Charlene Robinson
Encyclopedia
Charlene Edna Robinson is a fictional character
from the Australian soap opera Neighbours
played by Kylie Minogue
. She made her first on-screen appearance on 17 April 1986 when she came to join her mother Madge
in Ramsay Street
. Charlene was a tomboy and later worked as a Mechanic. Her storylines included her romance with Scott Robinson
, trying to launch a singing career, bringing her half-brother home and her wedding, which was watched by 20 million viewers in the UK. Minogue decided to leave Neighbours in 1988 to pursue a music career. After accepting an apprenticeship in Brisbane
, Charlene departed on 26 July 1988. During her time on the show, Minogue won four Logie Award
s for her portrayal of Charlene. In May 2010, Minogue mentioned in an interview that she would like to make a brief return to Neighbours.
in 1986, it initially attracted low ratings and Ten began working hard to publicise the series. They revamped the show and added several new, younger cast members including Minogue who joined the show in April. Minogue had starred in children's dramas Skyways
, alongside Jason Donovan
, and The Henderson Kids
before she successfully auditioned for the role Charlene. Minogue was signed for Neighbours for one week, she was then offered a 12 week contract and later a contract through to mid-1988.
Minogue ventured into music during her time on the show, and in 1988 after filming the movie The Delinquents, Minogue decided to leave Neighbours to concentrate on her music career. In 2005, Neighbours celebrated its 20th Anniversary and it was reported that Minogue had been invited to film a cameo in the special 20th anniversary episode. It was further reported that while Minogue was willing to film an appearance as Charlene, the producers had rejected her offer. However, in a statement from Grundy Television, the producers claimed that they had made "every effort to accommodate Minogue" and that their offer was declined.
In May 2010, Minogue pondered a return to Neighbours during an interview with The Sun
newspaper. Minogue said "The other day I thought how much fun it would be to do it after years of saying never". She added "I've decided how it would work. Charlene would screech up the drive in her souped-up Mini which she's been working on all the time". Following the interview, executive producer, Susan Bower
announced that Minogue is welcome to make a return to the show. In a statement, Bower said "Kylie can arrive in a Mini, in a hot-air balloon or even parachute, anyway she desires, we would welcome her with open arms".
. The Daily Mail said this look "launched her into the public eye". The Independent
said Minogue's "elfin prettiness" won Charlene a huge following in Australia and Britain. In the book "Neighbours: The first 10 years", Charlene is described in detail, they say she has a feisty side, which was part of her popularity. She is a self-described "tomboy" and prefers to be called "Lenny", she isn't afraid to confront people as she has a sharp tongue, she always is seen wearing her khaki overalls. Minogue described her character as an "average teenager growing up, having difficulties with her mother". She added that Charlene is "a bit of a rebel" and an outspoken tomboy.
to Fred (Nick Waters) and Madge Mitchell
(Anne Charleston
) in 1969 and she is the younger sister of Henry (Craig McLachlan
). Charlene grew up into a rebellious tomboy who was the apple of her father's eye. Charlene often visited her uncle Max Ramsay
(Francis Bell
) and his family in Erinsborough
and she became friends Scott Robinson
(Jason Donovan
). Charlene lost her virginity to her boyfriend Greg Davis (Alex Papps
) and she fell pregnant, but Charlene made the decision to have an abortion. Her parents divorced after Fred had an affair with a younger woman, Susan Cole (Gloria Ajenstat), and Madge decided to move to Ramsay Street
. Charlene stayed behind in Coff's Harbour, but when she and her father began to fight, she decided to move to Erinsborough.
(Stefan Dennis
), Scott apologised to Charlene.
When Charlene came home with a newborn baby, she claimed it was hers. Madge was shocked and hurt that Charlene had hid the pregnancy from her and so was Scott. Madge then got used to the idea of being a grandmother, however, Charlene revealed that the baby, Sam, was actually her half-brother. Charlene had agreed to care for the baby, after Fred walked out on Susan. Madge felt sorry for Susan and Sam and invited them to live with her and Charlene. Scott and Mike Young
(Guy Pearce
) decided to record a music demo to send to various record producers and Scott asked Charlene to do backing vocals. Scott wasn't happy when the record producer, Molly Meldrum arrived in Ramsay Street looking to sign Charlene. Charlene agreed to go and see if she liked the recording industry, but when she got to the studios she realised she wasn't interested and decided to complete Year 12 instead. Scott later came to realise that he had been jealous of Charlene's talent and apologized to her.
