List of Neighbours characters introduced in 2017
Neighbours is an Australian television soap opera. It was first broadcast on 18 March 1985 and currently airs on digital channel Eleven. The following is a list of characters that appeared in the show in 2017, by order of first appearance. All characters are introduced by the shows executive producer Jason Herbison. The 33rd season of Neighbours began airing from 9 January 2017. [|Andrea] and Willow Somers made their debuts during the same month. Teacher [|Finn Kelly] was introduced during March, while [|Dipi], [|Kirsha] and [|Yashvi Rebecchi], along with Dipi's sister Mishti Sharma, arrived in April. Jeremy Newell and Mannix Foster appeared in June. [|Evan Lewis] and Fay Brennan were introduced during the following month. September saw the first appearance of Hamish Roche, while Cassius Grady and Rory Zemiro made their debuts in November. Joanne Schwartz appeared in December.
Andrea Somers
Andrea Somers, played by Madeleine West, made her first appearance on 20 January 2017. West previously played Dee Bliss, who was presumed dead in 2003 when her husband Toadfish Rebecchi accidentally crashed their car into the sea. On 15 September 2016, Tiffany Dunk of News.com.au reported that West had reprised the role of Dee. West returned to filming that same week. However, during the episode broadcast on 2 February 2017, it was revealed that Dee was actually an impostor named Andrea Somers. Andrea is impersonating Dee to gain money from the Bliss family estate. She also includes her daughter Willow Somers in the scam, by pretending that she is Toadie's daughter. Five months after Andrea's exit, West made a surprise return to the show on 14 August 2017. Her appearance was not announced beforehand and the closing credits stated it was a "Special appearance by Madeleine West", leading viewers to speculate that it was the real Dee and not Andrea. West later appeared during the season finale on 8 December 2017. Her character was seen watching Toadie's vow renewal from a taxi. Her character name was again withheld. She was seen again during the return episode on 8 January 2018. It was later confirmed on-screen that Andrea had been in Erinsborough to check up on Toadie, and Daniel Kilkelly of Digital Spy believed Andrea was the woman in the taxi. A set of flashbacks broadcast on 27 June 2018 showed Andrea had fallen pregnant after having sex with Toadie. She later fled town leaving her son Hugo Somers with Sindi Watts. As Andrea and the real Dee Bliss came face-to-face in July 2019, West revealed that they are twins, who were separated at birth.Jasmine Udagawa
Jasmine Udagawa, played by Kaori Maeda-Judge, made her first appearance on 26 January 2017. Maeda-Judge joined the show's cast on a recurring basis, and on-screen Jasmine challenges business rival Paul Robinson. Jasmine soon becomes involved in the mystery story surrounding the paternity of David Tanaka and Leo Tanaka. Jasmine shifts her attention from Paul to Leo, who she believes is related to her. Not wanting him to inherit Lassiter's she concocts a plan to sabotage his backpackers business and force him to leave Erinsborough. Terese Willis soon becomes suspicious of Jasmine's vendetta against Leo and snoops in a secret file and is shocked to learn he could potentially gain control of Lassiter's. Discussing Jasmine's ruthless plan to run Leo out of Erinsborohough, Daniel Kilkelly from Digital Spy said that "talk about a u-turn! she certainly doesn't mess about." He added that the "very intriguing" story would progress with Amy Williams discovering the truth about Jasmine's file on Leo. It soon became clear that Jasmine's theories were incorrect.Terese sees Jasmine working with her investor James Udagawa and mistakes her for his new assistant. Jasmine introduces herself as James's sister, before leaving to look around the Lassiter's complex. James explains that Jasmine has convinced their dying grandfather that she needs to step in and he warns Terese to watch her, as he is being relocated. Jasmine returns and has some questions for Terese after going through the books. A couple of weeks later, Jasmine brings her grandfather. Toshiro Udagawa, to see an exhibition at Lassiter's Hotel and reacts to the mention of Leo name. Terese raises the moment with Jasmine, who decides to look into it. She asks Terese to continue to bring down Paul's business, but later changes her mind and tells Terese to drive Leo and his business out of Erinsborough.
Terese becomes suspicious of Jasmine's intentions and reads her secret file on him. Jasmine warns Terese that Leo could inherit the hotel. Amy overhears their exchange and decides to investigate. Jasmine tries to bribe Leo with money which leads him to suspect that they are related. When Jasmine confronts Toshiro, he contacts Kim Tanaka who is forced to reveal that her sons are not related to the Udagawas and that they are actually Paul's biological children. Later, Jasmine begins suspecting that something is wrong with Terese and eventually discovers that she has been diagnosed with breast cancer. Jasmine informs Terese that the Udagawa board has decided to pull their investment out of Lassiter's.
