Farewell to neighbors: Alan Fletcher: “I feel like I’m part of a big, global family” | Television tonight

EXCLUSIVE:

TV Tonight talks to Alan Fletcher
“Karl Kennedy” 1994 – 2025

With the closure of Nunawading studios and the retirement of props and costumes, Alan Fletcher is pragmatic about the end of Neighbors.

Still, there’s always an option for a future in the universe, given the way the finale was crafted by executive producer Jason Herbison.

“Neighbors as we know it’s done. That is the harsh reality,” he admitted.

“But Jason has cleverly crafted an ending that leaves the door open and offers options. I’m sure Fremantle, being a huge company, hasn’t given up the opportunity to Neighbors concept. I mean, it would be foolish if they didn’t work on it.

“But who knows what it would look like? Who knows who would be in it? Who knows if it would even be recognizable if…” Neighbors?”

In the final storylines, the residents of Ramsay Street fight against the development of a highway and the compulsory acquisition of their homes. While Paul Robinson (Stefan Dennis) proposes a Robinson Towers complex, Shane Ramsay (Peter O’Brien) pushes for a new estate in Ramsay Hills.

Neither is desirable for the Kennedy faithful, Karl and Susan (Jackie Woodburne), but does it hint at a follow-up option narratively?

“I think what Jason has done is he’s cleverly created something that could move forward but is a nice ending in itself.”

In the modern world of storytelling, dramas may be revisited through spin-offs, prequels, telemovies, road movies, Christmas specials, origin stories…. this would first require a new backer who would like to explore the world Neighbors universe and tap into its fan base, especially dedicated in Britain.

When Neighbors ends tomorrow, Seven’s Home and away will be the last remaining soap opera in Australia, a fertile training genre for up and coming crew. While one ends, the other continues to bring in viewers in a competitive 7pm timeslot.

“We give a big shout out to all our fellow countrymen Home and away and long may it last. It will have the mantle of being the only show that helps people learn their craft and train that way Neighbors taught people. So greet them all. Long may they live, he continued.

“Certainly, in Australia Neighbors was always a bit affected in terms of time slot. It was at half past six in between all the news and current affairs programs and once it started shifting to digital platforms, and then late afternoon, I don’t think we ever had a great chance of having a strong audience in Australia.

Alan Fletcher has played Karl Kennedy since 1994, as a father, husband and local doctor. What will he miss most about his character?

“The comedy probably the most. I mean, he’s a bit of a goofball, and he’s arrogant and flawed in a lot of ways. The most interesting thing about playing a character is usually exploring their flaws,” he explained.

“I recently did a story with Darcy Tyler (Mark Raffety) where Karl is incapacitated by Darcy. I loved that story, but I asked for changes to the script to make sure this was clear: Karl was the victim of his own hubris, and he blindly pursued Darcy and investigated him based on the belief that he was right. He was going to be the great detective and prove Darcy wrong. All he did, of course, was unleash Darcy’s worst instincts and be himself endanger.

“So I really enjoyed exploring those kinds of things with Karl. He often did things without really thinking about the consequences, like going on a motorcycle holiday through Europe when he’s never ridden a motorcycle before. That kind of stupidity. I liked the idea of ​​him being a bit of a dork. Playing that has always been a lot of fun.”

“Karl has taken on a few mantles. He’s played a bit of Lou Carpenter (Tom Oliver). He’s played a bit of Harold Bishop (Ian Smith). I imagine he would have turned into a bit of a dork later if he’d stuck around. But I’ll miss all that.”

And there were also rip-roaring storylines of following Karl’s libido, first with receptionist Sarah Beaumont (Nicola Charles) and later with neighbor Izzy Hoyland (Natalie Bassingthwaighte).

“The things that bring people back, the heavy drama!” he laughs. “People love the big drama. But when you do it day in and day out, there comes a time when people get overloaded, I think. You’re kind of in the Coronation Street/EastEnders territory. While Neighbors has that light touch around the edges that really supported the program, I think, and kept us going,” Fletcher said.

“Mostly I’ll miss the relationships with people, you know, my relationship with Jackie, the closeness of that, and dear Stefan, a great friend of mine. We had a lot of fun doing these ‘Robinsons Round Ups’ and ‘Karl’s Catch Ups’ once a week that the fans love.”

Finally, what is his message to the fans?

“It’s very difficult to express your gratitude to people for keeping you in a job, which is essentially what humans have done. But they haven’t just kept me in a job by watching the show. They’ve made the job extremely rewarding, because we haven’t just made a TV show. I have a close relationship with all the fans. They like to tell me what they like, what they hate, etc., etc. is through love for TV program, and I express my deepest, deepest gratitude to everyone who has kept the show going for so long,” he said.

“Over the last few weeks there were some very loyal Aussie fans who came to the studio and set up lounge chairs. They sat outside the studios day in and day out, and as the cast came and went, we jumped out of our cars and took some pictures and signed things. I left the studio at 8 o’clock, and they sat there, and as I drove away they held up a big thank you sign.

“It really brought tears to my eyes. It was really beautiful.”

Neighbors final 8.40 pm Thursday at 10.