Kyle Canning is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Chris Milligan. The actor successfully auditioned for the six-week recurring role of Kyle and he made his first on screen appearance on 26 November 2008. Milligan was later asked back every couple of months to do a few weeks filming. After eighteen months of playing Kyle on a part-time basis, Milligan was given a full-time contract deal and he and his character were promoted to the regular cast. Milligan said he was ecstatic about his promotion and looked forward to developing his character further. In August 2011, Milligan had to be written out of Neighbours temporarily so he could recover from an injury he sustained off screen.
Kyle was initially portrayed as an immature bad boy, whose physical presence made him fall into the role of a bully. However, his low academic intelligence made him vulnerable to people smarter than himself. A traumatic accident and his struggle to secure employment changed Kyle's ways. The character has been described as a larrikin, good hearted and laid back. Following his promotion to the regular cast, the show's writers gave Kyle some character traits similar to Henry Ramsay (Craig McLachlan). Like Henry, Kyle becomes the handyman of Ramsay Street and he later opens his own business, which brings him into contact with many of the street's residents.
Kyle's storylines have often focused on his various relationships and jobs. Kyle engaged in a brief relationship with Natasha Williams (Valentina Novakovic) and developed a crush on Kate Ramsay (Ashleigh Brewer). He later entered into a casual relationship with Jade Mitchell (Gemma Pranita), which turned serious. Following Jade's departure, Kyle began dating Georgia Brooks (Saskia Hampele) and they later married. Other storylines for Kyle have seen him blackmailed by a corrupt police officer and temporarily damaging his eyesight by looking at the sun during an eclipse. Milligan chose to leave Neighbours in 2015 and Kyle departed on 8 April 2016 with Georgia. He made a brief return from 15 to 20 September 2016, and returned to the cast full-time on 2 April 2019. Milligan and Zima Anderson, who plays Kyle's wife Roxy Willis, departed the serial on 5 May 2022. Milligan returned as part of the serial's final episodes. The character has been well received by critics and Milligan was nominated for Best Daytime Star at the Inside Soap Awards in 2012 and 2014.
Casting On 20 October 2008, a reporter for The Courier-Mail announced Milligan had landed a recurring role on Neighbours. The actor won the part of Kyle following a successful audition. Milligan said securing the role had made moving away from his family and relocating to Melbourne worth the sacrifice. He made his first screen appearance as Kyle on 26 November 2008. In March 2011, Milligan revealed to TV Week that he initially had a six-week guest role as Kyle, but he was then asked back every couple of months for a few weeks' filming. After eighteen months of playing Kyle on a part-time basis, Milligan was promoted to the regular cast and given a full-time contract deal. His promotion came as the show lost two male cast members; Erin Mullally and Scott McGregor. Milligan told Daniel Kilkelly of Digital Spy that he was "ecstatic" when he heard about his promotion and quipped "Kyle had been a guest character for nearly three years so it's great to be full-time now and to be able to evolve the character."
On 9 August 2011, Milligan snapped his Achilles tendon while playing football and had to be written out of the soap. The actor took a break from Neighbours for around five weeks and the writers were forced to rewrite scenes which featured his character. Executive producer Susan Bower said "We've rewritten some scenes which explain Kyle's absence, and as a former nurse, I'll be monitoring his rehabilitation." A few days later, it was announced Luke Pegler had joined the cast to fill in for Milligan and take over a planned storyline for his character. On 13 September 2011, a Channel 5 writer reported Milligan had returned to the set in time to film the final episodes of the 2011 season. Milligan was still using crutches and a writer for the Herald Sun said his injury would be worked into his storylines. Of his return, Milligan said "After a month of virtually sitting on the couch, I'm rapt to be back at work. I just have to pace myself a bit."
Development Characterisation
When Kyle first joined Neighbours, he was an immature "bad boy", who often hung around with school bullies, Justin Hunter (Chris Toohey) and Shane Gregory (Ryan Bate). Channel 5 said Kyle's physical presence made him fall easily into the role of a bully and eventual group leader, but his low academic intelligence made him vulnerable to people smarter than himself. Following a traumatic rafting accident on a school trip and his struggle to find employment, Kyle decided to change as he did not want to be the same person anymore. Milligan said his character had a "good heart" and that he was forced to learn things for himself, as he had not had the right people around to show him the way. Kyle has been described as being a "trouble maker", a larrikin and "loveable-but-slightly-hopeless." The official Neighbours website said Kyle was the "local hottie", who was hard to take seriously, though his heart was in the right place. Kyle was also a "good-time guy", who developed a thirst for adventure.
