ANNIE’S STREET SMARTS

Neighbours original Annie Jones has plenty of advice for the new generation, writes Lisa Woolford

ANNIE Jones feels like she’s back in the ’80s – and while she’s barely changed since she first stepped into the role as ‘ Plain Jane Super Brain’ on Neighbours, a few other things have.

Roles have certainly reversed. Back then she was the “youngie” on set, learning from great mentors such as Vivean Gray (who played Mrs Mangel) and Anne Haddy (Helen Daniels).

Now she’s the teacher for the next generation of

Neighbours stars, including Charlotte Chimes who plays

Jane’s daughter Nicolette Stone. “[Vivean and Helen] were such wonderful teachers by example of professionalism and working hard and finding different aspects to your character,” Jones tells Play.

“I’m trying to bring that oldschool Neighbours back a bit. It’s so bizarre that now I’m one of the oldies, but it’s good. I know exactly how the young ones feel.”

It was heady days in the ’ 80s as the original Neighbours cast – which included Jones, Kylie Minogue, Guy Pearce, Jason Donovan and Stefan Dennis – enjoyed, or endured, almost Beatle-esque hysteria. Jones recalls heading to the UK in the late ’80s and performing on the London Palladium stage singing in front of the Royal Family. “It was outrageous,” she says, still wide-eyed at the memory. “We met the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret. It was out of this world. We were basically treated like royalty ourselves. That was our first idea of how huge [ Neighbours] was in the UK. Back then, there was no internet or Facebook or Twitter – the only gauge you had was the fan mail that people took the time to write. It was such an eye-opener for all of us.” They were a tight bunch on set and Jones reveals those originals still catch up every couple of years, when the planets align and they are all in the same place, at the same time. “We all think fondly of each other but all have very different, very busy lives,” she explains. “And every job as an actor you create a whole new family with your fellow actors and the crew. It’s a very intense time while working together and then it ends and you move on and occasionally you meet up on the next job. It’s very transient like that,” she says, adding “we’re all gypsies, really.”

While Jones has dropped back into Ramsay Street for numerous guest spots over the years – most recently for a whirlwind wedding to Des Clarke (Paule Keane) last year to celebrate the iconic Aussie soap’s 35th anniversary – this time Jane’s back for good.

“I always felt a bit sad after each stint finished as I had such a great time,” she admits. “Then they’d invite me back again and I’d have another wonderful couple of weeks, then be sad when it ended. So this time I thought, ‘Let’s stay forever!’” 6.30PM, WEEKDAYS, 10 PEACH