During a split from Scott, Charlene began dating Warren Murphy (Ben Mendelsohn
). Charlene and Warren started to drink and stay out late at parties, Madge argued with Charlene and told her to pack her bags and leave. Charlene moved into a caravan by Lassiter's lake, but the caravan later went up in flames. Scott and Paul saved Charlene and she got back together with Scott and returned home to Madge. After completing her exams, Charlene chose to become a mechanic, but found it difficult to get an apprenticeship in Erinsborough. Max found her one in Brisbane and Madge tried to get Charlene to take the opportunity. However, Charlene knew that taking the job would mean leaving Scott behind, but she eventually chose to take the job. When it came for her to leave, Charlene realised she couldn't leave Scott and decided to stay. Soon after, Charlene's was offered an apprenticeship by Rob Lewis (Ernie Bourne
) at his garage.
Charlene and Scott decided they wanted to move in together, but Madge and Scott's father, Jim
(Alan Dale
) were against the idea and tried to stop them. Scott's grandmother, Helen Daniels
(Anne Haddy
) and Charlene's brother, Henry supported the couple and tried to get Madge and Jim to change their minds. Scott then decided that the only way he and Charlene could be together was through marriage. One day at the garage, Scott interrupted Charlene and asked her to marry him. Charlene immediately said yes and they became engaged. Madge and Jim gave them their blessings and Jim gave Charlene his late wife's gold cross and chain. Charlene was happy when Henry and Madge gave her the wedding dress she had longed for, but couldn't afford. Charlene and Scott finally married in a fairytale ceremony surrounded by family and friends. The couple moved in with Madge and Henry, but found it hard to make ends meet and Charlene was forced to work at the Coffee Shop to help support them. The couple's marriage faced a problem when Scott kissed Charlene's best friend, Jane Harris (Annie Jones
). Jane told Charlene about the kiss and Charlene angrily threw Scott out of the house. They separated for a month, during which various family members tried to get the couple reconciled. Finally, Charlene and Scott got back together and Charlene even forgave Jane.
Charlene then found herself attracted to her driving instructor, Steve Fisher (Michael Pope). After passing her test, Charlene kissed Steve and began to spend more time with him. However, Charlene confessed to Scott about the kiss and he moved out of their room. They eventually made up and decided to look for their own place. Charlene's grandfather Dan (Syd Conabere) visited the couple and told them he had bought a house for them in Brisbane. Charlene and Scott were happy and began making plans to move up north, but Scott was not able to get a transfer from his job and didn't want to risk losing out on his dream of being a journalist. The couple then decided that Charlene should go to Brisbane, while Scott waited for a transfer. Charlene said a sad goodbye to her family and friends and drove out of Ramsay Street for a new start in Brisbane with Scott joining her a year later. A few years later, it was announced that Charlene had given birth to a son, Daniel and a daughter, Madison.
s for her role as Charlene and was also nominated for 'Most Popular New Talent'. A year later, she became the youngest person, at nineteen, to be awarded a Gold Logie for 'Most Popular Personality'. She also won Logies for 'Most Popular Personality On Victorian Television' and 'Most Popular Actress'. In 1989, Minogue's final year on Neighbours, she was nominated again for 'Most Popular Personality'.
Scott and Charlene's wedding was seen by 20 million viewers in the United Kingdom and was voted the 'Most Romantic TV Nuptials of all Time'. The wedding episode made the cover of TIME
magazine Australia and Minogue and Donovan's promotional appearance at the Westfield Parramatta
shopping centre caused a stampede among 4000 people. In October 2006, the Australia Post brought out five stamps celebrating 50 years of television. Network Ten
's stamp featured both Minogue and Donovan as Charlene and Scott.
Ruth Deller of television website Lowculture
gave Charlene a 5 out of 5 for her contribution to Neighbours, during a feature called "A guide to recognising your Ramsays and Robinsons". Deller called Charlene "The first of many feisty female mechanics in the show". She added "Charlene arrived as a teenager, and her opening scene was, memorably, being caught sneaking into the Ramsay house via the window. She'd been a bit of a tearaway teen, having a teen pregnancy and abortion before arriving on Ramsay Street, but a romance with Scott Robinson mellowed her somewhat".
