Soap ‘mega-hunk' looks unrecognisable as he reunites with co-star and returns to show 20 years after quitting

The Sun

7 hours ago

A NEIGHBOURS "mega-hunk" looks unrecognisable as he reunites with one of his 90s' co-stars.
This actor, now 55, has returned to Ramsay Street 20 years after quitting the Aussie soap.
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Soap star Richard Grieve is back in Erinsborough, as Neighbours gets ready to bid farewell for a second time.
Die-hard fans of the soap will remember him for playing Sam Kratz, who during his time on the soap became a pin-up on teenagers' bedroom walls.
Richard's character rode into Ramsay Street in 1994 on a motorcycle clad in a leather jacket.
He was an instant hit, and soon secured his Neighbours star heartthrob status.
Richard previously revealed how he was unsure about attending the audition for Sam, after he learned that producers were looking for "a mega-hunk".
However, he borrowed a leather jacket to make himself look more like the character, and he was told that he had the role a week after the audition.
After leaving Neighbours in 1996, he joined rival soap Home and Away, playing Dr Lachlan Fraser. H.
Staying with soaps, he then headed to blighty and starred in Emmerdale for two years until 2009.
Sam is joined in his Neighbours return by Kimberley Davies, who appeared as Annalise Hartman from 1993 to 1996.
The 52-year-old later moved to the United States, appearing in episodes of Friends and Ally McBeal.
90s soap bombshell hasn't aged a day as she returns to show twenty years after quitting
The pair were pictured reuniting in a promo picture for their forthcoming return.
Meanwhile, it comes after it was recently revealed how the final episode of Neighbours could reportedly 'fall flat"' - due to a lack of legends returning.
So far, Richard and Kimberley are the only ones.
Earlier this year, the beloved Aussie soap was axed for a second time, having been saved by Amazon after 37 years on Channel 5.
The original finale saw Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan return to Ramsay Street, alongside other show alums.
However, bosses' attempts to bring back A-listers this time around have reportedly not panned out.
According to Daily Mail Australia, stars such as Margot Robbie, Natalie Imbruglia, Guy Pearce and Russell Crowe are all said to have snubbed the final episode.
An insider told the publication: "The cast of the current season will need to rely on the storylines that involve their characters, because breaking out the cheque book won't cover it."
Regarding the 2022 finale, the source added: "The mega stars waived their usual million dollar fees and felt like they were waving goodbye to the show that launched them. It was very classy.
"The fact that Alan Fletcher, Jackie Woodburn and Ryan Maloney were tipped off as the show was saved during Neighbours' 'farewell tour' was pretty awkward in retrospect."
The last episode of Neighbours will air on December 11.
Neighbours stars who made it big
The long-running Aussie soap has launched the careers of some of Hollywood's biggest stars. Here are some of the Neighbours alums who went on to make it big after starring on the soap...
Kylie Minogue
Before she hit the big time with her music career, Kylie shot to fame playing Charlene Mitchell on Neighbours. Shortly after her arrival, Kylie began an on and off-screen romance with co-star Jason Donovan, who played Scott Robinson, which gained the couple an army of adoring fans.
Jason Donovan
After his stint as Scott, singer and actor Jason became an international popstar and had his pick acting of roles. He moved to the U.K., married, had children and has since starred in over a dozen West End show, most notably Joseph and his Technicolour Dreamcoat.
Alan Dale
New Zealand born actor Alan was one of Neighbours 12 original cast members having made his debut as Jim Robinson on the soap's first episode on 18 March 1985. As the head of the Robinson clan, widower Jim lived at Number 26 Ramsay Street with his children Paul, Julie, Scott and Lucy, and was a real anchor in the community. He stayed with the show for eight years, before his character was killed off in dramatic scenes aired in 1993 but which still reverberate through the soap to this day.
Margot Robbie
Way before she was Barbie or Harley Quinn, Margot was best known as Ramsay Street resident Donna Freedman. Her notable storylines included her marriage to Ringo Brown and becoming a young widow following his tragic death. After three years she bid farewell to the soap and Australia with a plan to make a name for herself in Hollywood which she did when she bagged the role of Naomi Lapaglia opposite Leonardo DiCaprio in The Wolf of Wall Street.
Jesse Spencer
Jesse rocked up on Ramsay street in 1994 with the rest of the Kennedy clan. He stayed for five years, literally growing up in front of the camera, but in 2000 felt it was time to spread his wings and head for Hollywood. It was certainly a smart move as he went on to bag leading roles in popular shows like House and Chicago Fire.
Russell Crowe
New Zealand-native Russell had a brief arc on Neighbours, appearing in four episodes of the soap 1987 as Kenny Larkin, the former cellmate of Street resident Henry Ramsay. The role obviously got him noticed though because he quickly went on to become a fully-fledged Hollywood A-lister, winning the Best Actor Oscar for his standout performance as Roman General Maximus Decimus Meridius in Gladiator.