10 Facts: Alan Fletcher (Neighbours’ Karl)
lnsidesoap YOUR BRIEFING ON THE ACTOR BEHIND NEIGHBOURS’ KARL…
1 Alan Fletcher was born on 30 March 1957 in Perth, Western Australia. Alan grew up with his three brothers, and spent his summer holidays on the family farm. He began his acting career at the local theatre, before joining the National Theatre in Western Australia. “Those first years of theatre work laid the foundations of my whole career,” explains the star.
2 Star Alan later made the move to Sydney, where he won his first big television role in police drama Cop Shop. The actor went on to star in various Aussie telly series, including Sword of Honour, All The Rivers Run and soap opera Embassy.
3 In 1994, Alan joined Neighbours as Dr Karl Kennedy. Karl arrived on Ramsay Street with wife Susan and their kids Malcolm, Libby and Billy – and later fathered another daughter, Holly, with Izzy Hoyland. After 26 years, Alan is now the third longest-serving actor ever in an Aussie soap. “I just love my time there,” he says. “Working with Jackie Woodburne [who plays Susan] is a dream.”
4 Alan and Jackie actually knew each other prior to joining Neighbours. “We played brother and sister in Cop Shop in 1982,” explains Alan. Meanwhile, Jackie reveals that she didn’t know Alan would be playing her Ramsay Street hubby until he played a cheeky prank on her. “He called me up pretending to be a journalist!” she laughs.
5 Prior to playing Karl, Alan had a guest part in Neighbours, as mechanic Greg Cooper in 1987. He worked with Kylie Minogue (Charlene Robinson) at the garage, and soon discovered the fame the show brings. “A year-and-a-half later I was in India, and this Brit lad goes, ‘Aren’t you off Neighbours?’” chuckles Alan.
6 Alan married Aussie journalist and newsreader Jennifer Hansen in 1990. The pair have two children together, Tom and Veronica. “They won’t have anything to do with acting,” Alan tells us. “My beautiful daughter’s a pastry chef – you can imagine what that’s doing to me! And my son’s very bright, he’s a university student.”
7 One of the Alan’s hobbies is photography, and last year he had his own television show on the subject, called Photo Number 6. “It’s me travelling the world, and I photograph my experiences as I live them,” he says. “I was a headshot photographer for 20 years, and my passion for photography is lifelong.”
8 Alan is also a keen footballer, and big supporter of Liverpool FC. “I watch all their games,” he grins. “My son and I get up at unspeakable hours to watch the football. Or we turn our phones off and watch the game later. Usually, I get to see at least one game in the right time zone.”
9 While Karl is known for his questionable music skills, Alan actually makes sweet music in his own band, as a singer and guitarist in Waiting Room. “I got into music by accident back in 2004,” begins Alan. “I was having a Valentine’s Day dinner with my wife, and a couple of blokes were singing. I got chatting to them and sang a few songs with them, so they said, ‘Why don’t we form a band?’” The star also revealed that one of his cast mates gets in on the act. “Stefan Dennis [who plays Paul] and I are very good pals, and he also sings with my band when I’m not there.”
10 If Alan moved over to the UK, he claims he would love an acting gig in Coronation Street! “I used to watch Corrie when I was younger,” he says. “I’m very fond of the north of the UK. Emmerdale’s very appealing, with it being a rural drama, but Corrie would probably be the one that I’d love to do. I visited the Coronation Street set when I was a contestant on [ITV celebrity singing contest] Soapstar Superstar, and it was amazing to be there and see all the houses.”