Shortly before Kyle's promotion to regular character was announced, TV Soap reported the Neighbours writers were going to give Kyle some Henry Ramsay-like traits. Of this, executive producer Susan Bower explained "He was at school with the gang and he's been back and forwards quite a lot, and we certainly feel that he has a future for the show - in much the same way as Henry Ramsay was sort of the handyman around the place. We've got some good plans for him." Kyle has been employed at both Charlie's and Erinsborough Motors, but he had dreams of opening his own handyman business. During an interview with Digital Spy in June 2011, Milligan revealed Kyle would eventually start his own handyman business, which would bring him into contact with all of the Ramsay Street residents. Kyle later became involved in a storyline that saw his business threatened by the development of a new shopping complex. Milligan said Kyle was "pretty laid-back" and would become an unexpected friend to some of the characters. In August 2011, Bower told Daniel Kilkelly of Digital Spy, that Kyle was a guy with double standards, who "goes out and shags indiscriminately, but the girl he wants to marry has to be an angel." She revealed the writers were going to challenge this aspect of the character.
Family In May 2011, Milligan stated that it would be fun to see some of Kyle's friends and family introduced to the soap. Following an injury in early August, Milligan was forced to take a break from filming and Luke Pegler was brought in and cast as Dane Canning, Kyle's cousin. Dane arrives in Erinsborough to take over Kyle's room at Number 26 and look after his business, while he goes to care for his sick mother. Dane and Kyle have similar personalities and Pegler revealed that he spoke to Milligan about finding "some common ground" for their characters. Pegler stated that Dane and Kyle come from the same place and have developed the same habits. He quipped that they both have "bravado", while being softies underneath. Pegler later commented that Dane has "Canning DNA" and is just as oblivious to things around him as Kyle is. Milligan hoped that Pegler would return as Kyle's cousin as he was "fantastic to work with" and his character was popular with viewers. He added "Now the Canning family is expanding, hopefully that will include a cousin or two coming to stay."
In January 2012, new executive producer Richard Jasek revealed that Kyle's grandmother was being cast and it was later announced that Colette Mann had received the role of Sheila Canning. Sheila comes to Erinsborough to make a surprise visit to Kyle, but after she meets his neighbours and begins to like the life he has, she decides to stay. Of Kyle's relationship with his grandmother, Milligan told a What's on TV writer "The Cannings are a very close, working-class family and his gran rules the roost. He adores her, but also knows that he needs to keep a tight rein on her when it comes to him making his own decisions. She is also quick to judge people." Milligan said that Sheila does not approve of his relationship with Jade Mitchell (Gemma Pranita) as she perceives her "independence as arrogance".
The Canning family was expanded again in late 2012 with the introduction of Kyle's cousin Harley (Justin Holborow). A Channel 5 website writer stated that Harley shares the same good looks as Kyle, but he does not share the same moral compass. Harley turns up in Ramsay Street in the back of a police car, which shocks Kyle. However, in a bid to show how responsible he has become, Kyle decides to take Harley in. He then learns that Harley has been in trouble with the law before and becomes determined to help him.
Relationships Kate Ramsay
In January 2010, Kyle goes on a date with Kate Ramsay (Ashleigh Brewer). Kyle asks Kate whether she accepted his offer because she is trying to make Declan Napier (James Sorensen) jealous, but Kate denies it and tells Kyle she wants to get to know him better. Declan is not happy and when he sees Kate and Kyle together and he sabotages the date. In May 2011, Milligan revealed Kyle has always liked Kate because she is nice and is unlike the other girls he has dated in the past. Milligan said while Kyle like her, he would never push Kate into liking him. When Kyle sees Kate has been hurt by her ex-boyfriend, Mark Brennan (Scott McGregor), he feels protective towards her.
Kyle worries about competing with Mark for Kate's affections, as he is not as intelligent and successful as him. Kyle also knows Kate is very smart, which further dents his confidence. When Mark learns Kyle is interested in Kate, he asks her out, but is later forced to postpone the date. Kyle decides to take advantage of the situation and invites Kate to spend the evening watching films with him. Kate accepts and enjoys the time she spends with Kyle. Mark later accuses Kate of trying to make him jealous and Kate decides to put him behind her, by agreeing to go on an official date with Kyle. When asked who he thought the right woman for Kyle is, Milligan said "That's a hard one. He and Kate would make a nice couple, but I think he needs someone who is going to challenge him."
Natasha Williams Following her split from Andrew Robinson (Jordan Patrick Smith), Natasha Williams (Valentina Novakovic) starts dating Kyle. The following month, she decides to dump him, but to her surprise, Kyle gets there first. TV Soap explained Natasha grows bored of Kyle's company, but Kyle also becomes bored with his younger girlfriend and he "wastes no time severing their ties." Kyle's actions embarrass Natasha and he agrees to let her pretend that she dumped him. She then lies to Andrew that "she's kicked Kyle to the curb", instead of the other way around.
Jade Mitchell