Latest news with #Neighbours
The Irish Sun
14 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
The Assassin fans gobsmacked after spotting soap legend in new Prime Video drama
THE Assassin fans were left stunned after spotting a soap legend in the Prime Video series. The crime thriller stars Advertisement 4 The Assassin stars Keeley Hawes and Freddie Highmore Credit: Amazon Prime 4 The cast also includes actor Alan Dale Credit: Amazon 4 Alan famously played Jim Robinson in Aussie soap Neighbours Credit: Rex It follows a retired assassin now living in Greece, who reunites with her estranged son when he comes looking for answers. Long-time soap fans recognised a familiar face among the cast members. New Zealand star Alan Dale, 78, appears as supporting character Aaron Cross. Previously, Alan Advertisement Read more on Prime Video One viewer wrote on X: "jim robinson died in neighbours and was reborn as the shady bad guy in every series in the last 2 decades." He appeared from the Aussie's soap launch in 1985 until leaving the show in 1993. Jim was also the father of Neighbours stalwart Paul Robinson (Stefan Dennis). The actor briefly reprised this role in 2018 by appearing in a dream to his on-screen son. Advertisement Most read in News TV After his departure from Neighbours, Alan began working extensively in US television . He notably had a recurring role as villain Charles Widmore in the sci-fi drama series LOST. Alan Dale stars in The Assassin on Amazon Prime Alan appeared in a total of 17 episodes spanning from 2006 until the show's 2010 conclusion. As well as this, he made prominent appearances in The OC and Ugly Betty. Advertisement Earlier this year, The Sun revealed Neighbours It came just two years after Amazon brought the soap back to life after it was axed by Channel 5 after 37 years. The revival started filming in 2023 and was shown on Amazon Freevee worldwide. 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 Alan Dale New Zealand born actor 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 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. The Sun exclusively revealed that Amazon have told Fremantle that their venture into soaps hasn't worked and they are pulling funding Advertisement A source said at the time: 'Amazon gave Fremantle two years to see if it worked but sadly they just didn't get the viewers. 'It's a really sad day especially for the cast and crew who work on the show in Melbourne. 'This really is the end of Neighbours just as it's celebrated it's 40th birthday.' 4 Alan has appeared in several US programmes since leaving Neighbours Credit: Rex Features Advertisement
Scottish Sun
14 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
The Assassin fans gobsmacked after spotting soap legend in new Prime Video drama
The actor went on to appear in other hit shows after leaving the soap star spot The Assassin fans gobsmacked after spotting soap legend in new Prime Video drama Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THE Assassin fans were left stunned after spotting a soap legend in the Prime Video series. The crime thriller stars Keeley Hawes and Freddie Highmore in leading roles. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 4 The Assassin stars Keeley Hawes and Freddie Highmore Credit: Amazon Prime 4 The cast also includes actor Alan Dale Credit: Amazon 4 Alan famously played Jim Robinson in Aussie soap Neighbours Credit: Rex It follows a retired assassin now living in Greece, who reunites with her estranged son when he comes looking for answers. Long-time soap fans recognised a familiar face among the cast members. New Zealand star Alan Dale, 78, appears as supporting character Aaron Cross. Previously, Alan played patriarch Jim Robinson, one of Neighbours' original characters. One viewer wrote on X: "jim robinson died in neighbours and was reborn as the shady bad guy in every series in the last 2 decades." He appeared from the Aussie's soap launch in 1985 until leaving the show in 1993. Jim was also the father of Neighbours stalwart Paul Robinson (Stefan Dennis). The actor briefly reprised this role in 2018 by appearing in a dream to his on-screen son. After his departure from Neighbours, Alan began working extensively in US television. He notably had a recurring role as villain Charles Widmore in the sci-fi drama series LOST. Alan Dale stars in The Assassin on Amazon Prime Alan appeared in a total of 17 episodes spanning from 2006 until the show's 2010 conclusion. As well as this, he made prominent appearances in The OC and Ugly Betty. Earlier this year, The Sun revealed Neighbours would be coming to an end - for a second time. It came just two years after Amazon brought the soap back to life after it was axed by Channel 5 after 37 years. The revival started filming in 2023 and was shown on Amazon Freevee worldwide. 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. The Sun exclusively revealed that Amazon have told Fremantle that their venture into soaps hasn't worked and they are pulling funding A source said at the time: 'Amazon gave Fremantle two years to see if it worked but sadly they just didn't get the viewers. 'It's a really sad day especially for the cast and crew who work on the show in Melbourne. 'This really is the end of Neighbours just as it's celebrated it's 40th birthday.'
