List of Neighbours characters introduced in 2003
The following is a list of characters that first appeared in the Network Ten soap opera Neighbours in 2003, by order of first appearance. Ric Pellizzeri took over the role of executive producer from Stanley Walsh, who left the show in November 2002. The 19th season of Neighbours began airing on 20 January 2003 and Pellizzeri's name was added to the credits on 12 May. That same month saw Rhiannon Fish join the cast as Lisa Jeffries. Talent manager [|Melody Jones] arrived in June and Charlie Cassidy followed in July. Oscar Scully, the fifth child of the established Lyn and Joe, was born in August. September saw three introductions; Izzy Hoyland, [|Detective Alec Skinner] and Rocco Cammeniti. Two new members of the Bishop family arrived in October, [|Liljana] and her daughter, [|Serena]. Wendy Stapleton joined the cast as Nina Tucker's mother, [|Trixie], and Natalie Blair debuted as Carmella Cammeniti. December saw the introduction of Simon Mallory as Chris Cousens.
Lisa Jeffries
Lisa Jeffries, played by Rhiannon Fish, made her first on-screen appearance on 13 May 2003. Lisa was Summer Hoyland's best friend. Lisa was Fish's first screen role and she joined the cast when she was eleven years old. Lisa was initially supposed to be Australian, but after Fish was cast, the writers made her Canadian. Fish said that she loved playing Lisa and that she "got to do lots of awesome things." She described her character as being "selfish and mean" and said that she enjoyed Lisa turning into a "total bitch." Fish said that people may feel sorry for Lisa and that some scenes showed that it was her mother that had made her into a horrible girl.Summer Hoyland makes friends with Lisa at primary school, after they both join the girls' soccer team. They try and persuade Jack Scully to coach them full-time, but he just teaches them some tricks. Jack later decides to take on the role of assistant coach. Lisa joins Summer's family for a trip to the beach and she and Summer go off to look for treasure and the walk onto a nudist beach. Lisa and Summer later join a pony club. When Summer's father, Max, splits up with Stephanie Scully, Lisa begins picking on Summer. She tells her that Max is too old for Steph and the girls fight. Summer tries to apologise, but Lisa tells her that she is no longer invited to her birthday party. During an orientation day at Erinsborough High, Lisa is paired up with Summer's brother, Boyd, who threatens to flush her head down the toilet if she continues to bully Summer. Lisa then reports him to Susan Kennedy.
At their next soccer game, Lisa and Summer make up when Summer passes the ball to Lisa and she scores the winning goal. Lisa notices that Max is sad and she tells Summer that it was the same with her mother, when her father left her. Lisa and Summer then decide to get their parents together, so they can be sisters. However, Max and Lisa's mother, [|Andrea], have nothing in common. When the girls start at Erinsborough High, they are laughed at for having their socks rolled up and they struggle with the large building. Lisa passes a note around her class about Susan's divorce and even after she is caught, she continues writing more nasty notes. Summer refuses to laugh at the jokes. Summer meets a new boyfriend, Caleb Wilson, who gives her expensive gifts. Lisa does not believe that Caleb exists, but she is shocked when he turns up at school to meet Summer for lunch. Lisa is then humiliated when she tries to flirt with Caleb and he rejects her. Lisa begins hanging around with her boyfriend and she encourages Summer to smoke. Summer refuses and Lisa calls her a loser, ending their friendship. Summer starts hanging around with Penny Weinberg and Lisa steals Penny's diary and reads it out to everyone.
Melody Jones
Melody Jones, played by Robyn Arthur, made her first on-screen appearance on 13 June 2003.Melody is a talent manager whose clients included Robbie D and a boy-band called Roger. Melody approaches Nina Tucker and asks her to sign with her after seeing her perform at Lou's Place. Nina contacts Melody to arrange a meeting and Melody tells her that she does not need her parents to be involved if she wants to sign up. Melody convinces Lou Carpenter to give Nina a regular singing gig at the pub, so she can showcase her music. Nina agree to sign up, but she has to forge her mother's signature on the forms to keep her out of her work. Melody makes attempts to get Nina into the world of showbiz and she arranges for Nina to go to a movie premiere with Robbie D. Nina tries to pull out because she is dating Jack Scully, but Melody tells her that it could be her big break and she goes. Robbie kisses Nina at the premiere and the moment is captured by a photographer. Melody points out that Nina's profile has been raised and she is taking bookings for interviews and gigs.
After a few months, Melody tells Nina that she has a place on an Asian tour for her with Robbie D. Nina agrees to go, but cannot take Jack with her. Weeks later, Nina is shocked to hear Robbie D singing one of her songs on the radio. She contacts Melody who explains to her that she signed a contract which handed over all of her recording rights. Nina owns up to her mother, Trixie. Lou points out that the contract is not valid as Nina forged a signature on it.
The following year, Stephanie Scully is looking for a wedding dress and she finds Melody working in a bridal shop. Susan Kennedy is surprised and makes a dig about Nina. Melody explains that she had given up managing people because she could not trust anyone. Steph leaves the shop after seeing the prices of the dresses. Melody reinvents herself again as a publisher. Janelle Timmins writes a novel and it gets emailed around the town as part of a joke. Melody sees it and contacts Janelle about publishing the book. Melody meets up with Janelle and tells her that it would need to be longer before it can be published. Only the Timmins family knew that Bree had actually written most of the book. A couple of years later, Melody is back working as a sales assistant in a dress shop. Bridget Parker and Rachel Kinski come in looking for dresses for their school formal. Melody believes that they are going to try everything on without buying anything and the girls leave. Bridget tells her mother and aunt what happened and they take Bridget and Rachel back to the shop. They make several purchases with the help of another assistant who gets the commission instead of Melody.
