Home and Away star 'to make her return to acting in new drama alongside Kym Marsh' - 35 years after leaving the beloved soap
Dannii Minogue, 53, is thought to have already starting filming for a new series called Imposter which will air on Channel 5 - 35 years after quitting the Australian soap.
The Sun reports that the four-part series - centred around a murder at a seaside resort - is already underway with filming in Victoria, Australia.
Neighbours star Jackie Woodburne, 69, is reportedly starring in a leading role in the drama too.
A source told the publication: 'Bosses have spent weeks trying to get Dannii and she finally put pen to paper just days before filming started.
'It's been decades since she's acted on the small screen and everyone at the channel is over the moon that she was able to make the dates work because she loved the script.
'She started filming last week after meeting her fellow cast members. Dannii has been wanting a return to acting for a long time but hadn't found the right role.'
But the source added that when Imposter came along she knew the role would be 'perfect for her acting comeback'.
Imposter will feature Jackie as matriarch Helen, whose refusal to sell her seaside hotel sparks a dramatic family feud with her three adult children.
The series marks Jackie's first non-Neighbours role in more than 30 years.
The plot thickens when Amanda, played by Marsh, arrives claiming to be Helen's long-lost daughter given up for adoption years ago.
As Amanda integrates into the family, doubts arise about her true identity, leading to a gripping tale of deception and betrayal that culminates in murder, according to the series' synopsis.
The series is set to be filmed across Victoria later this year.
Jackie had played Susan, the wife of co-star Alan Fletcher's character Dr Karl Kennedy, since 1994.
Since leaving Home and Away in 1990 Dannii has had a successful career, starring on The X Factor and more recently fronting dating show I Kissed A Boy.
Earlier this year Dannii opened up about life in the spotlight when she was younger.
And she said she 'wouldn't be alive' if she wasn't so mentally strong after years of 'nasty comments' and being compared to her elder sibling Kylie.
Speaking on Fearne Cotton 's the Happy Place podcast, Dannii revealed: 'I've said this to my friends, 'I know that, if I wasn't mentally strong and I did have any kind of eating disorder or something, I wouldn't be alive now.' That is fact.
'It was so brutal, and it went on for years.'
And despite critics trying to create a sibling rivalry, Dannii and Kylie, 57, remain a united force.
She added: 'I was compared to my sister, who's always had a completely different body shape our entire lives.
'I wasn't living up to her body. At the time, the only body shape that was accepted was slim.
'I was a square trying to fit into a hole. You read back now how nasty the comments were.'
Dannii went on to share her priority is now is spending precious time with her family and only taking on work that's 'important' to her.
She is in a relationship with music producer Adrian Newman, and said giving birth to son Ethan, 14, in 2010 changed her focus.
She explained: 'I've spent my life travelling around the world, being away, missing birthdays, weddings, funerals.
'I'm really trying to find the balance now.
'You can't have just the happiness without everything else. If you accept there's light and dark, it's all part of it.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Daily Mirror
Gabby Logan recalls crushing low point after brutal Strictly Come Dancing exit
Gabby Logan has cast her mind back to her experiences on the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing - and admits she was left fearing the nation hated her as she failed to secure votes Gabby Logan has candidly reflected on a time she felt she was deeply unpopular. The 52-year-old radio and television presenter is best known for hosting sports programs for the BBC, ITV and Channel 5. In August this year, she will land arguably her biggest job to date - as a new host of Match of the Day following the exit of controversial footballer Gary Lineker. But it is not just giving her two pence about on-pitch action that has drawn attention to Gabs. She has also enjoyed a foray into the world of competitive reality shows - popping up to present shows like the diving competition Splash! and celebrity sheep herding show Flockstars. Back in 2007, however, Gabby stepped out from behind her presenting lectern to be a contestants on hit show Strictly Come Dancing. The star was partnered with professional dancer James Jordan and, being season five of the long-running show, this was the time when Tess Daly and the late Sir Bruce Forsyth were hosts of the show. The judging panel consisted of Arlene Phillips, Craig Revel Horwood, Bruno Tonioli and the late Len Goodman. While Gabby made it through three rounds of the show before she was voted off, she is convinced that she became a hate figure during her time on the ballroom floor. She featured on the series at the same time as her husband, Kenny Logan - was also competing with Gabby's dance partner James' wife Ola Jordan. Wales Online quotes Gabby saying: "I had an amazing experience on Strictly, I was only on it for a few weeks, but I had an amazing experience — but also, a kind of life-changing experience in many ways." She elaborated: "[It] sounds a bit dramatic, and you hear people going 'Strictly changed my life', but this wasn't in a good way." Giving more clarity, she went on: "When you get voted out of Strictly, it's so shocking, because you go in every week starting to work on your following week's dance, and you don't expect to go home." And she revealed she was left being "very much aware