Daily Mirror
17 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Soaps spoilers next week: Emmerdale return and Corrie wedding takes a turn
Wedding bells and drama are ahead this week in soapland with two Coronation Street character set to walk down the aisle. In Emmerdale, one major return is set to cause a ruckus. Another week of drama is ahead for soap fans - with a huge return set to shake things up in Emmerdale. April Windsor (Amelia Flanagan) vanished from the eponymous ITV village this year, finding a new friend (and love interest) in the form of Dylan (Fred Kettle). But the lad immediately left the Dales to head to rehab. Over in Coronation Street, Bernie Winter (Jane Hazlegrove) is gearing up to tie the knot with Dev Alahan (Jimmi Harkishin) while Abi Webster (Sally Carman) is stuck in a love triangle. In EastEnders, one fan favourite's fate could be hanging in the balance with Oscar Branning (Pierre Moullier) becoming increasingly desperate to escape his past. And there's more turmoil in Hollyoaks, Neighbours and Home and Away. Emmerdale April is terrified to find Dylan with a leg injury but he refuses to see a doctor. The pair sneak into the vets' but they're interrupted by a shocked Paddy (Dominic Brunt) who patches Dylan up. After hearing he's still homeless, Paddy offers Dylan a room for the night. Ray then tells Dylan about future work and while Mandy (Lisa Riley) is busy, Dylan reveals a hidden bag of drugs in his backpack. Meanwhile, John (Oliver Farnworth) tries to persuade a sceptical Aaron (Danny Miller) to go easy on Robert (Ryan Hawley). After an uncomfortable encounter with John, Robert attempts to clear the air with Aaron himself and hints at leaving. Ruby (Beth Cordingly) and Lewis (Bradley Riches) urge Steph (Georgia Jay) to give her relationship with Ross (Michael Parr) another chance and Lewis later orchestrates Ross giving Steph a lift to her therapy session after her car breaks down. Back at Mill Cottage, Ruby's happy to see the couple together and they make things official, with Ross denying he's been with anyone else. Later, Ruby, Lewis and Manpreet (Rebecca Sarker) go to lunch and the pair dig for gossip about Manpreet's love life. Will she tell them about her fling with Ross? Elsewhere, Charity (Emma Atkins) has devastating news for Sarah (Katie Hill) and Vinny (Bradley Johnson) continues to feel conflicted about his sexuality and turns to the internet for answers. Coronation Street Abi covers for Kevin (Michael Le Vell) as he announces he's in the clear. But as everyone congratulates him, she slips out to join Carl (Jonathan Howard) at the hotel. Kevin tells Debbie (Sue Devaney) he thinks he's losing Abi. At the hotel, Abi is shocked when she sees a message on Carl's phone from Fiona. After buying cheap suits for Dev and Aadi (Adam Hussain), Bernie is having a low key hen do in the Bistro until she gets word that the boys have hired a pole dancer. Bernie's furious as she storms out. Later, Dev and Bernie's wedding day goes from bad to worse when the quads fall ill. Bernie then forgets her lucky charm but when she runs home to get it, she interrupts a burglary. Meanwhile, Debbie stuns guests with a bombshell. Kit (Jacob Roberts) learns more about Brody's (Ryan Mulvey) upbringing and is upset to hear how bad it was. Wanting to help him, Kit takes him to a match. But when he invites Sarah (Tina O'Brien) for lunch with him and Brody, things don't go as planned. Elsewhere, Todd (Gareth Pierce) tells Theo (James Cartwright) the corner shop flat is available. But Todd is bemused when Theo refuses to spend time with him and Summer (Harriet Bibby). Later, an incident with Aadi lands Theo in trouble with the law. EastEnders Oscar's week gets off to a bad start when Mike arrives and demands £5k in return for the Brannings' safety. He initially tries to lure Ian into a business deal to find extra cash but when Ian refuses, Oscar tells Lauren (Jacqueline Jossa) everything. Patrick (Rudolph Walker) and Howie (Delroy Atkinson) place a bet against Yolande's (Angela Wynter) wishes - and win £6k. But Yolande later lambasts Patrick for betting and calls the wedding off. Cash-strapped Oscar breaks into No.20 to steal Patrick's winnings but he's caught red-handed. Before long, Oscar pushes Patrick leading to him falling to the floor unconscious. Avani (Aaliyah James) and Suki (Balvinder Sopal) prepare for Avani's 12-week scan but Eve (Heather Peace) remains unconvinced by Suki's plan. When Vinny (Shiv Jalota) returns from Ash's