# UK Soap and Drama Discussion > Neighbours > General >  Neighbours wants you

## Perdita

AUSSIE soap Neighbours, which propelled Kylie Minogue to fame, is to cast an unknown Brit.

Producers are offering a four-week deal to a young would-be actress - and begin their hunt today.

The winner will play Poppy Rogers, a friend of Malcolm "Mal" Kennedy (Benjamin McNair).

She will live with Dr Karl Kennedy (Alan Fletcher) and Susan Smith (Jackie Woodburne) - two of the soap's best-loved characters.

Richard Woolfe, channel controller on the network Five, which airs Neighbours, said: "It launched the careers of Kylie Minogue, Jason Donovan and Guy Pearce so this really is a life-changing chance.

"Millions watch Neighbours in the UK and there is huge untapped talent in the country."

Hopefuls over 18 can upload on to YouTube their audition tape for Be A Star on Neighbours.

Bosses at Five and the soap's maker Freemantle Media Australia will pick five.

The public will choose their top two from the five.

The duo will fly to Melbourne in July for a week of rehearsals. Producers will pick the winner.

Alan said: "This a unique opportunity."

Neighbours - in its 25th year - is shown in 65 countries.

The episodes featuring the winner will air in the UK in November.

For an audition script go to www.five.tv/neighbours

Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage...#ixzz0lVjjzimh

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Dazzle (19-04-2010)

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## alan45

Neighbours is to give British fans a chance to win a one-month guest role on the soap, it has been announced.

The show's producers are looking for a budding female star who will play Poppy Rogers, an old friend of Malcolm Kennedy who is to arrive on Ramsay Street in the not-too-distant future.

Described as a "free-spirited young woman in her early 20s", Poppy grew up in a small country village in England and met Malcolm while backpacking around Europe.

Neighbours' talent search is being organised by the serial's UK broadcaster Five as part of the programme's 25th anniversary celebrations. Applicants, who must be aged 18 or over on May 28 2010, can download an audition script from Five's website and upload their try-outs on YouTube.

Once the audition stage is over, a panel of judges will pick five finalists and put them forward for a public vote. The two contestants with the most votes will then fly out to Melbourne, where a winner will be picked by Neighbours bosses.

Five's controller Richard Woolfe said: "Neighbours is loved and watched by millions in the UK. I'm thrilled we have the opportunity to find a brand new star and hand them the international stage Neighbours provides."

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Dazzle (19-04-2010)

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## Siobhan

Ah that is me out.. I am in my late 20's not early  :Lol:

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## Perdita

Neighbours star Sam Clark has offered words of advice to hopefuls who plan to take part in the soap's UK talent search.

Yesterday, it was announced that the show's bosses had launched a hunt for a budding female star to play new character Poppy Rogers in a one-month guest role.

The contest is being organised by the serial's British broadcaster Five. Applicants are being invited to download an audition script from the channel's website and upload their try-outs on YouTube.

Speaking to Holy Soap about how applicants can make their mark, Clark explained: "The judges are going to be looking through a hell of a lot of auditions so try and make yourself stand out as an individual.

"And look at the script in as many ways as you can and choose a way to give it a different meaning. Don't go for the easy option."

Clark landed his own role as Ramsay Street's Ringo Brown following a talent search which was launched by Dolly magazine.

Reflecting on his own audition, he said: "I really didn't think I'd have any chance of getting anywhere. Apart from trying to do something a bit different with the script, I kept mine pretty simple."

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## Perdita

Neighbours star Alan Fletcher has promised that women who apply for the soap's new talent search will not be judged by their looks.

Earlier this week, the show's bosses launched a hunt for a budding British star to play new character Poppy Rogers in a one-month guest stint.

Speaking to Holy Soap, Fletcher claimed that producers will be hunting for the best actress rather than the most attractive applicant.

Asked whether it matters what the winner looks like, the actor replied: "I don't think it does. I think that's probably one of the least considerations in people's minds.

"People might say all these beautiful people end up on television but some of the most memorable people on film and television are those who look a bit quirky, with something different to their face. There's no hard and fast rule. People should be very confident they are looking for the best actor."

Poppy will arrive on Ramsay Street later this year to stay with Fletcher's character Karl Kennedy and his wife Susan (Jackie Woodburne). She is a friend of the couple's son Malcolm.