that people didn't like" her during her time on the show. She also told Jessica Ennis on the Gold Minds podcast: "It was the fact that obviously people didn't vote for me — and it sounds a bit pathetic — but you realise when it's a reality show that it's about whether people like you. And I was very much aware that people didn't like me. "I was kind of like, they didn't like me enough to vote for me... It was a very sobering kind of experience because in the days afterwards, not only was I dreadfully missing the dancing, but also realising I kind of felt like, 'Oh, what was it about me that people didn't relate to?'" While Gabby and James crashed out in week four, her rugby star husband managed to make it through five more weeks before he too was voted off. Their season was awash with big name star - with Sir Rod Stewart's wife, Penny Lancaster, acting legend Stephanie Beacham, and model bombshell Kelly Brook were among those taking to the dance floor. The finalists that season included EastEnders star Matt Di Angelo and TV presenter Gethin Jones. While Mis-Teeq singer Alesha Dixon proved to be the victor of the show - and later became a judge on the series before being poached to judge on Britain's Got Talent.
The Guardian
2 hours ago
- The Guardian
The moment I knew: he arranged a stay at a motel. In 1969 this was very risque, but I had zero hesitation
I grew up in the bush, and in 1966, as soon as I was old enough, I ran off and joined the navy. I loved the job and was having a ball. Three years in I was offered a rare opportunity to train for a top-secret role at a base in Queensland. Me and the two other girls were to be deployed to Singapore 12 weeks later. That was before my radio broke down. One afternoon, midway through my stay in Queensland, I had some issues with my electronics and called for a technician. I'd expected to get my radio repaired and get on with the day, but then the most gorgeous guy I'd ever seen walked right in and changed the course of my life. John was as cool as a cucumber as he got to work and I was struck dumb, just in awe of this incredibly handsome man. I didn't know how I was going to get him to notice me, but I was determined. A few days later there was a social evening at the base. It was casino themed and I spent the night following John around, making sure I was always in his eyeline. It wasn't the most sophisticated tactic, but it worked. By the end of the evening he'd asked me out. Our first date was seeing Johnny (as he was then) Farnham sing at Lennon's hotel in Toowoomba and it was perfect. We stole as many nights out together as we could over the next six weeks and I was going more and more gaga by the day. As my time at the base came to an end I still wasn't sure if John was as swept away by our romance as me. He always played it so cool. As we approached my last night, he arranged a getaway at Noosa to go surfing together and a stay at a motel. In 1969 this was very risque, but I had zero hesitation. Somewhere in the middle of the night he asked casually: 'What would you say if I asked you to marry me?' If this was a hypothetical question, he had no hope of getting out of it. I flew right off the bed, jumped on top of him and yelled at the top of my lungs: 'Yes, yes, yes!' I didn't give it a second thought. We set the wedding date for October – just a few months later – and I had to request a discharge from the forces; back then women couldn't serve if they were married. The whole time I was back down south John wrote me letters – 30 in all. I still have them. They were so full of love and adoration and excitement about the future we were going to have together. It was like living in a dream. Then it was time for him to drive the 1,700-odd kilometres to Menindee, where I was from – a tiny, one-horse town on the Darling River and 100km out of Broken Hill. As his little red Datsun came up the dirt road, my stomach lurched. For the briefest second I was seized by uncertainty. I couldn't even remember how tall he was. But the moment he stepped out of the car, I fell into his arms and those worries dissolved. The love I felt for him was so overwhelming. I knew this was going to be the best thing that ever happened to me. I was so smitten with John, there's no doubt we rushed into things. We really knew nothing about each other. It turns out we're exact opposites, but are such a wonderful foil for each other's personalities. I think my lively nature has kept him interested all these years, while his calmness has kept me grounded. Our first child lived for just half an hour, and while it isn't always the case, that terrible time really brought us closer together. When our son and daughter arrived safely in the coming years, I felt like the luckiest mum in the world. At a time when not all husbands were so supportive, John encouraged my desire to study to become a teacher. And just like always, once I knew he had faith in me, I felt I could do anything. To this day I wonder about how I knew, or if it was just amazing luck. But either way I've been married to the love of my life for over 55 years, so my instincts weren't bad. He's still just as gorgeous to me today as he was that afternoon in 1969. Being with John has always felt to me like living under a lucky star – everything seems to work out just how it's supposed to. Do you have a romantic realisation you'd like to share? From quiet domestic scenes to dramatic revelations, Guardian Australia wants to hear about the moment you knew you were in love. Your contact details are helpful so we can contact you for more information. They will only be seen by the Guardian. Your contact details are helpful so we can contact you for more information. They will only be seen by the Guardian.