wedding, Eve seizes the opportunity to speak to Avani alone and later encourages Suki to speak to her son. Later, Eve and Avani lie to Priya (Sophie Khan Levy) after she finds a receipt from the hospital. Elsewhere, Ross (Alex Walkinshaw) receives a call from Joel's mum and informs the lad she's getting remarried. Later, Joel (Max Murray) slips out and heads to The Vic with Tommy (Sonny Kendall). The pair are caught up by Ross, Viki (Alice Haig), Kat (Jessie Wallace) and Alfie (Shane Richie) and Joel lashes out. Later, Joel and Ross bond over an innocent video from Joel's idol influencer. But the moment is short-lived when Ross makes a troubling discovery. Hollyoaks Rex changes his statement and points a finger as Clare, Grace and DI Banks. Undercover police watch Grace's flat while Donny and Dodger are on standby. But the operation is later compromised. In prison, Tom shares some news with Froggy, prompting him to make a call. Meanwhile, Leela opens up about her struggles to move on from Joel. Darren is concerned about Frankie's relationship with Jacob but backtracks after some advice from Nancy. Elsewhere, Vicky continues her search for ways to contact Robbie. Neighbours Byron prepares to leave Erinsborough with a barbecue. Andrew reels after his confrontation with Bowman - but he shares another charged moment with Holly who thanks him for protecting her. Taye is unimpressed by Sadie and issues an ultimatum. Elsewhere, Paul makes difficult choices to ensure Lassiters' success - but Nell and Nicolette are incensed by his tactics. Later, Paul gets a shock when he talks about his future with Terese. Meanwhile, Remi and Cara struggle to move forward while Annalise gets the wrong end of the stick with Leo. Home and Away Remi and Sonny are locked in a heated argument with Dana watching on. But when she asks for answers from the pair, Remi tells her to leave it. Kirby's glowing after her album launch, but she's stunned when she receives an appealing offer - and it could take her to Europe. Meanwhile, Tane returns from Japan and has a tense catch-up with Harper. Roo struggles with what to tell Cohen as he waits eagerly for a letter from his mother. Later, David uncovers devastation for Cohen.
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
The Assassin fans are only just recognising Neighbours legend in pivotal role
The Assassin is the latest thriller which has left viewers on the edge of their seats. The Assassin airs on Prime Video and the exhilarating drama stars Keeley Hawes and Freddie Highmore as estranged mother and son, Julie and Edward. Julie, a retired killer for hire, had been living a life of solitude in the stunning setting of Greece in The Assassin until her son showed up with questions about his upbringing. As Julie's past came back to haunt her, various influential figures from her life were introduced, including Aaron Cross - the billionaire father of Edward's fiancée Kayla (Shalom Brune-Franklin). Viewers are only just realising Aaron Cross is played by Alan Dale, a 78-year-old New Zealand actor known for playing Jim Robinson in Neighbours. The soap legend's role of Jim was one of Neighbours' twelve original characters, who made his debut in the first-ever episode in 1985. He was the patriarch of the Robinson family and his role was described as an anchor, similar to Leslie Grantham's role of Den Watts in EastEnders. The actor stayed for eight years before Jim was killed off, following a dispute with the show's producers over pay. 'I made some sort of crack about the fact that when we started doing Neighbours [in 1985], we got paid the same money as when I was doing The Young Doctors [which he starred in from 1979-1983],' he told TV Week. In an interview with The Sunday Telegraph, the star said he struggled to find work in Australia after Neighbours because he was typecast as Jim. He did reprise his role in 2018, during the Christmas Day episode, appearing as part of a ghostly sequence. Dale went on to star in The O.C, NCIS, Ugly Betty and Dominion. One of his latest roles was as Owen Deveraux in season two of Wreck. As a child, he was a keen rugby player and after retiring from the sport, he decided to become a professional actor at 27 years old. Dale then moved to Australia, where one of his first roles was as Dr John Forrest in The Young Doctors from 1979 to 1982. He and his family live in Manhattan Beach, California, and he owns property in Australia. The father-of-four married Tracey Pearson, the 1986 Miss Australia, in 1990.
