What happened to the actress who once played the role of Stefan Dennis alongside Neighbours star Fiona Corke who played the wife of super-scheming Paul in the soap?
It’s impossible to understand why anyone would ever have chosen to wed Neighbours’ ruthless and cunning businessman, Paul Robinson. Yet in the late 1980s, Gail Lewis did exactly that – becoming Gail Robinson – when they hatched a plan purely to deceive Japanese businessman Mr Udagawa, thus securing a deal for the Daniels Corporation.
The backstory revealed that Gail and Paul, played by actor Stefan Dennis who’s now starring on Strictly, had worked together as flight attendants, and both had evolved into cutthroat business individuals, each with a past marriage. Consequently, they tied the knot in the living room of 22 Ramsay Street, where Dr Clive Gibbons also resided, in a modest ceremony surrounded by family.
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However, Fiona Corke, who portrayed Gail and made her Australian soap debut in March 1987, soon realized it was time for a change and went through what she called a “was so full on and so huge, you didn’t know if you were an actor or in a pop group.”
At that time, Neighbours’ popularity had surged in the UK, regularly drawing in millions of daily viewers – with Scott and Charlene’s wedding pulling in an audience of 20 million when it was broadcast in November 1988. Gail’s character was subsequently written out of the show in August 1989, when she parted ways with Paul while expecting their triplets, opting to relocate to Tasmania.
Other original cast members, including Peter O’Brien (who portrayed Shane), Paul Keane (Des) and Elaine Smith (Daphne) also departed the soap during the late 1980s.
Fiona had launched her career with small film and television roles in 1985, aged 24, before landing the part of Alison Mills in Prisoner: Cell Block H in 1986 – a character meant to continue until the programme was axed. During her time on Neighbours, she encountered her future husband Nick Carrafa (who portrayed Tony Romeo), though they concealed their relationship from fear that their real-life romance might perplex audiences.
Following Neighbours, Fiona made other film and television appearances, but she made a comeback to Ramsay Street as Gail for guest spots in 2005, 2006, and 2007, before a longer run in 2019 for a plot involving all of Paul Robinson’s ex-wives (the soap king has wed six times).
Gail was ranked 13th among the 35 Greatest Neighbours Characters of All Time in 2020, according to the author, who described her as “the true love of Paul’s life.”
He also made reference to Gail’s sense of style, as Fiona’s outfits for the soap were infamously provided by one exclusive boutique in the 1980s, with the acknowledgement that “Fiona Corke’s wardrobe by Kamizole” at the show’s conclusion becoming a cherished moment for viewers.
Fiona is a well-known environmental activist who also serves as vice president of the Australian Society for Kangaroos, which fights against the exploitation of kangaroos for their hides and flesh. She described her involvement with society in 2016 as “most of my time is now primarily spent raising awareness of the horrific cruelty committed in the culling and shooting of kangaroos on public and private land, as well as the kangaroo industry.
Most Australians are unaware of this fact. I didn’t, but I had to do something because I was so enraged.
“If people are outraged and concerned about what actually happens to our kangaroos,” he said. “If people are outraged at the cruelty involved in greyhound racing, live exports, bashing of seals, whaling, etc., then they should be just as outraged and concerned.”
Neighbours would be ended in 2022 following a remarkable 40-year run, with its final episode featuring a number of former stars reprising their roles. The soap was later revealed, and it was going to be rebooted by streaming tycoon Amazon, with final scenes set to air later this year.
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Source: Mirror
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