David Bishop (Neighbours)
Encyclopedia
David Bishop is a fictional character
from the Australian soap opera Neighbours
, played by Kevin Harrington. He made his first on-screen appearance on 12 May 1988, arriving for his father's wedding. David, along with his wife and daughter, returned in 2003. In May 2005, the family were axed and David departed on 25 October 2005.
.
In May 2005, it was announced that three of the show's actors had been axed in a "surprise shake-up" of the cast. Harrington was one of the three actors axed in favour of new cast members, the other two were Marcella Russo
(Liljana Bishop
) and Marisa Warrington
(Sindi Watts
). Harrington left at the end of his contract. A few weeks later, it was announced that Lara Sacher
(Serena Bishop
) would also be departing as part of an "extremely dramatic storyline" involving the Bishop family in October of that year. Script producer, Luke Devenish said "All three Bishops will be leaving together ... in one of our most startling storylines for the year. Lil and David have been at the very forefront of stories this year – caught up in wicked Paul's web – and their departure ties into this. The door will be left open for their return, however, despite the spectacular circumstances."
's Buck's party, much to the amusement of Henry Ramsay (Craig McLachlan
), Scott
(Jason Donovan
) and Paul Robinson
(Stefan Dennis
) due to his resemblance to Harold and similar traits. David attends the wedding and acts as best man. David doesn't take to Madge at first but welcomes her by calling her "mother" at the reception. David then makes a speech that bores the guests but is ultimately halted by Jim Robinson. The morning after the wedding, David puts his new stepbrother Henry's nose out of joint when he wakes him at 7 am to clear up at Number 24.
During this brief visit to Erinsborough, David tries to woo Jane Harris (Annie Jones), the granddaughter of Harold's former landlady, Mrs Mangel
(Vivean Gray
) and goes as far to tell her boyfriend, Mike Young
(Guy Pearce
) that he is out to win Jane. Jane tells David she is not interested and only wants to be friends. David annoys Henry further by insulting Madge, which results in Henry threatening him with violence. However, they make up after David reveals Mrs Mangel had said some nasty things about Madge which also influenced his attitude toward her. Henry gives David a "cool-dude" image makeover (which doesn't sit well with Harold) and sets David up with Prue Watkins who works at Lassiter's. After the date, Prue ultimately rejects David and tells him she doesn't want to see him again. David later returns home to Adelaide.
In the intervening years, David moves to Perth meets Liljana Ristic
and they later marry and have a daughter, Serena
. In 1991, When Madge phones David about Harold's disappearance after he is washed off some rocks and presumed drowned, David returns to support her.
After Harold visits David at his workplace and is virtually ignored, Harold lets his feelings be known towards him, citing David as materialistic. Harold then complains about Liljana taking over his kitchen and Serena being spoilt. David hits back by telling Harold he has felt excluded from his life and points out that he only called him to tell him Madge had died, after her funeral two years prior. David, Liljana and Serena move into Lassiters' for several days. Liljana helps repair the rift between David and Harold and the family move back in.
David receives a shock when he finds his new offices locked and bolted. He tries to contact Thomas but his calls go unanswered. David keeps the news of his financial problems to himself and consults Tim Collins (Ben Anderson) for legal advice. Tim's colleague, Toadfish Rebecchi
(Ryan Moloney
) tells him Thomas has ripped David off and has disappeared with the money. When David's BMW is repossessed, he is forced to come clean to Liljana about being bankrupt. Liljana is shocked and appalled by the lies. Fortunately, David and Liljana both get jobs with Toadie and Karl Kennedy
respectively. David is offered some work in Sydney but it means being away over Christmas, However he is able to work ahead of schedule and come home on Christmas eve, much to the family's delight. The Bishop's Christmas is marred by Harold suffering a stroke on Boxing day at Lou Carpenter
(Tom Oliver
) and Trixie Tucker's (Wendy Stapleton
) wedding reception.