Times
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Times
Nine of the best family games for the summer holidays
I grew up fighting with my siblings and watching Neighbours and Home and Away. When we got bored, we'd be thrown outside to play in the street or told to shut up and play a game. Fast forward 100 years and I'm a kids' coach (and a lawyer), and my early days being forced to play games have turned me into a fully fledged addict. I love them — I use them to salvage a rainy Sunday afternoon with no plans; to keep things light in coaching sessions and to prise my own kids away from their screens. I really believe there is a game for any occasion: have a child struggling with maths? Rat-a-tat Cat will get them adding up small numbers in no time — don't punish them with Rummikub unless and until they become more confident. Perhaps it's a teenager who struggles with school but is amazing at art — crack open Pictionary. What about a kid just having a hard time, feeling things keenly and lost in their feelings? Try the very silly Gas Out, to lighten the mood. This most steady and reliable of games keeps everyone happy and it's very fun. I don't think I've been out for a family meal without it for about five years. The aim is to get as low a score as possible so it's very good for learning how to add up small numbers. Everyone gets a card with the same list of 12 topics — eg a girl's name, a fad, something your partner does that annoys you — and everyone also gets given the same letter, eg T. You then have three minutes to give a word for every subject ('Tamsin', 'Tamagotchi', 'Turns off sockets at the mains even when there's nothing plugged in'). If you don't have the same answer as anyone else, you get a point. It's sort of like an inverse and live version of Family Fortunes. The questions in this game are updated in line with current affairs, supplementing a stock of evergreen questions. You play on an app which can be off-putting if you want your game time to be screen free, but you do learn a lot while you're having fun. If you're tech savvy it means you can play with friends remotely too. • Read more parenting advice, interviews, real-life stories and opinions Two brilliant and absorbing building games with a very high boredom threshold. Yes, it's a bit annoying to crawl around looking for one of the random tower pieces but in this case, the juice is well worth the squeeze when you beat all previous tower height records and your opponent marvels at your dexterity and engineering prowess. The kids' version of the grown-up game Linkee, although truthfully the Dinkee version is plenty hard for the adults in my family. The game itself is like Only Connect — each card has four seemingly random questions on it. You write down the answer to each, and if you can guess what links the four answers you win the card. It's an absolute riot and I can see my kids' brains unfurl in real time when we play. This card game is based around a watering hole. You start with a hand of animal-themed cards, from elephant to mouse, and the bigger animals 'eat' the ones further down the chain. Each go, you lay cards and pick up cards, trying to 'eat' other animals to keep in your stockpile. It's really simple and quite therapeutic. This card game is basically snap but with actions and a hypnotic chant. The players all chant 'taco, cat, goat, cheese, pizza' over and over again, matching the rhythm to the laying of cards. If the card laid matches the word being said, you 'snap', and the last one to snap has to pick up all the cards. To add a twist there are additional elements where players have to do an action. The last one to do the action has to take all the cards. • The best podcasts and audiobooks for a family road trip This game is suitable for all ages. It's basically about farts and not being the last person to hit the button that triggers one. There's a central character toy, Guster the Gas Cloud, with a button on top. Each player starts with three cards. Each go you play one and pick one. The cards have a 1, 2 or 3 written on them. You have to press the button the number of times that is written on your card. The fart builds up each time and if your push lets one go, you are also let go! Simple, dumb fun. Another winner that has kids crying with laughter. Players are asked a simple question and they have five seconds to come up with three answers before the buzzer rings. It's a good one to take out with elderly relatives as they can play too. Quick and easy. What are you favourite holiday games? Let us know in the comments below