In 2010, British satellite broadcasting company, Sky
, profiled twenty-five characters of which they believed were the most memorable in the series history to celebrate Neighbours 25th anniversary. Charlene is in the list and describing her they state: "Charlene was only in the show for two years, but she remains one of the iconic characters because (a) she's Kylie Blooming Minogue, and (b) she married Jason 'Scott Robinson' Donovan. Charlene's name has become the by-word for girl-next-door characters in Soapland, thanks to her tireless efforts to promote the cause of denim dungarees while working as a mechanic, and as a crucial member of the most successful set of teens that Ramsay Street has seen." British tabloid The Daily Mirror branded Charlene a "tomboy grease monkey".
In her book "Soap opera", Dorothy Hobson describes Charlene as breaking a the stereotype of what careers were suitable for females, stating: "The sight of one of the most attractive female characters, dressed in overalls, with her cascading blonde curls tied up on top of her head, was one of the most positive images for breaking the stereotypes of what jobs are suitable for girls" She also praised her on-screen relationship with Scott branding the poistive images for young people as immense. In 2011, Charlene's wedding to Scott was placed third in Channel 5's "Greatest TV Weddings" programme.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
from the Australian soap opera Neighbours
Neighbours
Neighbours is an Australian television soap opera first broadcast on the Seven Network on 18 March 1985. It was created by TV executive Reg Watson, who proposed the idea of making a show that focused on realistic stories and portrayed adults and teenagers who talk openly and solve their problems...
played by Kylie Minogue
Kylie Minogue
Kylie Ann Minogue, OBE - often known simply as Kylie - is an Australian singer, recording artist, songwriter, and actress. After beginning her career as a child actress on Australian television, she achieved recognition through her role in the television soap opera Neighbours, before commencing...
. She made her first on-screen appearance on 17 April 1986 when she came to join her mother Madge
Madge Bishop
Margaret Mary "Madge" Bishop is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Anne Charleston. She made her first on-screen appearance on 20 January 1986. Madge was one of the matriarchs of the Ramsay family. She departed in 1992, before making a return in 1996...
in Ramsay Street
Ramsay Street
Ramsay Street is the fictional cul-de-sac in which the characters of the Australian soap opera Neighbours live. The street is set in the equally fictional Melbourne suburb of Erinsborough. Neighbours storylines primarily centre around the residents of the Street, which was named after the...
. Charlene was a tomboy and later worked as a Mechanic. Her storylines included her romance with Scott Robinson
Scott Robinson (Neighbours)
Scott James Robinson is a fictional character from the Australian Network Ten soap opera Neighbours, played by Jason Donovan. He made his first on-screen appearance on 18 March 1985, in the show's first episode. Scott was originally played by Darius Perkins until he was recast.-Casting:Darius...
, trying to launch a singing career, bringing her half-brother home and her wedding, which was watched by 20 million viewers in the UK. Minogue decided to leave Neighbours in 1988 to pursue a music career. After accepting an apprenticeship in Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
, Charlene departed on 26 July 1988. During her time on the show, Minogue won four Logie Award
Logie Award
The TV Week Logie Awards are the Australian television industry awards, which have been presented annually since 1959. Renamed by Graham Kennedy in 1960 after he won the first 'Star Of The Year' award, the name 'Logie' awards honours John Logie Baird, a Scotsman who invented the television as a...
s for her portrayal of Charlene. In May 2010, Minogue mentioned in an interview that she would like to make a brief return to Neighbours.
Casting
When Neighbours began airing on Network TenNetwork Ten
Network Ten , is one of Australia's three major commercial television networks. Owned-and-operated stations can be found in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, while affiliates extend the network to cover most of the country...
in 1986, it initially attracted low ratings and Ten began working hard to publicise the series. They revamped the show and added several new, younger cast members including Minogue who joined the show in April. Minogue had starred in children's dramas Skyways
Skyways (TV series)
Skyways is an Australian television series made by Crawford Productions for the Seven Network.The series, which aired from 1979 to 1981, was set at the fictional Pacific International Airport and dealt with the lives of the pilots, airline staff and management team who worked there.Skyways was...
