Neighbours' Rebekah Elmaloglou on 40th anniversary "mayhem" and how she wants Terese's story to end

The Amazon era means Neighbours has at least lived to see its ruby jubilee before it ends in December, but with storylines planned months in advance, before the imminent axing, the soap had already lined up a spectacular week of drama to mark the milestone for fans to enjoy including a fire, a wedding, and the bombshell that original character Paul Robinson had fathered yet another secret love child, jeopardising his relationship with soul mate Terese Willis…

"That pesky baby!" laughs Rebekah Elmaloglou, aka Terese, speaking exclusively to RadioTimes.com about all things Erinsborough. "Paul’s ex Chelsea shows up with this child almost a year after she left town, which causes absolute mayhem. Is Terese threatened? Absolutely. She doesn’t like Chelsea one bit."

As soap tradition dictates, there is a question mark over the baby boy’s paternity. During her relationship with Paul, gold-digging minx Chelsea seduced computer nerd Jeffrey Swain behind her lover’s back to shut down a blackmail plot her over her secret scheming.

Eventually, a DNA test confirms Paul is the daddy, which Elmaloglou reveals makes Terese even more uptight and angry than usual (if that’s possible).

"It’s a crazy situation. Terese gets very territorial as Chelsea causes havoc for her and Paul. Chelsea wheedles her way back into Paul’s life by using the baby, Terese can see straight through that woman!"

It’s the latest of numerous bumps in the road for Erinsborough power couple Terese and Paul, who have been on and off pretty much since Elmaloglou’s alter ego arrived in 2013. Terese came in as part of a new branch of the beloved Willis clan, whose history on Ramsay Street dates back to the early 1990s.

Even though Terese was married to Brad, there was always a spark with co-worker Paul as they butted heads over the running of the iconic Lassiter's Hotel. The couple’s mutual attraction led to a roller coaster romance which was recently revived, although who knows how long for.

Ball-breaking business boss Terese has become a firm fan favourite, with Elmaloglou’s powerhouse performance guiding the character through heartbreak, grief, cancer and alcoholism, always ensuring she emerges from each setback even tougher.

The actress was already a familiar face to soap fans when she was cast, having got her big break as troubled teen Sophie Simpson on rival drama Home and Away back in 1990 at the age of 15. Even before that, Elmaloglou had notched up an impressive raft of credits as a child actor in Australian film and TV, including an appearance in 1985 blockbuster Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome alongside Mel Gibson and Tina Turner.

"When I went into Home and Away a lot of the kids were very green, it was their first big job," she recalls. "Although I’d been acting throughout my childhood working on soaps is very different.

"It’s a unique way of acting and actually quite difficult. You need a fine balance between drama and comedy and everything in between, and have to be able to flip constantly and make it realistic and relatable. It’s like jumping on a treadmill that’s on 12 and you have to keep running!

"At first it’s quite scary but you get used to it. I love it and much prefer the pace and switching quickly between drama and the comedic. You have the opportunity to go big a lot of the time.

"I remember the older Home and Away cast really took me under their wing, especially Emily Symons (Marilyn Chambers), who my very first scene was with, and Ray Meagher (Alf Stewart), who is such a consummate professional.

"I also learnt a lot from Terence Donovan, who played Sophie’s dad, even then he was a big name veteran Australian actor. He was amazing, years later we worked together on Neighbours where he was Terese’s father-in-law, Doug Willis. Terry is Jason Donovan’s dad, and Jason’s daughter Jemma was also in Neighbours (as Harlow Robinson). I have a strong connection to the Donovans!"

As the aforementioned Jason can attest to, soap brings an intense level of stardom some struggle with, but Elmaloglou admits to being at ease at the attention from the public which has been part of her life from an early age.

"In Australia I probably get recognised more for my Kellogg's sultana bran commercials I did when I was a kid than I do for Neighbours! That’s also partly because Australia doesn’t embrace the show as much as it used to. Sometimes I feel we don’t get the recognition we deserve from the Australian media, which is disappointing. So when we come to the UK it’s great because the fans are amazing."

Along with other members of the cast, past and present, Elmaloglou felt the love from Neighbours’ devoted British fans first-hand during last month’s 40th-anniversary tour. The live show, in which the cast were interviewed live on stage and shared memories of their Ramsay Street experience, was a huge hit and cemented the special relationship between Neighbours and its UK audience as it reaches the big four-oh.

Unfortunately, Elmaloglou came down to earth with a bump as she received the news the show was being axed just hours after her plane landed Down Under after the tour.

"It’s just so sad and disappointing for the UK fans. After the success of the tour, which was so special, the decision really doesn’t make sense. To be honest, I don’t really know the ins and outs or understanding behind it. We’re dealing with a large corporation, it’s business, it’s money."

Neighbours has previously swerved the axe: it was picked up by Australia’s Channel 10 when original network Seven dropped it after its first year in 1985. When the BBC stopped showing it in 2008 after over 20 years, the loyal UK fan base fretted they’d be denied their daily dose of Oz drama, until Channel 5 stepped in and gave it a home until 2022. Fan power saved it before; whether it can do it again remains to be seen.

The show will remain on Prime Video until the end of 2025, so there’s still a way to go – and Elmaloglou is hoping this means yet more trauma for Terese.

"I love her," she smiles. "She is such a lot of fun with so many different angles and things going on, it’s been constantly fun. I wouldn’t have stayed this long if the writers didn’t love creating stories for her. I feel blessed with this character."

If this really is the end of the line (or should that be cul-de-sac?), Elmaloglou is already thinking about life after Neighbours. With her half-British heritage on her mother’s side (Dame Judi Dench is actually her cousin, would you believe), she is eyeing up possible work on these shores…

"Personally, for myself and my family, I’ve got to move forward. Last time I had to sell my house in Melbourne where Neighbours is filmed, move to a different state and we all had to get on with her lives, as we do now. I’m actually in the process of getting a UK agent."

And what about tough cookie Terese, has the star thought about her swan song?

"As you can imagine, we’re all coming up with fabulous ideas for our characters to be the main storyline of the next finale! I’d definitely like to see Terese and Paul in a really good place.

"The producers are sitting on it at the moment, I’m not sure if they’ve even properly planned anything yet, but there are some full-on amazing suggestions being thrown around.

"It’s heartbreaking to think it’s ending, but whatever happens, Neighbours will always be remembered as iconic!"

Read more:

• Neighbours star teases Terese and Paul's future and 40th anniversary cast comebacks
• Neighbours spoilers reveal Anne Charleston return - but there's a twist

Neighbours is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.

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