RAMSAY Street’s finest are back – but the Neighbours appear to be less good friends.
A sizzling trailer has dropped offering the first look at the Aussie soap’s new chapter after being saved by Amazon Freevee.
And it suggests there are rows, drama and romance to come.
As well as old favourites Toadie, Paul Robinson and Susan and Karl Kennedy, it offers fans the chance to see new arrivals in the famous cul-de-sac including US star Mischa Barton.
Plus the preview shows Hollywood actor Guy Pearce return to his roots as Mike Young, ready for maximum drama when the soap returns to television screens on September 18.
From tongue scraping to saying no, here are 12 health trends to try in 2023
TV Reporter Jess Lester looks at the hints and clues soap fans can glean from the trailer and shares what we know so far.
Susan and Karl in trouble?
WHEN the cameras faded on Ramsay Street last year, Susan and Karl Kennedy looked to have finally settled down.
Yet the new Amazon series could spell trouble for the pair, whose on-off love life has been at the centre of the soap since the 90s.
The first look at the new season sees teacher Susan, portrayed by Jackie Woodburne, and Karl, played by Alan Fletcher, looking tense.
She teases in the trailer: “A lot has happened in the last two years.”
Susan later shouts at her husband: “I am worried about what I will say, and I’m worried there will be no coming back from it.”
It suggests they haven’t put past troubles behind them.
But it looks like there may be some laughs among the turmoil, with the trailer showing a scene where Karl appears in his birthday suit with just a large box covering his modesty.
Smiling awkwardly with the blue gift in front of him, he takes Susan by surprise in the kitchen.
How to de-clutter if you have a beauty stash to last you a lifetime
Since first appearing in 1994, Karl and Susan have been divorced and remarried.
Earlier this year Alan teased a major new plot.
He said: “It’s a big storyline and will involve a lot of people.”
Guy Pearce is BACK!
IT was a huge surprise for fans to see Neighbours legend Guy Pearce appear in the soap’s final episodes last year.
After making his name on Ramsay Street, Guy cracked Hollywood and went on to appear in huge films, but he’s back on the cul-de-sac – for now.
In his most recent scenes, Guy’s character Mike Young confessed his love for “plain Jane super brain”.
They could be taking their relationship to the next level as they seem to be setting a date for a wedding.
Chatting on the phone in the trailer, Jane (Annie Jones), with Guy left, drops a big hint she is the blushing bride.
She teases: “Well, we found a date on the calendar and went for it.”
It wouldn’t be Ramsay Street without a bump in the road, though.
Jane says she has a secret when she and Mike head for a romantic walk in the woods, telling him: “I have been keeping something from you.”
Actor Guy first made audiences swoon when he joined the cast in the 80s, alongside Kylie Minogue.
Last year the movie A-lister returned to Neighbours to rekindle his romance with Jane and confirm that Sam, played by Henrietta Graham, was his daughter.
He has now signed up for more.
What else do we know?
LOVE looks to be blossoming for some of the show’s younger characters.
Mackenzie Hargreaves, played by Georgie Stone, moved in with the Rebecchis at No.30 shortly after arriving at Ramsay Street in 2019.
But the trailer suggests she has caught the eye of a special someone, and the pair are seen enjoying a moonlit swim in one romantic scene.
Meanwhile, Sadie Rodwell, played by Emerald Chan, looks to be caught up helping her police sergeant dad Andrew (Lloyd Will) and mum Wendy (Candice Leask) with a secret investigation.
She’s seen rummaging through one of Ramsay Street’s homes in tense scenes.
A furious Andrew asks his wife: “You got our daughter involved in this?”
Elsewhere, Harold Bishop, played by 83-year-old Ian Smith, keeps his hands firmly gripping the Ramsay Street History Book as he goes through a tough time of his own.
A worried Karl is heard telling his wife: “It’s about Harold,” before a panicked Harold’s voice calls out: “I can’t make it stop.”
Dr Karl legend Alan Fletcher said of the reboot: “It’ll be the same show, but this next season is going to be incredibly exciting.”
Toadie steps back in time
WHEN we last saw Toadie he was celebrating his wedding.
The finale episode saw Jarrod ‘Toadfish’ Rebecchi, played by Ryan Moloney, marry Melanie Pearson, (Lucinda Cowden).
Now the pair have been together for two years and at first they seem loved up.
In the show trailer he promises his new wife: “I will never, ever forget our wedding day.”
Yet just like old times, Toadie still seems to be back and forth to the Kennedys after a long history with the family.
And one visit suggests there may be trouble for the newlyweds, as there’s a hint Toadie’s stay with Susan and Karl is a permanent one.
He jokes: “I’m back! Some things never change.”
Toadie was previously married to Sonya Rebecchi, played by Eve Morey, until the character died of cancer in 2019.
He’s not been the luckiest in love, having also been married to Stephanie Scully, (Carla Bonner) and Dee Bliss (Madeleine West).
And there’s no sign his career is in good shape either.
When we last saw Toadie he was a lawyer representing many of his neighbours, but the trailer offers no hints he’s kept up with it.
Paul Robinson investigates
STEFAN Dennis has played Paul Robinson on the soap since the first episode in 1985, so it’s no surprise he’s back with a bang.
The businessman may have rekindled his marriage with Terese Willis, played by Rebekah Elmaloglou, but he looks engrossed in newcomer Reece (Mischa Barton).
Desperate to discover what she is hiding, he’s seen in the trailer watching CCTV footage of Reece and her love interest getting steamy in the lift at Lassiter’s Hotel.
It then looks tense as he confronts Reece outside the cafe.
Next Stefan is suited and booted as he and his sister Lucy (Melissa Bell) get ready to attend the soap’s mystery wedding.
But teasing he might be the one at the altar, Lucy asks her brother: “You’re not having second thoughts about today, are you?”
Stefan revealed his excitement to return to Ramsay Street last year.
Heartbroken at the thought of it being axed, he said: “The last week was emotional. The studio became a ghost town.
“The thing that broke everyone was when our assistant director had to say the final ‘That’s a wrap’.
“I know it’s only a TV show, but it gets me every time, thinking about it.”
Mischa Barton’s big debut
AMERICAN Mischa Barton has joined Neighbours and the trailer reveals she will play a SPY.
The actress, who made her name on glossy series The OC, will be stirring things up for the Ramsay Street residents as her character Reece Sinclair grows close to Byron Stone, played by Xavier Molyneux.
In the trailer he tells her: “I really do want to know more about you,” before the pair enjoy a date to the beach and a snog in a hotel lift, left.
It’s all going swimmingly until he discovers she has been hiding her identity.
After a passionate night together, Byron holds up some suspicious documents and demands: “Why don’t you tell me who you are?”
Meanwhile, Paul Robinson, played by Stefan Dennis, looks to also have links with the glamorous blonde.
Discovering her secret, the hotelier furiously tells his team: “I want you to find out exactly what she’s been doing since she’s been here.”
When he is asked what he thought was up, he exclaims: “She is a spy!”
It was revealed in May that Mischa would be joining the cast.
She admitted she has never seen the show, but said: “I thought the character of Reece Sinclair was a very good fit.”
