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News Headlines

The truth behind Gus Cleary's (Ben Barrack) medical condition may only just have been revealed to UK viewers, but it's causing some controversy in Australia. Organisation SANE Australia have brought up the negative portrayal of Gus' mental condition in their Stigma Files, which highlight poor media representation of mental illnesses.

The group spoke to both script producer Luke Devenish and executive producer Ric Pellizzeri.

According to the July 2004 Edition of Record Collector, former Neighbours pin-up Holly Valance "has reportedly quit the music biz to concentrate on her acting".

Other news from the same edition is that a pink Lisa Ho dress worn by Delta Goodrem (Nina Tucker) to the Australian ARIA Music Awards in October 2003, is on display at the Sydney Powerhouse Museum as part of the Nineties to Now fashion exhibition.

Kylie Minogue (Charlene Robinson) record collectors listen up! Esprit International are advertising a rare 2004 1-sided promotional 7" of her latest hit, Red Blooded Woman. It features an exclusive Play Paul Remix and is pressed on clear see-through vinyl. This is the first time an official pressing of Kylie's has been released on coloured vinyl, and it comes with a press release stating only 50 copies have been mailed. This is one cool Kylie collectable you won't want to miss, and for £200.00, it can surely only increase in value!

This week's copy of the UK's Inside Soap has revealed that Michelle Ang (Lori Lee) has recently been filming another brief return to Erinsborough. With Jay Bunyan (Jack Scully) in the process of filming his final scenes with the show, could Lori play a part in Jack's farewell?

This week's magazine also contains a feature with Jay, where he reveals some of his favourite photos and the memories that they hold for him.

The Age newspaper reports this week that a group of eight filmmakers from Melbourne have produced a piece entitled Neighbours (the remix). The piece comprises of eight short films which challenge the notion that Neighbours is in any way a representation of true Australian suburbia. One of the films plays the theme song from the show, over footage of refugees at the infamous Woomera detention centre.

Fans in Melbourne wishing to see the films can do so, free-of-charge, at the ACMI Screen Lounges at Federation Square.

Due to coverage of President Reagan's funeral tomorrow's episode will only shown once at 1.40pm. Also, due to extented news on BBC One in Wales, it will air at the later time of 1.55pm.

Sydney's Daily Telegraph newspaper reports this week that Kym Valentine (Libby Kennedy) is set to say farewell to Erinsborough, almost exactly ten years after filming her first scenes for the soap. After several weeks of rumours, it's now been confirmed that she will film her final scenes on July 2nd, and will then join the cast of new musical Time of My Life, based on the film Dirty Dancing.

How Libby will depart the show remains a mystery, but it seems that the short notice given by Kym will mean major rewrites, as Libby was set to feature heavily in future storylines.

This week's copy of the UK's Inside Soap contains summer previews for all the soaps, and it seems as though the Neighbours are in for a bit of drama. As one insider puts it, "you might even think you're watching Home And Away". With new faces, old faces, a very surprising pregnancy and several new romances, it looks like Erinsborough is going to be anything but dull over the coming months.

This week's magazine also contains interviews with Jackie Woodburne (Susan Kennedy) and Ben Barrack (Gus Cleary).

After guest-starring in several US dramas, including ER and The West Wing over recent years, Alan Dale (Jim Robinson) has finally scored a regular gig. His part of Caleb Nichols in The O.C has been upgraded from guest to full-time cast member for the second season of the show.

Today marks five years since the sad passing of Anne Haddy, who played Helen Daniels from 1985 until 1997. To read our feature, remembering the lives of both Anne and Helen, click here.

It appears as though Holly Valance's (Flick Scully) music career isn't in the diabolical state we all once thought. A huge shock was felt around the Australian music industry when the news transpired that Tina Arena, Australia's biggest selling female artist and famous for her hit single I'm In Chains was dropped from her record label, whilst Holly Valance was spared the axe, despite her latest album selling a measly 2,000 copies in Australia.

The decision to renew her contract is because both her albums have reached platinum status in Japan, and she has enjoyed huge success there. Holly is currently in America writing material for her third album, as well as testing for films. So hopefully her career will re-ignite.

Plans for any further releases from her current album have been stopped indefinitely.

Neighbours takes its now annual move to BBC Two from Tuesday 15th - Friday 18th June screening at the slightly earlier time of 1.35pm, except on Wednesday when it will air at 2.05pm due to extended politics programmes.

In the same week Euro 2004 football kicks off meaning there will be no repeat screening for Neighbours on the Wednesday and Friday.

Wimbledon coverage swamps BBC One and Two from Monday 21st June, which will see the show take its annual two week break, returning Monday 5th July.

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