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Mike Young (Neighbours)
Encyclopedia
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. Mike's storylines included being physically abused by his father, moving in with Des
and Daphne Clarke
, making friends with Charlene Mitchell
and Scott Robinson
, his relationship with Jane Harris and becoming a teacher. Mike departed Erinsborough to be with his mother, on 6 December 1989.
, which produced Neighbours
at the time. Pearce was then cast as the troubled and lonely Mike Young. Following his last year 12 exam, he began filming on 3 December 1985. Pearce's debut was in episode number 171, the first episode broadcast on Network Ten
following the show's move from Seven Network
.
In 1989, the Neighbours producers did not want Pearce to play Errol Flynn
in a biopic film and Pearce decided to leave the show. Of being a part of Neighbours, Pearce said "I experienced hysteria at a pretty high pitch with that show". Pearce also added "I'm not embarrassed by having done it now, not at all. It was an amazing experience, an amazing opportunity. And I was only 18."
), lived in fear of being beaten and abused by Mike's father, David (Stewart Faichney), throughout Mike's young life. This meant Mike grew up into a lonely, quiet young man who did not socialise much until he began attending Erinsborough High School and becomes good friends with Charlene Mitchell
(Kylie Minogue
) and Scott Robinson
(Jason Donovan
).
Through his friendship with Scott, Mike comes to Ramsay Street
and befriends Scott's neighbour, Daphne Clarke
(Elaine Smith
), who cares for him, later giving him a part-time job at her coffee shop. Mike opens up to Daphne and Des
(Paul Keane
) about his problems at home with his father and Daphne tries to get Mike and Barbara away from David. However, Barbara is too scared of her husband and she does not want to leave, but Mike is determined to go and moves in with Des and Daphne when they offer to become his legal guardians. Mike briefly dates Scott's cousin Nikki Dennison (Charlene Fenn), but he later falls for Jane Harris (Annie Jones
) when she moves in with her grandmother, Nell Mangel
(Vivean Gray
). Jane falls for Mike straight away, but it takes a while before Mike realises his feelings due to Jane's plain image. Helen Daniels
(Anne Haddy
) and Daphne give her a makeover for a school dance, which consists of replacing her glasses with contacts, a new haircut and makeup. Mike likes her new image and they begin dating. Mrs Mangel is not happy that her granddaughter is dating Mike and when she receives letters about Mike's reputation with other girls, Mrs Mangel stops Jane from seeing him. Daphne eventually catches school bully, Sue Parker (Kate Gorman), posting the letters and Sue explains that she is jealous of Mike and Jane's relationship. Mrs Mangel then lets Jane and Mike continue dating. When Nikki returns to Ramsay Street, Mike helps comfort her when she discovers her mother is ill, leading Jane to become jealous of their friendship. Mike becomes jealous when Shane Ramsay
(Peter O'Brien) shows an attraction to Jane, but she tells Mike that he is the only one for her.
Following their final exams, Jane focuses on her modelling career and Mike decides to become a teacher. As they are leading separate lives, Jane and Mike split up amicably and remain friends. Not long after, Daphne is killed in a car crash and Mike is left feeling guilty as he had not been around for a few weeks. Mike is angry and upset and he finds the two men who had crashed into Daphne's car. He attacks them and is later arrested. When Mike finishes university, he gets a job teaching Maths at Erinsborough High. Mike becomes close to one of his students, Jessie Ross (Michelle Kearley), who admits that she has an abusive father too. Mike confronts her father and becomes close to Jessie, even sharing a kiss with her. The principal sees them together and suspends Mike, who decides to leave Erinsborough for a while.
On his return, Mike finds Des and Jane have forged a strong friendship. Mike becomes moody as he settles back in. When Jenny Owens (Danielle Carter
) comes to see him, it is revealed that Mike and Jenny took a ride on his motorbike and had an accident. Jenny fell from the bike and was left paralysed and using a wheelchair for the rest of her life. Mike blames himself for Jenny's condition and could not bring himself to accept that the event was an accident. Jenny eventually convinces him that it was not his fault. At the same time, Des and Jane begin dating and Mike is disgusted with the both of them. He refuses to accept the relationship and leaves Erinsborough again. He returns in the middle of Des and Jane's engagement party and he interrupts it. Mike eventually accepts that Des and Jane love each other and gives them his blessing. Mike begins to feel like there is not much left for him in Erinsborough and when he hears that his mother had been in a plane crash, and with his father long dead, Mike decides to leave Ramsay Street and join her to help her recovery.
