Liljana Bishop
Encyclopedia
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. In May 2005, the character was axed and she departed on 25 October 2005 following a plane crash.
) and Marisa Warrington
(Sindi Watts
). Russo left at the end of her contract. A few weeks later, it was announced that Lara Sacher
(Serena Bishop
) would also be departing as part of an "extremely dramatic storyline" 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."
, Western Australia, surrounded by her family. However, her parents were less than pleased when she married Australian born David Bishop
aged only 19, but their marriage seemed to be a success and the two had a daughter named Serena.
After David was offered a job in Erinsborough
the whole family moved where they thought they would be living in their newly built house in Eden Hills. Yet having invested all their savings into a business that appeared to have gone bust David almost bankrupt the family and instead of furthering her education, Lil was forced to get a job as a receptionist for Karl Kennedy
.
Things gradually got worse for the family after Serena was involved with a pedophile, Chris Cousens, whom Lil promptly slapped, and David's job meant he was away a lot. The Bishop family's lot was even worse when wicked Svetlanka turned up and after a heated argument revealed that Lil had been pregnant and that was why she married David. She had found herself pregnant to Ivan Petrovich, a worker at the family vineyard. Ivan fled the scene, so when David came along to help the family with their accounts, Lil quickly saw him as a potential father for her child. But Lil was led to believe that the child was stillborn, and she never even saw it for 19 years.
Meanwhile, Serena had made friends with a young Serbian friend named Luka, her grandmother's godson, and the two started a relationship. However, she was at the time unaware that Luka was her long lost half-brother, whom Svetlanka had kept away from the rest of her family for 19 years.
Lil suffered from acute liver failure
and needed part of a family member's liver to survive. It was revealed that Luka would be able to save her. Upon returning to good health, Svetlanka was promptly thrown out by her daughter while Luka later decided to return to his adoptive parents. It was then that Lil was offered a job with Paul Robinson
as manager of the Helen Daniels Trust.
Yet the marriage soured after David became obsessed with his work and Lil had an affair with Paul. Only when Paul was revealed to be plotting to destroy Erinsborough did Lil finally return to her husband.
As the family's luck was finally starting to get better they all boarded a plane to Tasmania
to celebrate the re-opening of Lassiters' by going to a casino and hotel. Before the plane was boarded, Paul's son Robert planted a bomb on the plane that exploded during the flight. David, Lilijana and Serena hugged one another as the plane crashed into the Bass Strait
. David was confirmed dead, but Lil and Serena's bodies were not found. At Serena and Liljana's memorial service, Susan Kennedy
read a eulogy for her friend.
said Liljana's most notable moment was "Revealing that she initially only got together with David because she was pregnant."
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 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....
. She made her first on-screen appearance on 9 October 2003. In May 2005, the character was axed and she departed on 25 October 2005 following a plane crash.
Casting
In May 2005, it was announced that three of the show's actors had been axed in a "surprise shake-up" of the cast. Russo was one of the three actors axed in favour of new cast members, the other two were Kevin Harrington (David BishopDavid Bishop (Neighbours)
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...
) 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...
). Russo left at the end of her 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" 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."
Storylines
Of Serbian descent, Liljana grew up under the dominant shadow of her mother Svetlanka Ristic and lived in PerthPerth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
, Western Australia, surrounded by her family. However, her parents were less than pleased when she married Australian born David Bishop
David Bishop (Neighbours)
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...
aged only 19, but their marriage seemed to be a success and the two had a daughter named Serena.
After David was offered a job 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...
the whole family moved where they thought they would be living in their newly built house in Eden Hills. Yet having invested all their savings into a business that appeared to have gone bust David almost bankrupt the family and instead of furthering her education, Lil was forced to get a job as a receptionist for 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...
.
Things gradually got worse for the family after Serena was involved with a pedophile, Chris Cousens, whom Lil promptly slapped, and David's job meant he was away a lot. The Bishop family's lot was even worse when wicked Svetlanka turned up and after a heated argument revealed that Lil had been pregnant and that was why she married David. She had found herself pregnant to Ivan Petrovich, a worker at the family vineyard. Ivan fled the scene, so when David came along to help the family with their accounts, Lil quickly saw him as a potential father for her child. But Lil was led to believe that the child was stillborn, and she never even saw it for 19 years.
Meanwhile, Serena had made friends with a young Serbian friend named Luka, her grandmother's godson, and the two started a relationship. However, she was at the time unaware that Luka was her long lost half-brother, whom Svetlanka had kept away from the rest of her family for 19 years.
Lil suffered from acute liver failure
Liver failure
Acute liver failure is the appearance of severe complications rapidly after the first signs of liver disease , and indicates that the liver has sustained severe damage . The complications are hepatic encephalopathy and impaired protein synthesis...
and needed part of a family member's liver to survive. It was revealed that Luka would be able to save her. Upon returning to good health, Svetlanka was promptly thrown out by her daughter while Luka later decided to return to his adoptive parents. It was then that Lil was offered a job with 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...
as manager of the Helen Daniels Trust.
Yet the marriage soured after David became obsessed with his work and Lil had an affair with Paul. Only when Paul was revealed to be plotting to destroy Erinsborough did Lil finally return to her husband.
As the family's luck was finally starting to get better they all boarded a plane to Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
to celebrate the re-opening of Lassiters' by going to a casino and hotel. Before the plane was boarded, Paul's son Robert planted a bomb on the plane that exploded during the flight. David, Lilijana and Serena hugged one another as the plane crashed into the 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:...
. David was confirmed dead, but Lil and Serena's bodies were not found. At Serena and Liljana's memorial service, Susan Kennedy
Susan Kennedy
Susan Kennedy , is a fictional character from the Australian Network Ten soap opera Neighbours, played by Jackie Woodburne. The character and her family were created by storyliners in an attempt to bring the show back to its roots. Susan made her first on-screen appearance on 3 October 1994 along...
read a eulogy for her friend.
Reception
The BBCBBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
said Liljana's most notable moment was "Revealing that she initially only got together with David because she was pregnant."