At the start of 2004, Liljana's mother, Svetlanka (Deirdre Rubenstein) arrives. David and Liljana are quick to cover up their money problems but are forced to admit them. The visit coincides with the revelation Serena has been dating and posing in racy bikini shots for pedophilic photographer Chris Cousens (Simon Mallory
). David breaks into Chris' studio, smashes the place up, steals Chris' hardrive and hands it into the police anonymously then later burns the photos. Svetlanka blames Liljana and David for being unable to control their daughter and offers to take Serena back to Perth with her. Liljana refuses and Svetlanka tells David the only reason Liljana married him is because she needed a father for her child. David is stunned and thinks Serena is not his daughter at first until Liljana tells him that she had been pregnant when she met and had given birth to a stillborn son, fathered by a worker at her mother's vineyard. Svetlanka is then banished from Number 24 after David stands by his wife.
David supports his niece, Sky Mangel
(Stephanie McIntosh
) when she goes to confront John Swan, the man who shot her mother, David's sister, Kerry
(Linda Hartley-Clark) in 1990. Sky attacks John but is restrained by David. John tells them he regrets his actions and only comes to the wetlands to reflect on what happened.
David and Liljana's marriage goes through a testing time when both accuse each other of having affairs. When the anniversary of his mother, Mavis' death approaches David invites Sky to join him, Liljana and Serena in celebrating Mavis' life with a champagne picnic and some birdwatching. David then tells Harold that he always felt he never loved Mavis as much as he did Madge. Harold assures David that he loved Mavis very much. David is resistant when Serena begins dating the hyperactive Stingray Timmins (Ben Nicholas
) but eventually accepts it.
At the end of 2004, Liljana falls ill due to liver failure and none of the family are a suitable match. David is distraught when he faces the possibility of his wife's death. Svetlanka's godson, Luka Dokic (Keelan O'Hehir), who had been dating Serena, offers to help the family.
Lil recovers. It is soon revealed that Luka is Lil's son and Svetlanka had paid a doctor to tell her that he was stillborn and sneakily adopted him out. Luka eventually leaves after setting fire to David's briefcase.
David runs for councillor and Paul, who has recently returned to the area pledges his support (with a hidden agenda that David will be his puppet). Paul later causes the family more problems when he frames David for defrauding The Helen Daniels Trust after working on the accounts for the company. David is eventually cleared but the damage to the marriage is done after Lil begins to think he really is guilty.
David is devastated when he finds that Paul and Lil have been seeing each other and even tries to run Paul down with his car one afternoon at Lassiter's. After Paul is hospitalized after a bad business deal which results in the loss of a leg, David, working as a salvation army volunteer, encounters him in the hospital and is goaded by Paul with the chance to get him out of the Bishops' life forever. David then lets go of the Wheelchair leaving Paul to hurtle towards a busy freeway. Paul jumps to safety at the last minute deciding he wants to live.
David and Lil reconcile but when Paul moves next door into his old home, Number 22- next door to the Bishops and taunts them at every opportunity. The couple rise above it but not before David and Harold begin practicing tuba at early hours.
When David wins $250,000 on the lottery, he toys with the idea of spending the money on expensive things but donates it to the Salvation army which shocks Lil at first but she realises that all they need to be happy is each other.
To celebrate Lassiter's 20th Anniversary along with Sky and several of their neighbours, The Bishops go on a joyflight to Tasmania. The flights ends in tragedy when a planted bomb exploded on the plane, causing it to crash in Bass Strait
. A few days later, David's body is found, but Liljana and Serena's are not. David is then identified by Sky and her adoptive father, Joe Mangel
(Mark Little
). A memorial service is held at the community hall and David is buried with only Harold and Sky present.
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 Kevin Harrington. He made his first on-screen appearance on 12 May 1988, arriving for his father's wedding. David, along with his wife and daughter, returned in 2003. In May 2005, the family were axed and David departed on 25 October 2005.
Casting
Harrington was cast for his resemblance to Ian SmithIan Smith (actor)
Ian Smith is an Australian soap opera character actor and television screenwriter, best known today for his long-running role as the caring, kindly coffee shop owner Harold Bishop in the soap opera Neighbours....
.
In May 2005, it was announced that three of the show's actors had been axed in a "surprise shake-up" of the cast. Harrington was one of the three actors axed in favour of new cast members, the other two were Marcella Russo
Marcella Russo
Marcella Russo is an Australian actress who is best known for playing Liljana Bishop in the Australian soap opera Neighbours from 2003 until 2005, when her character was killed off in the Neighbours plane crash....