Willow Somers
Willow Somers, played by Mieke Billing-Smith, made her first appearance on 31 January 2017. Billing-Smith's casting and her character details were announced on 23 January. Willow was introduced as the teenage daughter of Andrea Somers, posing as Dee Bliss, who tells Toadfish Rebecchi that Willow is his daughter. Daniel Kilkelly of Digital Spy praised Billing-Smith for her role in the Andrea/Toadie storyline, saying she had been "a great discovery for the show". He also hoped Willow would return, especially as the show had a history of character's taking in "random waifs and strays". Executive producer Jason Herbison stated that he loved the character, and explained, "It's always a great dynamic when you have a child who's forced to parent an adult. She really was a leaf blown about in the breeze created by Andrea. I thought Mieke did a terrific job." He added that there was a chance Willow could return in the future. It was later confirmed that the character would be returning on 11 July. Willow departed again on 4 August, after deciding to live with her father Fergus Olsen, before making a guest appearance from 8 December for Toadie and Sonya Rebecchi's vow renewal. Billing-Smith reprised her role for another guest stint as Willow from 10 June 2019.Willow's mother Andrea brings her to Erinsborough when she decides to scam Toadfish Rebecchi by posing as his deceased wife Dee Bliss. When Toadie finds Willow in Andrea's motel room, Andrea tells him Willow is his daughter. Willow is forced to go along with her mother's plan and she spends time with Toadie. They bond over her desire to become a pilot and he helps her get into a private school. Willow becomes involved in a fake ID scheme with Piper Willis, and tries to blackmail Elly Conway with a photoshopped picture of Elly in bed with student Angus Beaumont-Hannay. After Willow and Andrea flee to London, Toadie is able to use Willow's social media to track them down. After Toadie discovers Andrea's real identity, Willow tries to talk to him, but he walks into the road and is struck by a taxi. Willow visits him in the hospital. She also tries, unsuccessfully, to convince her mother to give back the $100,000.
Months later, Willow returns to Erinsborough and tidies up Sonya Rebecchi's garden nursery following a storm. Sonya later catches Willow outside her home and Willow sprains her wrist when she falls. Sonya takes her to the hospital, where Toadie meets them. Willow explains that she ran away from Andrea, after they failed to find her real father and Andrea lied about repaying Toadie. As Willow cannot support herself, Toadie decides that she can stay with him instead of going into care. Sonya gives Willow a job at the nursery. Toadie later decides that he and Willow should move into one of the Eclipse apartments at Lassiter's, as Number 32 is too crowded. Willow learns that her father, Fergus Olsen, is living in Port Macquarie and she decides she wants to meet him. Fergus comes to Erinsborough to meet Willow. He tells her how a swimming accident that left him paralysed helped him change his life around. He is married and has two young daughters. After spending some time with him, Fergus invites Willow to stay with him and his family. Willow weighs up the pros and cons of going to Port Macquarie, and eventually decides to go. Toadie decides to go with her to see her settle in. She tells Ben during her farewell party that she always thought something romantic would happen between them, and he agrees, but he was taking his time. Willow visits Sonya and Nell to say goodbye. She tells Sonya that if she wants Toadie back, not to take too long as Amy Williams has feelings for him. Willow returns to Erinsborough on Christmas Day to act as a bridesmaid at Sonya's surprise vow renewal for Toadie.
Toadie contacts Willow to let her know that he has Andrea's phone number, and she advises him to throw it away. Willow then tells Sindi Watts that she does not want to see Andrea, although she has been in contact. She also explains that there is something that Toadie and Sonya do not know about Andrea. Months later, Toadie informs Willow that a private detective has found Andrea in Perth. Willow flies to Erinsborough and asks that he and Sonya do not contact her. They explain that they need to try, as they want to get their money back. Willow's secret is revealed when Sindi abruptly arrives with Andrea and Toadie's baby son, Hugo Somers. She explains that a heavily pregnant Andrea returned to Erinsborough on the day of the vow renewal, and Willow persuaded her to stay away from the Rebecchis. Toadie and Sonya assume custody of Hugo in Andrea's absence, and eventually track her down to a psychiatric facility in Tasmania. Willow accompanies them to visit her mother, who believes she is Dee Bliss and does not remember either of her children. Months later, Willow returns to Erinsborough and finds that her grandmother, Heather Schilling, is posing as "Alice Wells", the Rebecchis' nanny. Willow tricks Heather into revealing she has poisoned Sonya and left her to die. She warns Toadie and they rescue Sonya in time. Willow is devastated by how her family has hurt the Rebecchis again, but Toadie insists she is part of their family and should not feel guilty for her mother and grandmother's actions. The following year, Sonya dies of ovarian cancer and Willow returns for her memorial.
Months later, Willow returns to Erinsborough when she hears Andrea has made contact with Toadie, wanting to reconnect with Hugo. She decides to stay for a while to make sure Andrea is not trying to con Toadie again. However, it later emerges that Dee Bliss is alive and Andrea and Heather try to track her down. However, Andrea pushes Dee off a cliff, assumes her identity again, and returns to Ramsay Street to con Toadie. However, Heather and Dee later arrive in Ramsay Street and Willow rushes inside Number 30 where she is unable to tell the difference between Andrea, who pretends not to know her and Dee. When Dee prevails, Andrea attempts to flee, but Willow tackles her to the floor, and she is arrested and hospitalised for broken ribs. Willow then visits Andrea in hospital and returns to Port Macquarie after disowning her. She later speaks to Dee through Skype after it is revealed she is Andrea's twin sister. When Dee returns to visit Andrea and Heather in prison the following year, she reveals that Willow has passed her final school examination and has commenced pilot training.