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90s Neighbours star has barely aged a day 27 years after soap role

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She became a lads
She became a lads' mag favourite after leaving Erinsborough in 1997

SHE captivated Neighbours fans in the mid nineties as feisty Joanna Hartman.

Nearly three decades later, Aussie actress Emma Harrison is wowing all over again, this time due to her ageless good looks.

Ex-Neighbours star Emma Harrison is looking great at 50 eiqrkihqidrprw
Ex-Neighbours star Emma Harrison is looking great at 50Credit: Seven
Emma played Joanna Hartman in the Aussie soap
Emma played Joanna Hartman in the Aussie soapCredit: Seven

The TV star, now 50, appeared on Australia's The Morning Show this week and opened up about hitting the milestone age.

She said: "I'm super excited to be 50.

"For many years, women have been invisible once they turned 50. But I want to encourage women to celebrate it.

My life is being made hell by nightmare neighbour's pet - nothing is being doneMy life is being made hell by nightmare neighbour's pet - nothing is being done

"Wear what you want, do what you want. Just be happy and enjoy this time of your life."

Emma was nominated for an Inside Soap Award as best newcomer back in 1996.

She arrived in Erinsborough in 1995 to meet half-sister Annalise, but her sibling took some convincing that they were related.

They eventually grew close and went into business together, however, Joanna nearly jeopardised their relationship when she struck up a romance with Annalise's ex-fiancé Mark Gottlieb, becoming obsessed with him in the process.

Needless to say, the relationship didn't stand the test of time, but Mr Right was just around the corner in the form of Rob Evans.

Businessman Rob employed Joanna as his personal trainer but quickly became smitten with her.

The couple tied the knot following a rocky build up to the big day and afterwards Joanna struggled with Rob's regular business trips.

Despite this, she followed him to Europe for a new adventure but the relationship broke down and she returned alone months later.

It wasn't the end of the story though. After retrying the dating game, Joanna realised she still hadn't got over Rob and they rekindled things after exchanging love letters.

In 1997 Emma once again left Erinsborough, determined to make things work with Rob.

I was a Neighbours star and now my life in unrecognisable in a tiny Welsh townI was a Neighbours star and now my life in unrecognisable in a tiny Welsh town

After leaving the soap Emma's career took an X-rated turn and she modelled for Playboy. She got paid a huge sum to strip off for the mag and recorded a special for Playboy TV in a bid to lose her good-girl image born from the soap.

She went on to pose for British lads’ mags including FHM, Loaded and Maxim.

Emma's had some minor film roles over the years including as a slave girl in Mission:Impossible, a part in the Coen Brothers' Intolerable Cruelty and as Nicola in Jean Claude Van Damme cult favourite Street Fighter.

Since becoming a mum a decade ago Emma hasn't acted, but a return is on the cards.

She told The Morning Show: "At [radio presenter] Bianca Dye's 50th...a lovely agent approached me and said 'Emma, are you still acting?' and I said no.

"And she said, 'Well you know what, you should, because there's tonnes of roles for women your age.' So that's how it all started again."

Emma was nominated for an Inside Soap Award in 1996
Emma was nominated for an Inside Soap Award in 1996
Emma became a lads' mag favourite after Neighbours
Emma became a lads' mag favourite after NeighboursCredit: Instagram
The star wanted to ditch her good girl image on leaving the soap
The star wanted to ditch her good girl image on leaving the soapCredit: Rex

Dan Cain

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