WITH a cast as large as Neighbours it can be hard to keep track of who’s leaving, returning and joining the show.
Here’s your guide to all the coming and going of the cast members in 2021…
Evelyn Farlow (Paula Arundell) – joining
Neighbours bosses have announced that actress and singer Paula Arundell has been cast in the role of Levi Canning’s mother Evelyn Farlow.
Evelyn will make her first appearance later this month (August 2021) on Australian screens.
Viewers in the UK will get their first glimpse of the new character in September on Channel 5.
Evelyn is set to cause chaos for the Canning family upon her arrival.
Paula has previously appeared in other Australian dramas including Home and Away, All Saints and Love My Way.
Nicolette Stone (Charlotte Chimes) – left
Charlotte Chimes has left her role as Nicolette Stone in Neighbours.
Pregnant Nicolette vanished without a trace just before the birth of David and Aaron’s baby, despite the trio making a co-parenting arrangement months ago.
Charlotte addressed her character’s absence from the series in a recent Instagram post and hinted that she had quit.
Chimes posted: “Mems from my bebe journey. What a laugh this was!! (mostly).
“I wore 8 prosthetic stomachs over 6-7 months during summer with the last one weighing in over 5kgs!!!
“Thank you to my BFF @nickwakerley for making me the best dressed pregnant lady ever (biased but true)!”
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Yashvi Rebecchi (Olivia Junkeer) – left
Neighbours’ Olivia Junkeer has left her role as Yashvi Rebecchi after more than four years on the show.
The star’s final scenes aired back in July in the aftermath of the dramatic car crash that left her fighting for her life in hospital.
Speaking about her exit, actress Olivia told TV Week Magazine at the time: “I needed a change!
“My family on the show had left, and I think it was time for me too.
“I’ve been working on Neighbours since I left school, so I think I need to experience something different. Four and a half years seemed like a good time to experience something new.”
Asked whether she would ever return to the show, she revealed: “Of course! I don’t think I can ever properly say goodbye to Ramsay Street.”
Dipi and Shane Rebecchi (Sharon Johal and Nicholas Coghlan) – left
It was the end of an era for Neighbours’ Rebecchi family back in April as Dipi and Shane said their emotional goodbyes and bid farewell to Ramsay Street.
The couple, who recently reconciled following a severe breakdown of their marriage, waved goodbye to their loved ones and set off for a fresh start in Sydney.
Addressing her fans on Instagram, Sharon explained: “It is with sadness I’ve announced today that I will be leaving @neighbours.
“Some of you may have seen this coming, but to be honest I put the motions into play over a year ago. A number of reasons brought me to here, however inevitably my ambition for growth has ultimately been the decider.
“I am so excited for what the future holds. As you might’ve read, I’m already shadow-directing on Neighbours with Tenika [Smith] and look forward to telling stories from my unique perspective, gaze and experience – whether that be behind the camera, in front of it, in writing or production, I intend to make positive impact.”
Fans will be pleased to hear that this won’t be the last time viewers see Dipi, as executive producer Jason Herbison recently confirmed that Sharon Johal will be back for a guest appearance.
Curtis Perkins (Nathan Borg) – joined
Nathan Borg made his first Neighbours appearance as new teacher Curtis Perkins back in February 2021.
Borg made history as the first actor with a cochlear implant to star on Australian television.
“I am so excited for what the future holds. As you might’ve read, I’m already shadow-directing on Neighbours with Tenika [Smith] and look forward to telling stories from my unique perspective, gaze and experience – whether that be behind the camera, in front of it, in writing or production, I intend to make positive impact.”