, alongside Jason Donovan
Jason Donovan
Jason Donovan is an Australian actor and singer. He initially achieved fame in the Australian soap opera Neighbours, before beginning a career in music in 1988. In the UK he has sold over 3 million records, and his début album Ten Good Reasons was one of the highest-selling albums of 1989...
, and The Henderson Kids
The Henderson Kids
The Henderson Kids was an Australian television series made by Crawford Productions for Network Ten between 1985 and 1987. It was created and storylined by Roger Moulton, who also wrote 5 episodes in the first series and 2 episodes in the second series....
before she successfully auditioned for the role Charlene. Minogue was signed for Neighbours for one week, she was then offered a 12 week contract and later a contract through to mid-1988.
Minogue ventured into music during her time on the show, and in 1988 after filming the movie The Delinquents, Minogue decided to leave Neighbours to concentrate on her music career. In 2005, Neighbours celebrated its 20th Anniversary and it was reported that Minogue had been invited to film a cameo in the special 20th anniversary episode. It was further reported that while Minogue was willing to film an appearance as Charlene, the producers had rejected her offer. However, in a statement from Grundy Television, the producers claimed that they had made "every effort to accommodate Minogue" and that their offer was declined.
In May 2010, Minogue pondered a return to Neighbours during an interview with The Sun
The Sun (newspaper)
The Sun is a daily national tabloid newspaper published in the United Kingdom and owned by News Corporation. Sister editions are published in Glasgow and Dublin...
newspaper. Minogue said "The other day I thought how much fun it would be to do it after years of saying never". She added "I've decided how it would work. Charlene would screech up the drive in her souped-up Mini which she's been working on all the time". Following the interview, executive producer, Susan Bower
Susan Bower
Susan Bower is an Australian television producer and television writer best known for her work on the soap opera Neighbours.-Career:Bower is a former nurse who worked at The Alfred Hospital for 20 years before getting her scriptwriting breakthrough on A Country Practice, where she provided the...
announced that Minogue is welcome to make a return to the show. In a statement, Bower said "Kylie can arrive in a Mini, in a hot-air balloon or even parachute, anyway she desires, we would welcome her with open arms".
Characterisation
Charlene was described as being a "girl-next-door" and "every man's dream mechanic". She was often known for wearing her trademark dungarees with her hair set in a permPerm
Perm is a city and the administrative center of Perm Krai, Russia, located on the banks of the Kama River, in the European part of Russia near the Ural Mountains. From 1940 to 1957 it was named Molotov ....
. The Daily Mail said this look "launched her into the public eye". The Independent
The Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
said Minogue's "elfin prettiness" won Charlene a huge following in Australia and Britain. In the book "Neighbours: The first 10 years", Charlene is described in detail, they say she has a feisty side, which was part of her popularity. She is a self-described "tomboy" and prefers to be called "Lenny", she isn't afraid to confront people as she has a sharp tongue, she always is seen wearing her khaki overalls. Minogue described her character as an "average teenager growing up, having difficulties with her mother". She added that Charlene is "a bit of a rebel" and an outspoken tomboy.
Background
Charlene Mitchell was born in Coffs HarbourCoffs Harbour, New South Wales
-History:By the early 1900s, the Coffs Harbour area had become an important timber production centre. Before the opening of the North Coast Railway Line, the only way to transport large items of heavy but low value, such as timber, was by coastal shipping. This meant sawmillers on the North Coast...
to Fred (Nick Waters) and Madge Mitchell
Madge Bishop
Margaret Mary "Madge" Bishop is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Anne Charleston. She made her first on-screen appearance on 20 January 1986. Madge was one of the matriarchs of the Ramsay family. She departed in 1992, before making a return in 1996...
(Anne Charleston
Anne Charleston
Anne Charleston is an Australian actress currently based in Galway, Ireland and the UK. She is known for her roles as Madge Bishop in the Australian soap opera Neighbours and Lily Butterfield in Emmerdale.-Early career:...
) in 1969 and she is the younger sister of Henry (Craig McLachlan
Craig McLachlan
Craig McLachlan is an Australian actor and singer. He appeared in shows such as Sons and Daughters, Neighbours, Bugs and Home and Away.-Biography:...
