Annie Jones, one of Neighbours’ most iconic and adored characters from the early years of the much-loved soap, is returning to Ramsay Street to reprise the role that made her a household name.
In 1989, Jones (pictured) won a TV Week Silver Logie for Most Popular Actress for her portrayal of Jane Harris, the character she played from 1986 to 1989. She was nicknamed “Plain Jane Superbrain”, starting out as a nerdy bookworm, then blossoming into a beauty who would become best friends with Charlene Mitchell (Kylie Minogue) and Scott Robinson (Jason Donovan). Her character went on to fall in love with Mike Young, played by a then 19-year-old Guy Pearce.
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Annie Jones said: “I was absolutely thrilled to be asked to return to Neighbours. As an actor, the best thing you can be is a working actor. I’ve done a lot of guest roles but usually very short-lived, so this has been lovely to come back for an extended period and really get my teeth into a part.”
Jones returned to the set of Neighbours in December last year, the first time since a brief appearance for the series’ 20th and 30th anniversary specials. Her character arrives back on the famous street on a mission to rectify the past and raise some eyebrows in the process.
Jason Herbison, executive producer of Neighbours for FremantleMedia Australia, said: “Annie is a beloved star from the golden era of Neighbours and we are honoured to have her back on the show. She had a very interesting take on what her character Jane might be up to nowadays and we incorporated it into the storyline. There’s warmth and nostalgia yet also a very fascinating character journey.”