Charlie Cassidy
Charlie Cassidy, played by Cliff Ellen, made his first on screen appearance on 23 July 2003. Charlie is the brother of Doreen and father to Michael and Lyn.Ellen said that he enjoyed playing the role of Charlie. He described his character as being "very much in the mould of Cliff Ellen, but with the odd difference thrown in by the writers for good measure, depth?" On Charlie's controversial death storyline, Ellen said that he had no problem with it, but the process was emotional as his wife died during filming.
In the past, Charlie has a brief relationship with Valda Sheergold and she falls pregnant. He then starts seeing another girl, Catherine, and Valda's brother-in-law, Henry O'Rourke, blackmails Charlie into leaving Shelley Bay. Henry and his wife, Connie adopt Valda's baby, so she is not a single mother. Valda leaves for England and Charlie and Catherine marry and have a son, Michael. Catherine later dies and Charlie goes back to Shelley Bay and sets up a fishing business.
Years later, Lyn Scully learns that Valda and Charlie are her biological parents and she finds Charlie. They arrange to meet, but Charlie becomes ill and is admitted to hospital. Lyn visits him and she learns the truth about Henry adopting her, she finds it hard to forgive Charlie, but she softens when she learns that he is dying. Months later, Charlie comes to visit his grandson, Oscar Scully and he invites Henry down, so they and Lyn can talk. The following year, Charlie returns to see his granddaughter, Stephanie, marry Max Hoyland.
Charlie makes peace with Valda by giving her a pair of pearl earrings and telling her how much she had always meant to him. On the wedding day, Steph and Max elope and Charlie suddenly proposes to Valda. He tells her that he wants to make up for everything that happened between them and so they marry. During their honeymoon, Charlie and Valda meet up with his sister, Doreen. Valda is diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis and has to have bed rest. Charlie realises that he wants to spend his last Christmas with Lyn and Doreen agrees to come with him. Charlie tries to keep the truth about his condition from Lyn, but she sees him having a coughing fit. Charlie is taken to the hospital, but he tells his family that he wants to die at Lyn's home. Charlie's last wish is to go on his boat, Sheergold Scandal. Steph and Doreen take him to the boat, but Charlie becomes too ill before they can get on board. The Scullys bring the boat to Ramsay Street on a trailer and Charlie spends Boxing Day on it. Charlie writes a letter to Valda and while he is chatting to Steph, he tells her that he is ready and he dies. Charlie appears to Steph as vision in a dream when she is to stand trial for allegedly killing him. He tells Steph things will work out as they are meant to.
Oscar Scully
Oscar Scully, played by Ingo Dammer-Smith, is Lyn and Joe Scully's fifth and youngest child. He was born on-screen on 20 August 2003. Dammer-Smith joined the show when he was a couple of weeks old, he is the son of one of the technical crew.Lyn and Joe Scully decide to try for another baby and almost give up hope, when Lyn suddenly announces she is pregnant at Susan and Karl Kennedy's 's wedding reception. Lyn does not have an easy pregnancy, as she is injured during a robbery at the Kennedy house and then learns that her aunt, Valda, is actually her mother. Joe and Lyn decide to go away for a few days when Lyn passes her due date and there is no sign of the baby. Lyn has terrible stomach pains and Joe rushes her home. Lyn is told that the baby is in a breach position and she would need a caesarean section to deliver it. Lyn does not like this and goes home to try exercises to turn the baby, which is successful. Lyn goes into labour and Oscar is delivered by Dr. Veronica Olenski. Both Lyn and Joe are surprised that Oscar is a boy, as Karl had told them he was a girl.
Joe is happy to have another son, but Lyn finds it difficult to bond with Oscar. Lyn does not comfort Oscar when he cries and she tells him that she does not know why she does not love him properly. Oscar was baptised and Susan, Valda, Harold Bishop and Gino Esposito are his godparents. Harold and Gino compete to be the better godfather. Lyn leaves Oscar in the car while she goes shopping and she is arrested for shoplifting. Karl diagnoses her with post-natal depression. Joe makes Oscar a promise that he will love him enough for both of them until Lyn gets better. Lyn begins to bond well with Oscar and is happy when she realises that he likes The Bold and the Beautiful. Joe tries to wean Oscar off the soap, but he does not succeed. Joe leaves the family to look after his father and brother in Bendigo and his marriage to Lyn breaks down. Oscar gets to visit Joe and he has his older siblings, Jack and Steph around. When Steph becomes pregnant and suffers from breast cancer, she takes Oscar and disappears. She later admits that she was just keeping him safe. Elle Robinson babysits Oscar, but he wanders off by Lassiter's lake and loses his in the water. Ned Parker rescues Oscar and becomes his nanny. Following her failed marriage to Paul Robinson, Lyn decides to take Oscar to live in Shelly Bay. She returns to Ramsay Street a few years later without him and she reveals that Oscar is with his father in Bendigo. She goes to visit him, but he does not want to return home with her.