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
New EastEnders star is a nepo baby as famous family members who have also starred in BBC soap are revealed
Max Murray has landed a role in EastEnders alongside legendary stars but it has now been revealed he comes from a long-line of actors and singers in his family. The youngster has been portraying character Joel Marshall since February this year but it turns out he is actually following in his famous mum's footsteps. Max is the son of actress Gina Murray, who has starred in a number of well known programmes including The Bill, Doctors and The Hunt for Raoul Moat and appeared in the BBC soap back in 2014 playing Helen. Gina's character Helen arrived in Albert Square as a hair specialist to help Carol Jackson, who was struggling with losing her hair as she fought off cancer. It was Helen's role to help Carol find a wig. Max is also the nephew of Mazz Murray, who is a successful TV and theatre actress, starring in Sunset Boulevard, Mamma Mia and Chicago to name but a few. In 2004, Mazz also starred on EastEnders as a waitress called Miranda who had a brawl with Heather Trott and Shirley Carter. The youngster has been portraying character Joel Marshall since February this year but turns out he is actually following in his famous mum's footsteps In 2017, Mazz returned to Walford but this time was playing a character called Julie, who was a divorced woman who hired Keanu Taylor as a male escort for a night of fun and frolics. Max's character Joel is the step-son of Vicky Fowler, who returned to the square for the funeral of her uncle Martin Fowler. Her new boyfriend Ross is played by Alex Walkinshaw. At the time when Max's role was announced, he told the Mirror: 'It's an absolute privilege and honour to be joining such a wonderful production full of a lovely cast and crew. 'I'm really looking forward to introducing Joel to EastEnders viewers and telling his story.' It comes as EastEnders favourite Nicholas Bailey will make a shock return as Dr. Anthony Trueman to the soap, more than a decade since he was last seen in Walford. The character – son of Patrick Trueman (played by Rudolph Walker) – will be back on screens in scenes to air in the summer. Anthony first arrived on the Square in 2000 and quickly made waves, thanks in part to a steamy romance with Kat Slater (played by Jessie Wallace). Now, 11 years on from his last stint, the GP is set for a dramatic reunion with his dad this summer as Patrick and Yolande prepare to tie the knot. Anthony last appeared in EastEnders in 2014 when he rushed to his father's side when Patrick suffered a stroke. Since then, he has led a life away from Walford but in upcoming scenes viewers will see he is invited to his father's impending nuptials and decides to return for the occasion. In a post on the official Eastenders Instagram account, the long running soap teased the visit to Walford comes at a significant moment for Patrick, which means Anthony stays longer than he originally intended. In a statement, executive producer Ben Wadey said: 'It's great to welcome Nicholas back to the EastEnders family to reunite Patrick with his son. 'But Anthony's plan for a brief return to surprise his father ends up with him staying longer than he expected when he uncovers what has been going on in the Trueman household.' Nicholas who will reprise the iconic role added: 'It is an unexpected treat to return to EastEnders and I'm full of gratitude to get the opportunity to revisit the character of Anthony. 'It's wonderful to work with Rudolph Walker again - he's such a big part of my journey as an actor and I loved filming my first scenes with him after so long.