(Liljana Bishop
Liljana Bishop
Liljana "Lil" Bishop is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Marcella Russo. She made her first on-screen appearance on 9 October 2003...
) and Marisa Warrington
Marisa Warrington
Marisa Michelle Warrington is an Australian actress who played Sindi Watts on the Australian soap opera Neighbours....
(Sindi Watts
Sindi Watts
Sindi Parker is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Marisa Warrington. She made her first on-screen appearance on 19 July 2002. Sindi was initially a recurring character, before she was promoted to regular...
). Harrington left at the end of his contract. A few weeks later, it was announced that Lara Sacher
Lara Sacher
Lara Sacher is an Australian actress who played Serena Bishop on the Australian soap opera Neighbours from 2003 to 2005.- Biography :...
(Serena Bishop
Serena Bishop
Serena Bishop is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Lara Sacher. She made her first on-screen appearance on 9 October 2003. Serena's storylines included kissing her cousin's boyfriend, being taken advantage of by a photographer and starting an incestuos...
) would also be departing as part of an "extremely dramatic storyline" involving the Bishop family in October of that year. Script producer, Luke Devenish said "All three Bishops will be leaving together ... in one of our most startling storylines for the year. Lil and David have been at the very forefront of stories this year – caught up in wicked Paul's web – and their departure ties into this. The door will be left open for their return, however, despite the spectacular circumstances."
1988
David is the eldest child of Harold and Mavis Bishop. David is every bit his father in terms of stature and principles. David is first seen in when he appears at his father HaroldHarold Bishop
Harold Bishop is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Ian Smith. He made his first on-screen appearance on 30 January 1987. Smith was offered a role by Neighbours creator and executive producer Reg Watson...
's Buck's party, much to the amusement of Henry Ramsay (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:...
), Scott
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...
) and Paul Robinson
Paul 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...
) due to his resemblance to Harold and similar traits. David attends the wedding and acts as best man. David doesn't take to Madge at first but welcomes her by calling her "mother" at the reception. David then makes a speech that bores the guests but is ultimately halted by Jim Robinson. The morning after the wedding, David puts his new stepbrother Henry's nose out of joint when he wakes him at 7 am to clear up at Number 24.
During this brief visit to Erinsborough, David tries to woo Jane Harris (Annie Jones), the granddaughter of Harold's former landlady, Mrs Mangel
Nell Mangel
Eleanor "Nell" Worthington is a fictional character from the Australian Network Ten soap opera Neighbours, played by Vivean Gray. She made her first on-screen appearance on 29 April 1986. She was known almost exclusively to others as "Mrs Mangel". The character caused controversy among some of the...
(Vivean Gray
Vivean Gray
Vivean Gray is an English actress, who found her niche playing gossipy characters in Australian television series. In her early life, she lived in England but moved to Australia after she had trouble finding any acting opportunities...
) and goes as far to tell her boyfriend, 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...
) that he is out to win Jane. Jane tells David she is not interested and only wants to be friends. David annoys Henry further by insulting Madge, which results in Henry threatening him with violence. However, they make up after David reveals Mrs Mangel had said some nasty things about Madge which also influenced his attitude toward her. Henry gives David a "cool-dude" image makeover (which doesn't sit well with Harold) and sets David up with Prue Watkins who works at Lassiter's. After the date, Prue ultimately rejects David and tells him she doesn't want to see him again. David later returns home to Adelaide.
In the intervening years, David moves to Perth meets Liljana Ristic
Liljana Bishop
Liljana "Lil" Bishop is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Marcella Russo. She made her first on-screen appearance on 9 October 2003...
and they later marry and have a daughter, Serena
Serena Bishop
Serena Bishop is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Lara Sacher. She made her first on-screen appearance on 9 October 2003. Serena's storylines included kissing her cousin's boyfriend, being taken advantage of by a photographer and starting an incestuos...
. In 1991, When Madge phones David about Harold's disappearance after he is washed off some rocks and presumed drowned, David returns to support her.
