Ah, Neighbors. Teatime telly institution and bountiful production line of sun-kissed Sheilas. Now happily settled in over at Channel Five, there’s never been a better time to tune into Oz’s biggest show.
A conscious effort to sex things up has led to some inspired casting, including the recruitment of fun-sized bikini model Imogen Bailey, who inexplicably seems to have a bit of a thing for Harold Bishop…
I think everyone in Australia is really proud of Neighbors because it’s such an Australian icon. We’ve all grown up seeing bits and pieces of the show. But I wouldn’t say that I was an avid fan. That would be a lie.
That’s very honest. Is Neighbors as big in Australia as it is over here?
They have a new executive producer in at the moment and the story lines are becoming more dramatic and sexy. It was a great time for me to join – Australia is really tuning into it.
What’s your favorite Neighbors moment? We all shed a tear when Madge snuffed it…
I think that would be one of mine. And then there was Kylie and Jason’s wedding. It’s also one of those shows that you can look back on and play ‘spot the star’ because there are just so many famous faces – Russell Crowe, Guy Pearce etc…
Weren’t you also on arch-rival Home And Away briefly as well?
I did a couple of scenes, yeah. I hadn’t done any acting whatsoever. I was basically cast out of a magazine cover. I remember the director saying , ‘Let’s do a read-through,’ and I thought, ‘What’s a read-through?’ There’s a clip on YouTube that I wish I could pay someone to take down. It’s probably something that will end up getting played at my wedding. I hate it.
Is there much rivalry between Home And Away and Neighbors?
We always run into each other at award shows and, yeah, there’s a bit of rivalry. Neighbors is better, of course. But it’s pretty friendly. In fact, I know there’s been Neighbors cast members who have dated some of the Home And Away cast. None that I’d name though.
You tease. Maybe you can clear something up. What exactly is a ‘flaming gallah’?
How can I explain it, um… just an idiot. But a real idiot, you know? It’s actually a type of bird. It’s a very Australian saying.
Do Aussies actually call each other ‘Spunks’?
Yes. But it works both ways. We don’t get it when you guys say ‘butters’, which is terrible by the way. Or when you say someone is ‘fit’. To us someone who is ‘fit’ trains a lot in the gym. We had a commercial where the main tagline in it was ‘bugger’ – there was even a dog at the end that said ‘bugger me’.
Nice. Last year, Nicky Whelan famously had an on-screen lesbian kiss. If you were to have a girly kiss with one of your co-stars, who would you choose?
Oooh, it would be a toss-up between Nat Blair (Carmella) and Pippa Black (Elle). I’d have trouble picking which one. I would have to leave it up to the script department.
What about if your character was to have an on-screen kiss with either Harold or Lou? Which one would you choose?
It would definitely be Harold.
Really? Old Jelly-Belly?
I like tall men.
Is Harold particularly tall?
He’s quite tall. But most people are pretty tall to me.
Have you done any of those notorious ‘Meet Your Neighbors’ (where tourists and cast meet in a bar in Melbourne) nights yet?
No I haven’t, but they are quite notorious. We often get the tour bus turning up while we are filming, and it’s filled with Londoners.
Is it true that Toadie’s no longer allowed to go because he was getting over-friendly with some of the female fans?
Haha! That’s not what I’ve heard. I would say that’s untrue. He’s a family man.
We’ll take your word for it. Has any cast member ever had sex on Ramsay Street?
No.
Missing a trick there. You’ve also continued the tradition of launching a singing career?
I’ve only dabbled in music. I wouldn’t call myself a singer with a music career, rather someone who’s had a bit of fun along the way.
What’s your karaoke specialty?
I generally try and stay away from karaoke.
Who was the better pop star, Craig McLachlan or Stefan Dennis?
I’ve never heard Stefan Dennis’ song. ‘Hey Mona’ is a classic though.
There’s also a rumor that Ian Smith (Harold) has got a song coming out soon.
I don’t know if it’s true, but it’d be fantastic.
He does a rap in a video we found on YouTube.
That would be amazing. I’ll have to check it out. I would love to see him do a cover of Right Said Fred’s ‘I’m Too Sexy’.
Horrific image. The single you released was called ‘If You Want Me’. If someone did want you, what should he do?
Make me laugh. That’s the number one thing.
Did you realize how massive Neighbors is over here before you came over to do the publicity?
I don’t think that you can really appreciate it until you experience it first-hand. I got off the plane in Scotland and had a little girl call me Nicola. It was the cutest thing ever.
What are the three best things about Britain?
I am a nerd, so I would definitely say the history with all the old buildings. In Australia we don’t have that kind of history. Ummm, the shopping. Also, I think we have a very similar sense of humor and it’s nice to be around that. I can be very sarcastic and a lot of my jokes fall flat when I’m in America. I think that the British understand me.
What about the worst thing?
I think that British people could be a little bit more friendly. In Britain people are quite taken back if you say, ‘Hey, how’s it going?’
Have you seen any British soaps at all? They’re generally a bit more miserable than the Aussie ones…
I’ve seen little bits and pieces of them all. The show I actually like the most is probably The Bill, which is the biggest British show over in Australia. I think that’s because to us it looks so real.
The Bill? Good Lord… Right, enlighten us. Why do girls fancy Karl Kennedy?
Because he’s just got the X-factor. He really does, I’ve worked with him and he’s just one of those people who has a lot of charisma. There are just a few people who have that X-factor, and those of us who don’t have it will never understand it.
Still not convinced. Finally, tell us something we don’t know about Imogen Bailey.
I’m very shy. Shoots like the Maxim one have been my time to be more confident, but I’m not like that every day. In real life I’m probably the person who’s hiding behind somebody else at a party, and wearing the least daring clothes in the room.
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Lisa Lacey 
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