Neighbours finale: The iconic soap ends today - check out these classic moments from Ramsey Street's history

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28 Jul 2022, 12:54

Toadfish and Dee, and Scott and Charlene from Neighbours

Credit: Rex

Neighbours, the much-loved Australian soap opera, comes to a conclusion after 37 years when its final episode airs tonight (29th July).

Sad times indeed. And with the sun setting on Erinsborough for the last time this evening, we thought we'd revisit some of its memorable moments.

Ramsey Street has certainly seen more than its fair share of drama over the decades, and here, in no particular order, are a few of the show’s most iconic scenes.

Obviously these are just the tip of the Neighbours iceberg, and there are plenty more memorable moments, but hopefully these will stir some happy memories of sitting down to watch the much-loved Aussie soap, initially on the BBC (sometimes twice a day!) and then on Channel 5.

So, with the theme tune playing on a loop in our heads, let’s recall some of the drama, the excitement, and the haircuts of Neighbours…

Scott and Charlene’s wedding

Where else to start than with the TV wedding of the 1980s? The entire nation seemed to stop what they were doing to see Jason Donovan and Kylie Minogue’s characters tie the knot.

A TV audience of nearly 20 million (seriously!) watched the episode when it was shown in the UK in 1988.

Of course, the show launched the duo’s pop careers, and they teamed up for a duet with the song Especially For You in 1988. The song has been re-released to mark the end of the soap.

Harold Bishop died… or did he?

Remember when Harold Bishop fell off some rocks into the sea in 1991 and was presumed dead? Poor old heartbroken Madge moved away from Ramsay Street, only for her hubby to reappear in Erinsborough five years later as Salvation Army volunteer Ted.

It turns out that Harold had suffered from amnesia after the accident and had no memory of his life on Ramsey Street.

A chance meeting with Helen Daniels gave Harold/Ted an odd feeling of familiarity. Helen then contacted Madge, who helped him regain his memory.

Toadie’s wedding disaster

When Jarrod Rebecchi - aka Toadfish, aka Toadie - got hitched to Dee in 2003, it was a day to remember, although not for the right reasons.

As they drove off, following a happy ceremony, Toadie and his new wife enjoyed a kiss. But with Toadie not watching the road, the car flew off a cliff into the sea.

Tragically, Dee appeared to have died.

However, in true Harold Bishop fashion, she reappeared 14 years on. Of course she did.

Susan's amnesia

In 2002, Susan Kennedy slipped on an upturned bowl of cereal and bashed her head. This caused her to completely lose her memory.

Not only did Susan not recall anything from the past 30 years, including her life with hubby Karl, but she also thought she was 16 again.

The 1970s-themed party that she then found herself at certainly didn’t help the situation.

Karl and Izzy’s affair

Karl probably wishes that Susan still couldn’t recall certain things about their relationship, because the doctor hasn’t always been the most loyal of husbands.

Not only did he have an affair with Sarah Beaumont but, a few years later, he was at it again, this time with Izzy (played by Natalie Bassingthwaighte - another Neighbours star who would enter the pop world).

The fling was just the beginning of a very complicated ongoing situation between Karl, Susan (and other Kennedys) and Izzy, which still rumbles on as the show heads towards its conclusion.

The death of Helen Daniels

Helen was one of the original Ramsay Street characters, and the much-loved matriarch made it through to 1997, when she passed away in her sleep on her sofa.

She had been watching a video of the marriage of her grandson Scott to Charlene before she died peacefully.

That episode of the show didn’t have credits, as a mark of respect for Helen.

Aaron and David’s wedding

Three decades after Scott and Charlene tied the knot, there was another big wedding on Ramsey Street, and this one was history-making.

The nuptials of Aaron Brennan, played by Matt Wilson, and David Tanaka, played by Takaya Honda, was the first ever same-sex marriage on Australian telly.

The wedding took place in 2018, after the legalisation of same-sex marriage in the country in December 2017.

Bouncer’s dream

Dream sequences in TV shows are always a bit odd, aren’t they? But what about a dream sequence direct from the mind of a… dog? Even weirder!

In one of the soap writers’ more bonkers decisions, viewers were treated to a Bouncer’s vivid dream sequence. The wholesome dream involved Bouncer marrying Clarrie McLachlan’s dog, Rosie the border collie.

The beloved labrador was originally owned by the Mangle family, and was a popular character in the show. He once saved Madge from a house fire. What a good boy!