). Charlene grew up into a rebellious tomboy who was the apple of her father's eye. Charlene often visited her uncle Max Ramsay
Max Ramsay
Max Ramsay is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours played by Francis Bell. He made his first on-screen appearance in the show's pilot episode on 18 March 1985. Max was the patriarch of the Ramsay family and Ramsay Street is named after his grandfather...
(Francis Bell
Francis Bell (actor)
Francis Bell was a UK-born New Zealand resident actor who achieved international stardom playing the part of original character Max Ramsay in the early years of the popular Australian soap opera, Neighbours. during his career he also acted in Australian serials The Sullivans and Sons and...
) and his family in Erinsborough
Erinsborough
Erinsborough is the fictional suburb in which the Australian Network Ten soap opera Neighbours is set. The show focuses on the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work in the suburb...
and she became friends Scott Robinson
Scott Robinson (Neighbours)
Scott James Robinson is a fictional character from the Australian Network Ten soap opera Neighbours, played by Jason Donovan. He made his first on-screen appearance on 18 March 1985, in the show's first episode. Scott was originally played by Darius Perkins until he was recast.-Casting:Darius...
(Jason Donovan
Jason Donovan
Jason Donovan is an Australian actor and singer. He initially achieved fame in the Australian soap opera Neighbours, before beginning a career in music in 1988. In the UK he has sold over 3 million records, and his début album Ten Good Reasons was one of the highest-selling albums of 1989...
). Charlene lost her virginity to her boyfriend Greg Davis (Alex Papps
Alex Papps
Alex Papps is an Australian actor and television host, who is best known for his role on soap opera Home and Away and as a host of The Factory...
) and she fell pregnant, but Charlene made the decision to have an abortion. Her parents divorced after Fred had an affair with a younger woman, Susan Cole (Gloria Ajenstat), and Madge decided to move to Ramsay Street
Ramsay Street
Ramsay Street is the fictional cul-de-sac in which the characters of the Australian soap opera Neighbours live. The street is set in the equally fictional Melbourne suburb of Erinsborough. Neighbours storylines primarily centre around the residents of the Street, which was named after the...
. Charlene stayed behind in Coff's Harbour, but when she and her father began to fight, she decided to move to Erinsborough.
1986–88
On her arrival in Ramsay Street, Charlene found no one at home and she decided to climb through a window. Scott Robinson mistook her for a robber and tried to stop her and Charlene punched him. Once Scott realised his mistake, he and Charlene remembered their mutual attraction towards each other. Charlene then moved in with Madge at No.24 and she and Scott began dating. As their relationship continued, Scott put pressure on Charlene to have sex with him and when she agreed, they booked a room at Lassiter's hotel. Charlene then decided to tell Scott about her first sexual relationship with Greg back home. Scott was upset that it wasn't going to be Charlene's first time and left the hotel, leaving Charlene upset. After he talked through his problems with his older brother, PaulPaul Robinson (Neighbours)
Paul Stewart Robinson is a fictional character from the Australian Network Ten soap opera Neighbours, a long-running serial drama about social life in the fictional Melbourne suburb of Erinsborough. He is played by Stefan Dennis. Paul debuted in the serial's first episode in 1985 and appeared on a...
(Stefan Dennis
Stefan Dennis
Stefan Dennis is an Australian actor, best known for playing the role of Paul Robinson in the soap opera, Neighbours, from its first episode in March 1985 to the present day...
), Scott apologised to Charlene.
When Charlene came home with a newborn baby, she claimed it was hers. Madge was shocked and hurt that Charlene had hid the pregnancy from her and so was Scott. Madge then got used to the idea of being a grandmother, however, Charlene revealed that the baby, Sam, was actually her half-brother. Charlene had agreed to care for the baby, after Fred walked out on Susan. Madge felt sorry for Susan and Sam and invited them to live with her and Charlene. Scott and Mike Young
Mike Young (Neighbours)
Michael James "Mike" Young is a fictional character from the Australian Network Ten soap opera Neighbours, played by Guy Pearce. He made his first on-screen appearance on 20 January 1986...
(Guy Pearce
Guy Pearce
Guy Edward Pearce is an English-born Australian actor and musician, known for his roles as Leonard Shelby in Christopher Nolan's Memento, Lieutenant Ed Exley in L.A...
