Latest news with #JackieWoodburne
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Home and Away star 'to make her return to acting in new drama alongside Kym Marsh' - 35 years after leaving the beloved soap
A Home and Away star is reportedly set to make her return to acting in new drama alongside Kym Marsh. 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.'
Daily Mail
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Neighbours star Jackie Woodburne announces shock career move
Neighbours star Jackie Woodburne has revealed a surprising career move following the official end of production on the long-running Aussie soap earlier this month. The veteran actress, 69, will co-star alongside former Coronation Street favourite Kym Marsh, 49, in a brand new TV thriller titled Imposter. The series marks Jackie's first non-Neighbours role in more than 30 years. The beloved performer has not appeared in a single production since stepping onto Ramsay Street as Susan Kennedy back in 1994. Imposter will feature Jackie as matriarch Helen, whose refusal to sell her seaside hotel sparks a dramatic family feud with her three adult children. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the Daily Mail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. 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 has played Susan, the wife of co-star Alan Fletcher's character Dr Karl Kennedy, since 1994. It follows reports that Fletcher is wasting no time embracing a new chapter following the end of Neighbours production. Last week, it was revealed the beloved Australian actor has swapped Ramsay Street for the stage, announcing a surprise music tour in the UK. Just one week after filming wrapped on the iconic Australian soap, the 68-year-old - best known for playing Dr Karl Kennedy since 1987 - arrived in London with wife Jennifer Hansen to embrace his musical endeavours. Jennifer shared the exciting news on social media on Friday, posting a cheerful snap of herself and Alan beaming after touching down in England. 'Arrived in London with Alan and getting excited about our first gig at the Bedford Pub on July 22nd,' she wrote, hinting at big things ahead for her husband's post-soap career. The Perth-born actor is one of the most beloved stars to ever appear on the Aussie soap opera. It comes after the long-running soap opera was abruptly axed in February and the final days of filming were completed earlier this month. Amazon did not renew their contract with production company Fremantle Australia. In response to the shock announcement, an Amazon spokesperson told MailOnline: 'Neighbours has brought so much joy over the last 40 years to its fanbase globally. 'Forty years is an incredible milestone and we are proud that Amazon MGM Studios was able to have a small part of bringing further episodes to Freevee and Prime Video customers over the last two years.' In a heartwarming post, the crew assured fans that new episodes from the 40th anniversary season would continue to be broadcast on Prime Video and Ten, with 'all the big soapie twists and turns our viewers love'. The final ever episodes will air at the end of 2025 with fans forced to say goodbye to Ramsay Street for a second time, after first being axed in February 2022.
Daily Mail
13-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Sneak peak at cast's final days on Neighbours set as beloved Aussie soap wraps filming of last ever season
Fans are preparing for the end of long-running Aussie soap opera Neighbours and now they've been given a glimpse into the final days of production. A slew of photos were posted to Facebook and Instagram on Friday showing the cast during the last stretch of filming, along with a caption that pulled on long-time watchers' heartstrings. 'Today marks the final day of production on our beloved Neighbours,' it read. 'It's with a heavy heart that our incredible cast and crew wrap for the final time. As sad as this day may be, we can't wait for you to see the amazing storylines that are about to unfold over the coming six months.' The caption ended: 'Together we have been, and always will be, the perfect blend.' From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. In one of the images, veteran stars Stefan Dennis, Rebekah Elmaloglou, Jackie Woodburne and Alan Fletcher stood alongside each other with pained smiles as they waved goodbye to an era. Another showed the whole Neighbours cast dressed up warm as they posed on Ramsay Street for the last time during their final stint on set. As four decades of Neighbours came to an end last week, Annie Jones and Stefan Dennis showed support for their fellow cast members in an emotional final day on set. The actress, 55, first appeared on the beloved soap in 1986 as Jane Harris, aka Plain Jane Superbrain, and was on hand this week to offer a supportive shoulder. She was seen with her arm around fellow cast members as they came together to mark the end of an era at Melbourne's Nunawading studios. Annie chose to step away from the spotlight in 1989 to look after her late mother, Elizabeth, who battled Alzheimer's disease and passed away in 2016. She later reprised her role in 2018 and has been a regular fixture on the show ever since. Soap veteran Stefan, 66, who has played Paul Robinson on the series for four decades, was also seen on set for the final scenes of the concluding episode. The actor, who was part of the original Neighbours cast when it debuted in 1985, left the show in 1992 but returned in 2004. He clutched buckets of Chupa Chups lollipops for his castmates. 'I never thought a single show would give me the greatest adventures of my career, spanning 40 years,' Stefan said in a statement released by Prime Video. 'Without Neighbours, I would not have met the people, been to the places and lived the experiences of a lifetime.' The final episode of Neighbours is set to air on December 11, and the news will undoubtedly be a devastating blow to fans across the globe who have seen the ongoing drama axed three times. Just two years ago, fans were gearing up for what was then billed as the 'finale' before Amazon swooped in with a lifeline. The impact of Neighbours is immeasurable and has produced household names like Kylie Minogue and Margot Robbie. As this chapter of the Ramsay Street story comes to a close, executive producer Jason Herbison described the soap as 'special', adding that it has been a 'privilege' to oversee the recent seasons. The producer has been with the show intermittently since 1990 when he landed a storyliner position. He told Metro: 'We have added 460 episodes to our legacy of over 9000 episodes, something we all feel proud of. 'Once again, we will be resting the residents of Ramsay Street on a hopeful note, with some tantalising possibilities for a future chapter.' According to the publication, sets have already begun to be dismantled at the production base on the outskirts of Melbourne. The studio site, which was sold to property redevelopers several years ago but is on a long lease to programme-makers Fremantle Media, is expected to be reused for other productions in the future.
The Sun
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
ITV viewers stunned as late soap legend spotted on TV – eight months after she passed away
ITV viewers were completely stunned as a late soap legend was spotted on TV, eight months after she passed away. The actress sadly died in her sleep at the age of 72 last year in her home city of Melbourne, Australia. 6 Janet Andrewartha was best known for her role as Lyn Scully in the hit soap, Neighbours. She first made her debut on the former Channel 5 serial drama back in 1999. She had a number of on and off stints on Ramsay Street, before departing for the final time in 2019. But less than three months after she received a cancer diagnosis, the star passed away in July of last year. At the time, her friend - and Neighbours co-star - Jackie Woodburne paid a heartfelt tribute to her pal. She said: "[Janet] was one of the finest actors of a generation. I will miss her every day." However, viewers were shocked to see her appear on-screen once again in the ITV drama, Fake. The show focuses on a smart magazine writer named Birdie (Asher Keddie) who seems to have found her ideal match. On a dating app, she meets a successful farmer, but she later discovers that all is not as it seems. Viewers were pleasantly surprised to see that Janet popped up on screen in scenes that were filmed before her death. Lucinda Cowden's next gig revealed after Neighbours icon confirmed she's been AXED from Ramsay Street after 37 years She starred in the gritty series as, Kath Tovey, which is a supporting role. Her Neighbours co-star Anne Charleston, 82, is known for playing the beloved Madge Bishop on the soap for decades from 1986. She also appears in Fake in a supporting role as the character, Shirley Burt alongside Janet. Anne recently made her return to Neighbours in a new role as part of Harold's departure storyline. This was after Ian Smith revealed that he was diagnosed with "a very aggressive non-fixable cancer." 6 6 6 6