, a British satellite broadcasting company profiled 25 characters of which they believed were the most memorable in the series history. Mike is in the list and describing him they state: "The Erinsborough economy is studied the world over for being the only one in the world that can sustained on just four professions: you can work in 'business', or be a journalist, a doctor, or a teacher. Mike chose the latter, probably because he was the nice, fairly quiet boy out of the legendary original set of teens on the show. His romance with plain Jane Harris unfortunately ended up with her engaged to his father figure of a friend, Des, one of many reasons why he left the show to care for his sick mother." Heat
magazine called Mike "cheesy, but gorgeous". Lorna Cooper of MSN TV
has listed Mike as one of Soap Opera's forgotten characters and claims he is a favourite out of the golden era of the serial. Orange UK
describe Mike as one of the serial's "hottest spunks". LoveFilm
describe Mike's storylines as serious and give him the nickname "motorbike Mike".
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 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...
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 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...
. He made his first on-screen appearance on 20 January 1986. Mike's storylines included being physically abused by his father, moving in with Des
Des Clarke (Neighbours)
Desmond Kingsley "Des" Clarke is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Paul Keane. He made his first on screen appearance on 18 March 1985, the show's first episode.-Stroylines:...
and Daphne Clarke
Daphne Clarke
Daphne Rose Clarke is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Elaine Smith. She made her first on-screen appearance in the serial's first episode on 18 March 1985. Daphne a stripper hired for Des Clarke's bucks party and she moved in him. She and Des fell in love...
, making friends with Charlene Mitchell
Charlene Robinson
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...
and 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...
, his relationship with Jane Harris and becoming a teacher. Mike departed Erinsborough to be with his mother, on 6 December 1989.
Character creation and casting
When he was 18, Pearce's drama teacher advised him to write to TV companies asking for auditions and he wrote to the Grundy OrganisationReg Grundy Organisation
The Reg Grundy Organisation was an Australian television production company founded in 1959 by businessman Reg Grundy . It has since branched out into Europe and the USA. The company first produced game shows, before branching into soap operas in 1973...
, which produced 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...
at the time. Pearce was then cast as the troubled and lonely Mike Young. Following his last year 12 exam, he began filming on 3 December 1985. Pearce's debut was in episode number 171, the first episode broadcast on 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...
following the show's move from Seven Network
Seven Network
The Seven Network is an Australian television network owned by Seven West Media Limited. It dates back to 4 November 1956, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Melbourne and Sydney.It is currently the second largest network in the country in terms of population reach...
.
In 1989, the Neighbours producers did not want Pearce to play Errol Flynn
Errol Flynn
Errol Leslie Flynn was an Australian-born actor. He was known for his romantic swashbuckler roles in Hollywood films, being a legend and his flamboyant lifestyle.-Early life:...
in a biopic film and Pearce decided to leave the show. Of being a part of Neighbours, Pearce said "I experienced hysteria at a pretty high pitch with that show". Pearce also added "I'm not embarrassed by having done it now, not at all. It was an amazing experience, an amazing opportunity. And I was only 18."
Storylines
Mike and his mother, Barbara (Rona McLeodRona McLeod
Rona McLeod is an Australian actress, noted for her television appearances.She appeared as pregnant inmate Jeannie Stanton in Prisoner, had a recurring role in Neighbours during 1990 and 1991 as Felicity Brent,completely unrecognisable from her appearance in Prisoner and later played Barbara Fisher...
), lived in fear of being beaten and abused by Mike's father, David (Stewart Faichney), throughout Mike's young life. This meant Mike grew up into a lonely, quiet young man who did not socialise much until he began attending Erinsborough High School and becomes good friends with Charlene Mitchell
Charlene Robinson
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...
(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...
) and 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...
).
Through his friendship with Scott, Mike comes 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...
and befriends Scott's neighbour, Daphne Clarke
Daphne Clarke
Daphne Rose Clarke is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Elaine Smith. She made her first on-screen appearance in the serial's first episode on 18 March 1985. Daphne a stripper hired for Des Clarke's bucks party and she moved in him. She and Des fell in love...
(Elaine Smith
Elaine Smith (actress)
Elaine Smith found fame as an actress on Australian television.She is best known for her role as Daphne Clarke in the soap opera Neighbours...
), who cares for him, later giving him a part-time job at her coffee shop. Mike opens up to Daphne and Des
Des Clarke (Neighbours)
Desmond Kingsley "Des" Clarke is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Paul Keane. He made his first on screen appearance on 18 March 1985, the show's first episode.-Stroylines:...
(Paul Keane
Paul Keane
Paul Keane is an Australian actor well known for playing Des Clarke in the soap opera Neighbours. Other TV credits include Bliss and Flight Into Hell. He was trained at the National Institute of Dramatic Art, graduating in 1983....
) about his problems at home with his father and Daphne tries to get Mike and Barbara away from David. However, Barbara is too scared of her husband and she does not want to leave, but Mike is determined to go and moves in with Des and Daphne when they offer to become his legal guardians. Mike briefly dates Scott's cousin Nikki Dennison (Charlene Fenn), but he later falls for 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:...
