Kylie Minogue tells us how she feels about Neighbours making a comeback
Kylie joined the Hits Breakfast team!
The wonderful Kylie Minogue joined Fleur East, James and Producer Matt on Hits Breakfast to chat about how she felt about the incredible success of 'Padam Padam', her reaction to Neighbours making a comeback and the advice she'd give to her younger self.
Kylie appeared in the finale episode of Neighbours in July 2022, after previously portraying the character of Charlene Robinson from 1986 to 1988. However, it wasn't long until Neighbours returned to screens once again, with the show making a comeback this month on Amazon Freevee.
Speaking about how she felt about the show's revival, Kylie said: "Not disappointed at all but I was a little baffled when I first heard. I was a bit like, oh okay, I hope this wasn’t just misspent emotion from all of us. And everyone went to a lot of effort, well Guy Pearce went to the most effort, he had like a million scenes and I felt bad that I was kind of like on and off and said like two words.
"From Margot Robbie to all sorts of people who dialled in just to pay tribute, it was a huge moment. So when it was announced that it was coming back, there was a quizzical face, they really did think that was it. We did our part, and I mean I haven’t seen it, I think its just starting now. But I think all is well with the world, Neighbours should keep going. And now we know that Scott (played by Jason Donovan) and Charlene are together."
Kylie's incredible track 'Padam Padam' was a huge hit and was in all of our heads, but Kylie admitted that she never expected to get such an incredible reaction to it. She explained: "You Padamed, you Padamed, I Padamed, and I’ve got a lot more Padaming to do!
"Honestly, I’ve not really asked the broader team, the label and I can’t imagine any of them knew what would happen because what I’m starting to understand with socials and TikTok and the memes and everything - we don’t decide, they decide. So it’s like its energy fed itself and it was so amazing, I got to watch it happen right in front of me. So no, I believed in the song, but for it to become this sort of cultural moment, no."
In July, Kylie celebrated 35 years since the release of her first album 'Kylie', which produced hits including 'I Should Be So Lucky' and reached Number 1 in the UK. Reflecting on her incredible career, Kylie shared the advice she would now give to herself at the start of her career. She said: "I don’t know how much she would have listened.
"There’s many things, and I can get quite emotional thinking what things I might want to save her from, or not have her go through. But, I find myself here, life’s good, I’m richer for any of the struggles. But if there was an overarching theme, I’d just want to say, 'hey, kiddo, enjoy it, because it’s going to be a ride. You’re going to have to manage the highs, the lows, find a middle ground that you can always cling to, which I’ve done but would kind of like her to know that’s ahead, and you’ll be okay.'"
Take a look at some of the celebrities who started their careers on Neighbours:
Kylie Minogue
Kylie Minogue needs no introduction. After appearing in Neighbours as Charlene Robinson (née Mitchell) between 1986 and 1988, she went on to become a hugely successful pop star, as well as appearing some films along the way.
Kylie's first UK single was 'I Should Be So Lucky' in 1987 which was an instant hit with fans going to Number 1. Many albums and Top 10 hits followed over the years, including 'Especially For You', her duet with former co-star and on-screen husband Jason Donovan.
As of 2023, Kylie has now announced her 16th studio album called 'Tension', and released the first single from it called 'Padam Padam'.
Jason Donovan
Like his former co-star Kylie Minogue, Jason Donovan appeared on Neighbours in the late 80s playing the role of Scott Robinson.
He then went on to release several albums and had Top 10 hits with 'Nothing Can Divide Us', 'Too Many Broken Hearts', 'Any Dream Will Do' and of course 'Especially For You', with Kylie.
Jason went on to pursue a career in musicals playing the role of Joseph in the West End hit Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, which he performed at the 2022 Jubilee celebrations outside Buckingham Palace.
The actor has also worked as a radio presenter and appeared on the 13th series of Dancing on Ice, paired with Alexandra Schauman, however he withdrew from the competition due to injury in week six.
Chris Hemsworth
Best known as the Hollywood actor who played Thor, Chris Hemsworth actually appeared in Neighbours for 18 episodes back in 2002.
After leaving Neighbours he went on to star in Home & Away for a massive 189 episodes as Kim Hyde, before moving onto Hollywood blockbusters such as Thor, Avengers and other Marvel films.
He's also worked as producer, on the Netflix film Extraction where he played the role of Tyler Rake, a sequel of which is due for release this year.
