had a relationship with her mother Susan; Libby uncovers Declan’s womanizing tendencies after initial attraction.
27 April–12 June	Jacquie Boyd	Amy Lapin	An educator at Erinsborough High and colleague of Nicholas Atkins; she supports Nick when he faces assault allegations linked to Mickey Dalton.
5 May–29 October	Lily Madigan	Alethea McGrath	Elderly Lily befriends Anne Wilkinson and Libby Kennedy while opposing corporate plans for property development. Upon her death, she bequeaths her house to Anne.
20 May–6 October	Mark Sindon	Marc Stafford	Student at Erinsborough High who dates Hannah Martin until their breakup prior to her departure for France.
22 May 1998–13 July 2001	Ryan Moller	Pieter Siertsema	Local law enforcement officer investigating threats made against Libby Kennedy and incidents involving Nicholas Atkins. After promotion to Sergeant, he interrogates Harold Bishop and Toadfish Rebecchi concerning various crimes including robberies and thefts.
12–15 June	Jean Dalton	Joanne Canning	Mickey Dalton’s mother who files an assault complaint against teacher Nicholas Atkins but later retracts it following revelation of the truth.
17 June–26 November	Maddie Harford	Karly Drever	Year 12 student attending Lance Wilkinson and Anne Wilkinson’s birthday celebration; participates in dares that create social friction among classmates.
17 June 1998–16 November 2000		Nathan Godkin	A student repeatedly held back academically who is nominated for school captain but loses to Anne Wilkinson and Amy Greenwood. He experiences conflicts with peers such as Billy Kennedy; 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 transactions amid family disputes.
30 June–1 July	Fred Parkes	Colin Duckworth	Homeless individual interviewed by Anne Wilkinson for a sociology assignment; shares his experiences with addiction and loss before dying unexpectedly.
1 July–18 November		Matthew Barnes	Younger brother of Amy Greenwood who collaborates on flying machine projects with Paul McClain; struggles academically before returning home under parental supervision.
16 July–28 September	Alex Fenton	Guy Hooper	Psychiatrist at Erinsborough Hospital involved romantically with Sarah Beaumont; their relationship dissolves upon discovery of his previous involvement with Karen Oldman.
20 July 1998–18 February 1999	Leo McClain	Ross Thompson	Paul McClain’s estranged father who seeks reconciliation after overcoming alcoholism; departs town to work on a fishing trawler while maintaining contact with Paul.
27 July–3 August	Denny Cook	Kate Ditchburn	New student at Erinsborough High exhibiting disruptive behavior including graffiti vandalism; falsely accuses Hannah Martin but is exposed by school officials.
28 July–27 October	Josie Greenwood	Sally Keil	Amy Greenwood’s mother who intervenes in school affairs regarding her son Patrick and demands Philip Martin resign over insurance negligence issues.
29 July 1998–24 May 1999	Shelley Hanson	Jane Allsop	Visits Erinsborough with fiancé Ray to see ex-boyfriend Drew Kirk; gives birth during the rodeo ball event attended by Drew and Libby Kennedy.
	Ray Hanson	Ren De Haas
5–12 August	Hilary Grant	Olivia Hamnett	Member of the local women’s basketball team opposing Madge Bishop due to rivalry involving her sister Portia Grant.
7 September 1998–1 April 1999	Sasha Healey	Chelsea Driessen	Daughter of Mike Healey who initially struggles but eventually bonds with his partner Libby Kennedy; reveals family pregnancy causing breakup of Mike and Libby.
10–15 September	Graham Pinders	Jim Daly	Father of Craig "Pinhead" Pinders; physiotherapy patient suspected by Philip Martin, Ruth Wilkinson’s husband, of feigning injury.
11 September–6 October	Richard Downing	John Arnold	Former psychiatric patient stalking Sarah Beaumont; charges are dropped after Sarah demonstrates understanding of his condition.
30 September 1998–26 July 2006	Joanna Douglas	Matilda White	Police officer involved in numerous investigations including break-ins, robberies, and missing person cases; provides support to colleagues such as Stuart Parker during professional challenges.
1 October 1998–25 March 1999	Portia Grant	Sue Ingleton	Coach of the women’s basketball team competing with Madge Bishop for leadership; later explores property investment and launches the Grease Monkeys café.
14 October 1998–9 October 2000	Tuong Pham	Trent Huen	Law student alongside Toadfish Rebecchi; wins funding through flying machine contest; active in university radio and student government; acquires business Ozechef from Madge Bishop and Lou Carpenter.
14 October 1998–22 January 1999	Deidre Kaufmann	Lidia Faranda	Patient of Karl Kennedy whose cardiac arrest prompts Sarah Beaumont to risk her professional standing by intervening.
14 October 1998r–17 July 2000	Pippa Layton	Natalie Shostak	Receptionist at Karl Kennedy’s medical practice.
26 October 1998–7 December 2000	Pat Horrocks	Mirren Lee	Veteran women’s basketball player on The Grey Growlers alongside Madge Bishop.
3–5 November   |'\'Bianca Healey\    |'Joy Mitchell'    |'Mother of Mike Healey who disapproves of his partner Libby Kennedy, preferring Mike’s estranged wife Victoria.'    |-    !scope\=row\|"25 November 1998–30 March 1999"    |'\'Victoria Healey\    |'Tamar Kelly'    |'Estranged wife of Mike Healey whose pregnancy revelation ends Mike’s relationship with Libby Kennedy.'    |-    |} References 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