) when she moves in with her grandmother, Nell 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...
). Jane falls for Mike straight away, but it takes a while before Mike realises his feelings due to Jane's plain image. 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 Daphne give her a makeover for a school dance, which consists of replacing her glasses with contacts, a new haircut and makeup. Mike likes her new image and they begin dating. Mrs Mangel is not happy that her granddaughter is dating Mike and when she receives letters about Mike's reputation with other girls, Mrs Mangel stops Jane from seeing him. Daphne eventually catches school bully, Sue Parker (Kate Gorman), posting the letters and Sue explains that she is jealous of Mike and Jane's relationship. Mrs Mangel then lets Jane and Mike continue dating. When Nikki returns to Ramsay Street, Mike helps comfort her when she discovers her mother is ill, leading Jane to become jealous of their friendship. Mike becomes jealous when Shane Ramsay
Shane Ramsay
Shane Ramsay is a fictional character from the Australian Network Ten soap opera Neighbours, played by Peter O'Brien. He made his first appearance on-screen in the first Neighbours episode on 18 March 1985. Shane is the son of Max and Maria Ramsay...
(Peter O'Brien) shows an attraction to Jane, but she tells Mike that he is the only one for her.
Following their final exams, Jane focuses on her modelling career and Mike decides to become a teacher. As they are leading separate lives, Jane and Mike split up amicably and remain friends. Not long after, Daphne is killed in a car crash and Mike is left feeling guilty as he had not been around for a few weeks. Mike is angry and upset and he finds the two men who had crashed into Daphne's car. He attacks them and is later arrested. When Mike finishes university, he gets a job teaching Maths at Erinsborough High. Mike becomes close to one of his students, Jessie Ross (Michelle Kearley), who admits that she has an abusive father too. Mike confronts her father and becomes close to Jessie, even sharing a kiss with her. The principal sees them together and suspends Mike, who decides to leave Erinsborough for a while.
On his return, Mike finds Des and Jane have forged a strong friendship. Mike becomes moody as he settles back in. When Jenny Owens (Danielle Carter
Danielle Carter
Danielle Carter is an Australian actress. She has acted in a number of popular television shows, films and plays.She graduated from Australia's National Institute of Dramatic Art, in 1993....
) comes to see him, it is revealed that Mike and Jenny took a ride on his motorbike and had an accident. Jenny fell from the bike and was left paralysed and using a wheelchair for the rest of her life. Mike blames himself for Jenny's condition and could not bring himself to accept that the event was an accident. Jenny eventually convinces him that it was not his fault. At the same time, Des and Jane begin dating and Mike is disgusted with the both of them. He refuses to accept the relationship and leaves Erinsborough again. He returns in the middle of Des and Jane's engagement party and he interrupts it. Mike eventually accepts that Des and Jane love each other and gives them his blessing. Mike begins to feel like there is not much left for him in Erinsborough and when he hears that his mother had been in a plane crash, and with his father long dead, Mike decides to leave Ramsay Street and join her to help her recovery.
Reception
In 2010 to celebrate Neighbours' 25th anniversary SkyBritish 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....
, a British satellite broadcasting company profiled 25 characters of which they believed were the most memorable in the series history. Mike is in the list and describing him they state: "The Erinsborough economy is studied the world over for being the only one in the world that can sustained on just four professions: you can work in 'business', or be a journalist, a doctor, or a teacher. Mike chose the latter, probably because he was the nice, fairly quiet boy out of the legendary original set of teens on the show. His romance with plain Jane Harris unfortunately ended up with her engaged to his father figure of a friend, Des, one of many reasons why he left the show to care for his sick mother." Heat
Heat (magazine)
Heat is a British entertainment magazine published by German company Bauer Media Group. it is one of the biggest selling magazines in the UK, with a regular circulation over half a million. Its mix of celebrity news, gossip and fashion is primarily aimed at women, although not as directly as in...
magazine called Mike "cheesy, but gorgeous". Lorna Cooper of MSN TV
MSN
MSN is a collection of Internet sites and services provided by Microsoft. The Microsoft Network debuted as an online service and Internet service provider on August 24, 1995, to coincide with the release of the Windows 95 operating system.The range of services offered by MSN has changed since its...
has listed Mike as one of Soap Opera's forgotten characters and claims he is a favourite out of the golden era of the serial. Orange UK
Orange UK
Orange is a mobile network operator and internet service provider in the United Kingdom, which launched in 1994. It was once a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index but was purchased by France Télécom in 2000, which then adopted the Orange brand for all its other mobile communications activities...
describe Mike as one of the serial's "hottest spunks". LoveFilm
LoveFilm
LoveFilm is a UK-based provider of home video and video game rental through DVD-by-mail and streaming video on demand in the UK, Germany and Scandinavia...
describe Mike's storylines as serious and give him the nickname "motorbike Mike".