List of Neighbours characters introduced in 1986
Neighbours is an Australian television soap opera that was first broadcast on 18 March 1985. The following is a list of characters that first appeared in the serial in 1986, by order of first appearance. All characters were introduced by the show's executive producer Reg Watson. The 2nd season of Neighbours began airing from 20 January 1986. The episode marked the first appearances of [|Zoe Davis], [|Madge Mitchell] and [|Mike Young]. [|Clive Gibbons] and Nikki Dennison also arrived in January. [|Rosemary Daniels] began appearing from February, while Nikki's mother, [|Laura], made her debut in March. The following month saw the first appearances of [|Jack Lassiter], [|Charlene Mitchell] and [|Nell Mangel]. Madge's brother, [|Tom Ramsay], arrived in May, along with Debra Fleming. Sue Parker debuted in June, while July saw the first appearances from Jane Harris and [|Sam Cole]. Sam's mother, [|Susan], arrived the following month, along with Dan Ramsay. [|Ruth Wilson] and Edna Ramsay debuted in September. [|Warren Murphy] was introduced in October.
Zoe Davis
Zoe Davis, played by Ally Fowler, made her first appearance on 20 January 1986. Fowler joined the cast shortly after producers decided to add several new cast members, in a bid to improve the serial. Zoe was described by James Oram, author of Neighbours: Behind the scenes, as being "fickle and unpredictable to an incredible degree", she is blunt and has a sharp wit. Josephine Monroe, who wrote The Neighbours Programme Guide, noted that Zoe was both "charming and infuriating". Zoe was an old school friend of Daphne Lawrence and she came to Erinsborough for her wedding to Des Clarke. She later developed a relationship with the much older Jim Robinson, which shocked the other Ramsay Street residents.Madge Mitchell
Madge Mitchell, played by veteran actress Anne Charleston, made her first appearance on 20 January 1986. The character was introduced as Max Ramsay's elder sister. Max found Madge to be "formidable" and never won when she was around. Hilary Kingsley, author of Soap Box, stated that Madge was "loud, but likeable, meddlesome but cuddlesome, she has an opinion on everyone, ridiculous often but usually right." Madge went back to using her maiden name to avoid being associated with her ex-husband's debts. She is the mother of Charlene and Henry. Madge's childhood sweetheart, Harold Bishop,, was later introduced to Neighbours and he and Madge were later married. Charleston quit Neighbours in 1992, but when she suffered financial difficulties, she returned in 1996. She quit the serial once again in 2001.Mike Young
Mike Young, played by Guy Pearce, made his first appearance on 20 January 1986. Pearce auditioned for the role of Mike and immediately impressed casting director Jan Russ. Pearce joined the soap on 3 December 1985, three days after he finished his last HSC exam. He commented "I moved to Melbourne over the weekend and started Neighbours on the Tuesday. It was crazy. It was the whole, 'Say the words and don't bump into the furniture' thing. I had no idea what I was doing." Patrick Barkham from The Guardian called Mike "nice-but-lonely". While David Astle from The Sydney Morning Herald described Mike as "mullet-mopped" and "hunky."Clive Gibbons
Clive Gibbons, played by Geoff Paine, made his first appearance on 21 January 1986. A representative from The Grundy Organisation discovered Paine acting in a college production at the Victoria Arts Centre and asked him to do a screen test, before offering him the role of Clive. Clive was a doctor who ran a gorillagram agency. He brought a "breath of fresh air to Ramsay Street" when he moved in. Josephine Monroe, author of Neighbours: The First 10 Years, described Clive as being "one of life's eccentrics" who took care of people and often lured them into his latest harebrained scheme. Clive became so popular with viewers that a pilot for his own show called City Hospital was made, although it was not picked up by any television networks.Nikki Dennison
Nikki Dennison, played by Charlene Fenn, made her first appearance on 28 January 1986. A representative from the Grundy Organisation discovered Fenn at a National Theatre workshop. She auditioned while studying for her HSC exams and was cast as Helen Daniels' niece, Nikki. Of her reaction to winning the role, Fenn told Kelly Bourne of TV Week: "I was six feet off the ground when I first heard, but now I'm down to about two feet." Nikki was Fenn's first television role and she admitted to feeling "a bit apprehensive", but the cast had been friendly and helpful to her. Nikki "casually" enters the show during one of her visits to Helen and the Robinsons. Fenn explained her character's fictional backstory to Bourne, saying "Nikki originally came from a small Queensland town, but she attends a boarding school in Melbourne. Her mother is Helen Daniels' sister, so sometimes Nikki spends weekends with the Robinsons." Bourne thought the situation seemed simple, but for Nikki it was more complicated. Fenn stated "Nikki's widowed mother works in a bar to send her to a good boarding school. But Nikki doesn't really appreciate this because she feels her mum has forced her