) decided to record a music demo to send to various record producers and Scott asked Charlene to do backing vocals. Scott wasn't happy when the record producer, Molly Meldrum arrived in Ramsay Street looking to sign Charlene. Charlene agreed to go and see if she liked the recording industry, but when she got to the studios she realised she wasn't interested and decided to complete Year 12 instead. Scott later came to realise that he had been jealous of Charlene's talent and apologized to her.
During a split from Scott, Charlene began dating Warren Murphy (Ben Mendelsohn
Ben Mendelsohn
Paul Benjamin "Ben" Mendelsohn is an Australian actor.-Early life:Mendelsohn was born in Melbourne, Australia, the son of Carole Ann and Frederick Mendelsohn. He attended Heidelberg Primary School and Banyule High School. His father is a prominent medical researcher who heads the Howard Florey...
). Charlene and Warren started to drink and stay out late at parties, Madge argued with Charlene and told her to pack her bags and leave. Charlene moved into a caravan by Lassiter's lake, but the caravan later went up in flames. Scott and Paul saved Charlene and she got back together with Scott and returned home to Madge. After completing her exams, Charlene chose to become a mechanic, but found it difficult to get an apprenticeship in Erinsborough. Max found her one in Brisbane and Madge tried to get Charlene to take the opportunity. However, Charlene knew that taking the job would mean leaving Scott behind, but she eventually chose to take the job. When it came for her to leave, Charlene realised she couldn't leave Scott and decided to stay. Soon after, Charlene's was offered an apprenticeship by Rob Lewis (Ernie Bourne
Ernie Bourne
Ernest Alfred "Ernie" Bourne was an English-born Australian actor, best known for his regular roles on television....
) at his garage.
Charlene and Scott decided they wanted to move in together, but Madge and Scott's father, Jim
Jim Robinson (Neighbours)
James "Jim" Robinson is a fictional character from the Australian Network Ten soap opera Neighbours, played by Alan Dale. He made his first on-screen appearance on 18 March 1985, which was the shows first episode. Jim was the patriarch of the Robinson family. Dale departed the show in 1993 after...
(Alan Dale
Alan Dale
Alan Hugh Dale is a New Zealand actor. As a child, Dale developed a love of theatre and also became a rugby player. After retiring from the sport he took on a number of professions to support his family, before deciding to become a professional actor at the age of 27. With work limited in New...
) were against the idea and tried to stop them. Scott's grandmother, Helen Daniels
Helen Daniels
Helen Daniels is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, portrayed by Anne Haddy. Following the death of Jim Robinson in 1993, she remained the only original character left in the series until her own death in 1997, making her the second longest-serving original character...
(Anne Haddy
Anne Haddy
Anne Haddy was an Australian film and television actress, best known for her role in the long-running soap opera, Neighbours.-Early and personal life:...
) and Charlene's brother, Henry supported the couple and tried to get Madge and Jim to change their minds. Scott then decided that the only way he and Charlene could be together was through marriage. One day at the garage, Scott interrupted Charlene and asked her to marry him. Charlene immediately said yes and they became engaged. Madge and Jim gave them their blessings and Jim gave Charlene his late wife's gold cross and chain. Charlene was happy when Henry and Madge gave her the wedding dress she had longed for, but couldn't afford. Charlene and Scott finally married in a fairytale ceremony surrounded by family and friends. The couple moved in with Madge and Henry, but found it hard to make ends meet and Charlene was forced to work at the Coffee Shop to help support them. The couple's marriage faced a problem when Scott kissed Charlene's best friend, Jane Harris (Annie Jones
Annie Jones (actress)
Annie Jones is an Australian actress who is best known for her role as Jane Harris in the soap opera Neighbours. She has won 2 Logie Awards.-Biography:...
). Jane told Charlene about the kiss and Charlene angrily threw Scott out of the house. They separated for a month, during which various family members tried to get the couple reconciled. Finally, Charlene and Scott got back together and Charlene even forgave Jane.