2003–2005
15 years later after Harold's survival David phones Harold with the news that he and his family are moving to Erinsborough after he lands a job with an old school friend, Thomas Morgan. The family initially stay with Harold until their new home is built but problems are visible as David and Harold's relationship has been strained over the years after Harold's disappearance and battle with amnesia, resulting in minimal contact between father and son besides the odd Christmas and birthday card.After Harold visits David at his workplace and is virtually ignored, Harold lets his feelings be known towards him, citing David as materialistic. Harold then complains about Liljana taking over his kitchen and Serena being spoilt. David hits back by telling Harold he has felt excluded from his life and points out that he only called him to tell him Madge had died, after her funeral two years prior. David, Liljana and Serena move into Lassiters' for several days. Liljana helps repair the rift between David and Harold and the family move back in.
David receives a shock when he finds his new offices locked and bolted. He tries to contact Thomas but his calls go unanswered. David keeps the news of his financial problems to himself and consults Tim Collins (Ben Anderson) for legal advice. Tim's colleague, Toadfish Rebecchi
Toadfish Rebecchi
Jarrod Vincenzo Rebecchi is a fictional character from the Australian Network Ten soap opera Neighbours, played by Ryan Moloney. He debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 8 February 1995....
(Ryan Moloney
Ryan Moloney
Ryan Moloney is an Australian actor best known for his portrayal of the fictional character Jarrod "Toadfish" Rebecchi in the Australian soap opera Neighbours.-Before Neighbours:...
) tells him Thomas has ripped David off and has disappeared with the money. When David's BMW is repossessed, he is forced to come clean to Liljana about being bankrupt. Liljana is shocked and appalled by the lies. Fortunately, David and Liljana both get jobs with Toadie and Karl Kennedy
Karl Kennedy
Karl Raymond Kennedy is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Alan Fletcher. The character and his family were created by storyliners in an attempt to bring the show back to its roots. Karl made his first on-screen appearance on 20 September 1994 along with his...
respectively. David is offered some work in Sydney but it means being away over Christmas, However he is able to work ahead of schedule and come home on Christmas eve, much to the family's delight. The Bishop's Christmas is marred by Harold suffering a stroke on Boxing day at Lou Carpenter
Lou Carpenter
Louis "Lou" Carpenter is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Tom Oliver. He made his first on-screen appearance on 30 March 1988. Lou appeared for a brief time, before leaving and later returning in January 1992 as a regular cast member. He is the longest...
(Tom Oliver
Tom Oliver
Tom Oliver is an English television, film and theatre actor best known today for playing the role of Lou Carpenter in the Australian soap opera Neighbours.-Career:...
) and Trixie Tucker's (Wendy Stapleton
Wendy Stapleton
Wendy Anne-Marie Stapleton is an Australian pop/rock singer-songwriter, and musical theatre and television actress. Stapleton has performed as a backing singer, session musician and a solo artist; she fronted various Melbourne-based groups including Wendy Stapleton Band and Wendy & the Rocketts ...
) wedding reception.
At the start of 2004, Liljana's mother, Svetlanka (Deirdre Rubenstein) arrives. David and Liljana are quick to cover up their money problems but are forced to admit them. The visit coincides with the revelation Serena has been dating and posing in racy bikini shots for pedophilic photographer Chris Cousens (Simon Mallory
Simon Mallory
Simon Mallory is an Australian actor who played Chris Cousens in the Australian soap opera Neighbours in 2004 and 2005. He was a series regular on the Nine Network late night sketch comedy series Comedy Inc - The Late Shift....
). David breaks into Chris' studio, smashes the place up, steals Chris' hardrive and hands it into the police anonymously then later burns the photos. Svetlanka blames Liljana and David for being unable to control their daughter and offers to take Serena back to Perth with her. Liljana refuses and Svetlanka tells David the only reason Liljana married him is because she needed a father for her child. David is stunned and thinks Serena is not his daughter at first until Liljana tells him that she had been pregnant when she met and had given birth to a stillborn son, fathered by a worker at her mother's vineyard. Svetlanka is then banished from Number 24 after David stands by his wife.
David supports his niece, Sky Mangel
Sky Mangel
Sky Mangel is a fictional character from the Australian Network Ten soap opera Neighbours, played by Stephanie McIntosh. She made her first on-screen appearance on 1 February 1989, played by Miranda Fryer. McIntosh took over the role on 13 August 2003 when the character returned to the show...