Liam Hemsworth
Starring as Josh Taylor in Neighbours for just 19 episodes in 2007/2008, Liam Hemsworth went on to star in several main film roles including Gale Hawthorne in The Hunger Games film series, and Jake Morrison in Independence Day: Resurgence.
He is also set to take over the role of Geralt of Rivia from Henry Cavill in The Witcher, when it returns for a fourth season.
Margot Robbie
Playing the role of Donna Freedman in Neighbours between 2008 and 2011, Margot Robbie went on to become a hugely successful actor, on both TV and film.
Some of Margot's biggest roles include starring as Harley Quinn in Suicide Squad and several other films, Tonya Harding in I, Tonya, and the upcoming film Barbie, where she will play the lead role Barbie.
Guy Pearce
Guy Pearce, who played the role of Mike Young in Neighbours between 1986 and 1989, reprised his role for the finale in 2022, but has now been announced to reprise his role once again in the new series.
After leaving Neighbours the first time, Guy went on to become a successful film actor appearing in The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, Memento, The Time Machine remake and The King's Speech.
In 2011, Guy won a Primetime Emmy Award for his work in Todd Haynes' limited series Mildred Pierce as Monty Berago.
Away from acting, he has also released two albums, the most recent in 2018.
Natalie Imbruglia
Natalie Imbruglia played the role of Beth Brennan on Neighbours in the early 90s.
Three years after leaving the soap, Natalie released her debut song 'Torn' which was incredibly popular, being a Top 5 hit around the world and even receiving a Grammy Award nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.
Natalie continued to have success into the 2000s with songs such as 'Big Mistake', 'Smoke', 'Shiver', and 'Glorious' all Top 40 hits.
She's also appeared on several TV shows, including joining The X Factor UK and Australian editions, and taking part in The Masked Singer in 2022, which she won as Panda.
Holly Valance
Holly Candy, better known as Holly Valance, appeared as Felicity Scully on Neighbours between 1999 and 2002.
In the year that she left Neighbours she also released her debut song 'Kiss Kiss' which was a huge hit, going to Number 1 in the UK.
As well as having three Top 10 songs, Holly appeared in several TV shows including Prison Break, and Strictly Come Dancing, as well as the film Taken which starred Liam Neeson.
Russell Crowe
Russell Crowe appeared in just four episodes of Neighbours back in 1987, when he played the former cellmate of Henry Ramsey.
He later went on to be a hugely successful actor appearing in films such as Gladiator, The Mummy, Les Misérables and Thor: Love and Thunder.
Alan Dale
Alan Dale played the role of Jim Robinson for many years, the first time between 1985 and 1993, then returning in 2018 and 2019.
After leaving Neighbours the first time, Alan appeared in several TV shows and films such as The X-Files, Ugly Betty, Dominion, Dynasty, Star Trek: Nemesis and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.
Delta Goodrem
Despite being signed to Sony Music at the age of 15, Delta Goodrem joined Neighbours three years later and starred as Nina Tucker between 2002 and 2005, 2015, then reprising her role 2022.
Outside of her Neighbours role, Delta is a well-known singer and songwriter having releasing seven albums and 40 singles including 'Born to Try', 'Lost Without You', and 'Almost Here', all Top 5 hits in the UK.
In recent years she continues to release music and have success in her native Australia. She's also appeared in a number of TV shows, mainly as guest roles or judges, such as on Australian Idol, The Voice and The Celebrity Apprentice Australia.
Jesse Spencer
Jesse Spencer starred as Billy Kennedy on Neighbours from 1994 to 2000, and later in 2005 and 2022. After leaving Neighbours he took on the lead role of Robert Chase in the American medical drama House, starring Hugh Laurie.
Following his departure from House in 2012, Jesse went on to star as Captain Matthew Casey in Chicago Fire, and its spin-offs.
Most recently, he is set to appear in Last Days of the Space Age, a Disney+ series about three families who live in Perth, Australia in 1979. Jesse will be starring alongside former Neighbours actor Radha Mitchell.
Radha Mitchell
Starting off in Neighbours back in 1996/1997 as Catherine O'Brien, Radha Mitchell went on to star in several other TV shows and films, most notably Red Widow, Phone Booth, Silent Hill, Olympus Has Fallen and its sequel London Has Fallen.
She is also set to appear in the new Disney+ series Last Days of the Space Age, alongside Jesse Spencer.
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You can listen to Fleur, James and Producer Matt every weekday morning from 6am.
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