into a position where she has to lie to be accepted by other girls." This leads to Nikki putting on airs and graces during the week, while she is a fun and normal teenager at the weekends. Fenn thought the two sides to Nikki made her a more interesting character to play. She preferred "the real Nikki", who does not have to impress anyone and can be genuine and fun. Fenn continued, "She can be quite charming when she's with the people she loves – the people who she knows love her simply for herself." Fenn was not keen on boarding school version of Nikki, as she has elements of bitchiness, snobbery, and social climbing. Fenn left Neighbours less than a year after she arrived and she commented "I never thought I was going to be employed in this for the rest of my life."Nikki was raised by her mother, Laura Dennison, in Queensland. Her father, Tom, died when she was young and Nikki became spoilt as Laura gave her everything she wanted. Laura found it hard to deal with Nikki when she became a teenager and decided to send her to Erinsborough to stay with her aunt Helen. Nikki becomes good friends with Charlene Mitchell and she begins dating Mike Young, after he defends her from Sue Parker's rumours. When Lucy Robinson wins a dinner date with Grant Kenny, Nikki tells her that her father will not let her go on the date and that Grant would not want to have dinner with a child. Nikki manages to persuade Lucy that she should go on the date instead and she gives her some money. Nikki does not tell Helen about the date and lies that she is spending the night studying with a friend. The date with Grant does not go well and he leaves after the main course. Nikki brags to Sue that she had a great night and that she kissed Grant. She also tells her that Grant is going to call her about a second date. However, Nikki's lies are exposed when a photo of herself and Grant appears in a newspaper. Mike then threatens to end their relationship. When Nikki hears that her mother has been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, she leaves Erinsborough to be with her. When she returns a few months later, Nikki expects to pick up her relationship with Mike, but she soon learns that he is dating Jane Harris. Nikki tells Jane that she wants Mike back. However, Mike tells her that he is not interested in a relationship with her. Nikki decides to leave Erinsborough permanently to spend time with her mother in the United States.
Rosemary Daniels
Rosemary Daniels, played by Joy Chambers, made her first appearance on 20 February 1986. Rosemary remained on the show on-off for 24 years in a recurring capacity. A writer for the official Neighbours website described Rosemary as being "ruthless", while a Holy Soap reporter called a "tough businesswoman". A notable storyline for the character, saw her become engaged to Gerard Singer and then learn that he was having an affair with her mother Helen Daniels. Chambers returned to Neighbours from 6 July 2010 as part of the show's 25th anniversary.Laura Dennison
Laura Dennison, played by Carole Skinner, made her first appearance on 21 March 1986. Laura is Helen Daniels' sister. A picture of Laura sat on Helen's sideboard for years after her last appearance. Laura is also Nikki Dennison's mother. After she was widowed, Laura began working in a bar to help pay for Nikki's boarding school fees.Laura's sister, Helen, invites her to Erinsborough for a holiday. Nikki refuses to spend any time with her mother and calls her an embarrassment when Laura flirts with Max Ramsay. Laura is delighted when Max invites her to dinner and the evening goes well, until Max's son and sister return home. Laura goes back to Helen's and talks to Nikki about her attitude. Nikki chooses to leave her school and move in with Helen. Laura tells her sister that she is going back to her home town and just before she leaves, Nikki realises that she loves her mother and they reunite. They then spend the day repairing their relationship. Laura tells Max that she hopes they will remain friends before leaving. Helen goes to visit Laura and discovers that she has been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Nikki then returns home to care for her mother.
A few months later, Laura and Nikki return. Laura finds Nikki's over-protectiveness of her a little overwhelming and she arranges for Nikki to take part in an exchange programme in America, but Nikki refuses to go. Laura spills tea on herself and Helen begins to think that her sister cannot be left on her own. When Helen's friend, Grace Barnett, comes to Erinsborough, Laura realises that Helen is not aware that Grace had a one-night stand with her late husband, Bill. Laura convinces Grace to leave town, but when Helen matches her handwriting to a note left with some flowers on Bill's grave, Laura is forced to tell Helen the truth about Grace and Bill. Helen asks Laura to move out, but she soon realises that throwing her sister out is wrong and apologises. Laura takes up jogging and begins working some shifts at The Waterhole. Nikki asks her mother to slow down and Clive Gibbons arranges for a counsellor to talk to her. Nikki later arranges for Laura to go to the United States and she joins her after her exams.