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## Chloe O'brien

> Ah that is me out.. I am in my late 20's not early


Ach Shiv you'll be fine .  You just need to apply more Oil of Ulay over the weekend.  You'll  walk the audition.

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## Perdita

But don't get a makeover from Rosie Webster  lol

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## Perdita

Neighbours star Ryan Moloney wants to see an experienced actress in the role of Poppy Rogers, which is being cast through a UK-wide competition.

Show bosses are asking aspiring British actresses to upload their audition videos to YouTube to be in with a chance of playing the part for four weeks.

Asked what kind of person he'd like to see in the role, Ryan, who plays lawyer Toadfish Rebecchi, said: "Probably somebody who's interested in acting and actually has a good skill level with it - that's what I'd like to see."

He went on: "But Neighbours also does put in the inexperienced too, which is good as they need to learn, but I'd like to see a bit of experience there."

He advised hopefuls to "be natural" in their audition.

"The hardest thing to do while you're acting is to look like you're not acting, so just try to be as natural as possible and that should see you okay," he added.

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## alan45

Neighbours' UK talent search has entered its second stage after show bosses picked five finalists for the role of new character Poppy Rogers.

More than 1,500 British fans applied for the chance to play Poppy after the special contest was announced in April. Following the closing date for entries at the end of last month, producers in Australia drew up a shortlist of five budding stars to proceed to the next round.

Miriam Locke-Wheaton, Gabriella Darlington, Jennifer Hall, Jo Gleave and Olivia Kennett were picked by programme chiefs and their fate now lies in the hands of the public, who are being invited to vote for their favourites.

Voting opens today on Five's Neighbours website and will stay open until June 27. The two most popular finalists - to be announced on Live From Studio Five on June 28 - will then fly out to Australia, where Neighbours bosses are to pick a winner.

Poppy is a friend of Malcolm Kennedy who will arrive on Ramsay Street for a one-month guest role later this year. The character has been described as a "free-spirited young woman in her early 20s".

A similar talent hunt carried out in Australia led to the casting of Sam Clark (Ringo Brown), who has been in Neighbours for over three years.

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## alan45

Gabriella Darlington has been cast as new Neighbours character Poppy Rogers after triumphing in the soap's UK talent search.

The 18-year-old has secured a four-week guest stint on the long-running programme and will begin filming her role on Monday.

Darlington won the part after competing against fellow finalist Jennifer Hall in live auditions which took place in front of the show's producers in Australia.

Speaking of her victory, Darlington commented: "I can't believe how lucky I am. I never expected to be shortlisted, let alone get to Australia and win. I have had an amazing week and am really excited to start on Monday."

The programme's 'Be A Star On Neighbours' competition was officially launched in April, when female fans of the drama were invited to audition for the role of Poppy by uploading try-outs on YouTube.

Show bosses later whittled down more than 1,500 hopefuls to five, before a public vote picked Darlington and Hall as the final two.

Poppy - described as a "free-spirited" character in her early 20s - will appear on UK screens for the first time on November 10. In the same week, the soap's British broadcaster Five will screen a special documentary about the competition, featuring footage of the two finalists' time in Australia.

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## Perdita

Neighbours' UK talent hunt winner Gabriella Darlington has confirmed that she is hoping to land more acting roles following her success in the competition.

Earlier this year, Darlington secured the four-week guest role of Poppy Rogers on the long-running programme after triumphing in the final stage of Channel 5's 'Be A Star on Neighbours' contest.

Poppy was seen on UK screens for the first time in yesterday's episode of the Ramsay Street soap. Meanwhile, in real life, Darlington has now started university in Bristol, where she is studying geography.

Speaking to Holy Soap about her acting ambitions, the student explained: "I hadn't properly considered it before. But I will definitely try and get involved in more stuff and do bits and bobs now. 

"I'm trying to find an agent and hopefully when my stuff comes out on Neighbours it will be easier to make a showreel. I'll go forwards for anything and see what happens."

Asked about the possibility of a comeback for Poppy, she replied: "I don't want to get my hopes up but obviously would never turn any offer down! But it was only a month's contract so I'll see. I had no previous acting experience and I hope I wasn't too awful!"

Darlington beat 1,600 other hopefuls to win the part of Poppy.

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