Andre Rieu Waltzes Into Ramsay Street
Andre Rieu Waltzes Into Ramsay Street
Rieu is a fan of Neighbours and wanted to visit the show while he was on his Australian tour. In a whimsical, romantic scene, Rieu plays the violin for Paul (Stefan Denis) and Rebecca (Jane Hall) in the middle of the street.
“The scene expands to others from the street who come out and start dancing, with Steph and Toadie, Karl and Susan. It’s all very cute,” a spokesperson told TV Tonight.
Rieu, who is normally in control of his spectacular events, was said to be momentarily thrown by his moment in the soap.
“He was incredibly nervous. Right out of his comfort zone.”
But he was also very friendly, including eating with the crew in a catering tent in his full tuxedo regalia.
A second scene for the waltz king holds another special moment for Rieu and the folk from Erinsborough.
“There’s more magic to come,” said the spokesperson.
The episode airs April 6th on TEN.
By David Knox on March 14, 2009
Categories: Australia, ANDRE RIEU, Articles-Interviews
Tags: Andre Rieu Special Event
I had never heard of "Neighbours" prior to André going to Australia. I don't know what the storyline is in this show, however, I'd love to see André in this episode!
A whimsical, romantic scene and André playing his violin would be a perfect starter.
We have not seen the episode here in Australia yet. They have highlight and weekly wrap video's on the Neighbours website, so I am sure you will be able to watch it there in the week it is aired. I will try to remember to post something here that week.
Here is the history of "Neighbours", but I must admit I am not a watcher.
Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan both got their starts in Neighbours.
History
Making its debut on the Seven Network in March 1985 Neighbours follows the daily lives of several families who live in Ramsay Street in the fictional suburb of Erinsborough.
When Seven cancelled the series at the end of 1985 because of low ratings, Network Ten took the then-unprecedented step of picking up the show and began airing it in 1996. The daily half-hour drama got off to a slow start, but, with the addition of new, younger characters and a big publicity push, the ratings started to climb.
Jason Donovan replaced Darius Perkins in the role of Scott Robinson and the romance between Scott and Kylie Minogue’s character Charlene Mitchell was hugely popular with viewers. The episode featuring Scott and Charlene’s wedding achieved the highest ever ratings for the show and is still one of the highest rating soapie episodes ever in Australia.
In October 1986, Neighbours was picked up by the BBC, which initially gave the show a low-profile daytime slot. But viewers, attracted to the sunshine, cheerful characters and leafiness of Ramsay Street, which offered a stark contrast to darker British soaps like Coronation Street and EastEnders, started tuning in despite the dodgy timeslot. Teens even started leaving school early to get home in time to catch the show. One young fan, Alison Grade, just happened to be the daughter of BBC executive Michael Grade. She suggested to her dad that the show be moved to a later time and, in January 1988, the BBC did just that. Within weeks of starting in the 5.30pm timeslot (it was also shown at 1.30pm), the little Aussie soapie that could had risen to the top of the ratings. At its peak in the UK, over 20 million people – more than the population of Australia at that time – watched the show, including members of the Royal family. The cast even appeared at the Royal Variety Performance in 1988!
In the beginning, the main families were the Ramsays (after whom the street was named), the Robinsons and the Clarkes, but over the years other families, including the Alessi, Bishop, Kennedy, Hoyland, Gottlieb, Hancock, Rebecchi, Scully, Stark, Timmins and Willis clans, have moved in and out of the cul-de-sac.
Over the years, the show has seen its fair share of births, deaths and marriages along with murders, affairs, mysterious disappearances and sudden reappearances, plane crashes, people being trapped in burning buildings (which apparently never have working fire exits) and that old soapie staple, amnesia. In 2005, Neighbours celebrated its 20th anniversary with an episode featuring many former cast members
Thank you for this detailed history Grayeme. It is very interesting.
Isn't it something how one station might give up on a show, and yet the people wish it to continue, and support it when it is in the right time slot?
It seems to me, most shows I enjoy end up being canceled.
Thank goodness this one was saved and now we get to see Andre as an actor.
Same here Sally, I am obviuosly totally out of step with what is considered good television. I have 8 "free to air" television stations and about 100 on Pay TV and most of my TV time is still spentwatching DvD's. The "Reality" TV shows do nothing for me I am afraid.
Half our TV shows are about "How To Look After Your Animals" and the other half are about "How To Cook Them".