Charlene then found herself attracted to her driving instructor, Steve Fisher (Michael Pope). After passing her test, Charlene kissed Steve and began to spend more time with him. However, Charlene confessed to Scott about the kiss and he moved out of their room. They eventually made up and decided to look for their own place. Charlene's grandfather Dan (Syd Conabere) visited the couple and told them he had bought a house for them in Brisbane. Charlene and Scott were happy and began making plans to move up north, but Scott was not able to get a transfer from his job and didn't want to risk losing out on his dream of being a journalist. The couple then decided that Charlene should go to Brisbane, while Scott waited for a transfer. Charlene said a sad goodbye to her family and friends and drove out of Ramsay Street for a new start in Brisbane with Scott joining her a year later. A few years later, it was announced that Charlene had given birth to a son, Daniel and a daughter, Madison.
Reception
Minogue won 'Most Popular Actress' at the 1987 Logie AwardLogie Award
The TV Week Logie Awards are the Australian television industry awards, which have been presented annually since 1959. Renamed by Graham Kennedy in 1960 after he won the first 'Star Of The Year' award, the name 'Logie' awards honours John Logie Baird, a Scotsman who invented the television as a...
s for her role as Charlene and was also nominated for 'Most Popular New Talent'. A year later, she became the youngest person, at nineteen, to be awarded a Gold Logie for 'Most Popular Personality'. She also won Logies for 'Most Popular Personality On Victorian Television' and 'Most Popular Actress'. In 1989, Minogue's final year on Neighbours, she was nominated again for 'Most Popular Personality'.
Scott and Charlene's wedding was seen by 20 million viewers in the United Kingdom and was voted the 'Most Romantic TV Nuptials of all Time'. The wedding episode made the cover of TIME
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
magazine Australia and Minogue and Donovan's promotional appearance at the Westfield Parramatta
Westfield Parramatta
Westfield Parramatta is a shopping centre in Parramatta, a city suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The centre is owned and managed by The Westfield Group. It has a net leasable area of approximately 137,269m² and contains 488 shops built over five levels, making it Australia's fourth...
shopping centre caused a stampede among 4000 people. In October 2006, the Australia Post brought out five stamps celebrating 50 years of television. Network Ten
Network Ten
Network Ten , is one of Australia's three major commercial television networks. Owned-and-operated stations can be found in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, while affiliates extend the network to cover most of the country...
's stamp featured both Minogue and Donovan as Charlene and Scott.
Ruth Deller of television website Lowculture
Lowculture
lowculture.co.uk is a UK television website founded in January 2003 by Paul Lang, who currently works as the art director of Doctor Who Adventures.-Purpose:...
gave Charlene a 5 out of 5 for her contribution to Neighbours, during a feature called "A guide to recognising your Ramsays and Robinsons". Deller called Charlene "The first of many feisty female mechanics in the show". She added "Charlene arrived as a teenager, and her opening scene was, memorably, being caught sneaking into the Ramsay house via the window. She'd been a bit of a tearaway teen, having a teen pregnancy and abortion before arriving on Ramsay Street, but a romance with Scott Robinson mellowed her somewhat".
In 2010, British satellite broadcasting company, Sky
British Sky Broadcasting
British Sky Broadcasting Group plc is a satellite broadcasting, broadband and telephony services company headquartered in London, United Kingdom, with operations in the United Kingdom and the Ireland....
, profiled twenty-five characters of which they believed were the most memorable in the series history to celebrate Neighbours 25th anniversary. Charlene is in the list and describing her they state: "Charlene was only in the show for two years, but she remains one of the iconic characters because (a) she's Kylie Blooming Minogue, and (b) she married Jason 'Scott Robinson' Donovan. Charlene's name has become the by-word for girl-next-door characters in Soapland, thanks to her tireless efforts to promote the cause of denim dungarees while working as a mechanic, and as a crucial member of the most successful set of teens that Ramsay Street has seen." British tabloid The Daily Mirror branded Charlene a "tomboy grease monkey".
In her book "Soap opera", Dorothy Hobson describes Charlene as breaking a the stereotype of what careers were suitable for females, stating: "The sight of one of the most attractive female characters, dressed in overalls, with her cascading blonde curls tied up on top of her head, was one of the most positive images for breaking the stereotypes of what jobs are suitable for girls" She also praised her on-screen relationship with Scott branding the poistive images for young people as immense. In 2011, Charlene's wedding to Scott was placed third in Channel 5's "Greatest TV Weddings" programme.
External links
- Charlene at Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...
- Charlene at Perfectblend