(Stephanie McIntosh
Stephanie McIntosh
Stephanie McIntosh is an Australian actress and singer. She is known for her role as Sky Mangel in the Australian soap opera Neighbours and her music career, which began with the release of her debut album Tightrope in September 2006.-Background:McIntosh attended Firbank and then Melbourne Girls...
) when she goes to confront John Swan, the man who shot her mother, David's sister, Kerry
Kerry Bishop
Kerry Bishop is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Linda Hartley-Clark. She made her first on-screen appearance on 1 February 1989. Kerry is the only daughter of Mavis and Harold Bishop and sister to David Bishop. She gave birth to a daughter, Sky, and...
(Linda Hartley-Clark) in 1990. Sky attacks John but is restrained by David. John tells them he regrets his actions and only comes to the wetlands to reflect on what happened.
David and Liljana's marriage goes through a testing time when both accuse each other of having affairs. When the anniversary of his mother, Mavis' death approaches David invites Sky to join him, Liljana and Serena in celebrating Mavis' life with a champagne picnic and some birdwatching. David then tells Harold that he always felt he never loved Mavis as much as he did Madge. Harold assures David that he loved Mavis very much. David is resistant when Serena begins dating the hyperactive Stingray Timmins (Ben Nicholas
Ben Nicholas
Benjamin Nicholas is an Australian actor. He is best known for playing Scott "Stingray" Timmins in the Australian soap opera Neighbours.-Biography:...
) but eventually accepts it.
At the end of 2004, Liljana falls ill due to liver failure and none of the family are a suitable match. David is distraught when he faces the possibility of his wife's death. Svetlanka's godson, Luka Dokic (Keelan O'Hehir), who had been dating Serena, offers to help the family.
Lil recovers. It is soon revealed that Luka is Lil's son and Svetlanka had paid a doctor to tell her that he was stillborn and sneakily adopted him out. Luka eventually leaves after setting fire to David's briefcase.
David runs for councillor and Paul, who has recently returned to the area pledges his support (with a hidden agenda that David will be his puppet). Paul later causes the family more problems when he frames David for defrauding The Helen Daniels Trust after working on the accounts for the company. David is eventually cleared but the damage to the marriage is done after Lil begins to think he really is guilty.
David is devastated when he finds that Paul and Lil have been seeing each other and even tries to run Paul down with his car one afternoon at Lassiter's. After Paul is hospitalized after a bad business deal which results in the loss of a leg, David, working as a salvation army volunteer, encounters him in the hospital and is goaded by Paul with the chance to get him out of the Bishops' life forever. David then lets go of the Wheelchair leaving Paul to hurtle towards a busy freeway. Paul jumps to safety at the last minute deciding he wants to live.
David and Lil reconcile but when Paul moves next door into his old home, Number 22- next door to the Bishops and taunts them at every opportunity. The couple rise above it but not before David and Harold begin practicing tuba at early hours.
When David wins $250,000 on the lottery, he toys with the idea of spending the money on expensive things but donates it to the Salvation army which shocks Lil at first but she realises that all they need to be happy is each other.
To celebrate Lassiter's 20th Anniversary along with Sky and several of their neighbours, The Bishops go on a joyflight to Tasmania. The flights ends in tragedy when a planted bomb exploded on the plane, causing it to crash in Bass Strait
Bass Strait
Bass Strait is a sea strait separating Tasmania from the south of the Australian mainland, specifically the state of Victoria.-Extent:The International Hydrographic Organization defines the limits of the Bass Strait as follows:...
. A few days later, David's body is found, but Liljana and Serena's are not. David is then identified by Sky and her adoptive father, Joe Mangel
Joe Mangel
Walter Joseph "Joe" Mangel is a fictional character from the Australian Network Ten soap opera Neighbours, played by Mark Little. He debuted on-screen in the episode airing on 8 August 1988. Little later departed the serial and Joe left in 1991. In 2005 Little agreed to reprise the role as part...
(Mark Little
Mark Little (Australian actor)
Mark Little , is an Australian actor, television presenter and comedian, born in Brisbane, Queensland.-Career:Little appeared in a string of Australian films and TV series during the 1980s. He also performed his own comedy/performance in Melbourne's burgeoning comedy clubs throughout the eighties...
). A memorial service is held at the community hall and David is buried with only Harold and Sky present.