Neighbours is an Australian television soap opera. It was first broadcast on 18 March 1985 and currently airs on digital channel Eleven. The following is a list of characters that appeared in the soap in 2015, by order of first appearance. All characters are introduced by the shows executive producer Jason Herbison. The 31st season of Neighbours began airing from 5 January 2015. Cat Rogers began appearing in the same month, while Michelle Kim, Tyler Brennan and Nick Petrides made their debuts in February. Jimmy Williams, Aaron Brennan and Mary Smith were introduced in June. Russell Brennan arrived during July and Courtney Grixti began appearing from August. September saw Piper Willis make her debut and Shay Daeng was introduced in October. Cecilia Saint was introduced in November.
Cat Rogers
Catriona "Cat" Rogers, played by Maleeka Gasbarri, made her first screen appearance on 19 January 2015. The character's picture was previously seen in the episode broadcast on 28 November 2014, while Gasbarri's casting was announced on 15 January 2015. Gasbarri was cast in the month-long guest role after she was spotted by a Neighbours casting agent at an Australian Film and Television Academy course in Perth. Gasbarri filmed an audition tape in her home town of Dunsborough and sent it into them. She continued, "They said I had gotten the role and had to be there in two weeks to start filming. It was a bit overwhelming, but I was so excited."
Cat is Erin Rogers's (Adrienne Pickering) daughter. She was taken into care when her mother became addicted to drugs. Erin tells Sonya Mitchell (Eve Morey) that Cat does not want to see her, and they only communicate through Facebook. Sonya's husband, Toadfish Rebecchi (Ryan Moloney), sets up a meeting between Cat and Erin, but Cat pulls out at the last minute as she is too nervous. Cat asks for another meeting and turns up early. She bonds with Toadie over BMX bikes and talks with her mother. Cat leaves abruptly when she learns that Erin came to see her cricket matches, but did not speak with her. Erin writes Cat a letter and she returns to see Erin. They bond while playing cricket and when Erin asks Cat to stay a few days, she agrees. However, when Cat turns up she learns Erin has gone. Toadie and Sonya allow Cat to spend the night with them. Cat later asks Sonya and Toadie if she can live with them, as she does not want to stay with her foster parents, who she feels do not want her as they are expecting a baby. Sonya invites Cat's foster mother, Lorraine (Michelle Celebicanin), over to talk. Lorraine convinces Cat that she is wanted and Cat decides to return home. Before she goes, Sonya and Toadie tell her she can visit anytime.
Michelle Kim
Michelle Kim, played by Ra Chapman, made her first screen appearance on 6 February 2015. Chapman finished filming with Neighbours during the week beginning 18 April 2015. Michelle is an associate of "dodgy" businessman Dennis Dimato (David Serafin). Chapman compared Michelle to her role as Kim in prison drama Wentworth, saying she was more toned down, but just as "tough". She continued, "In Wentworth, my character takes the lead while in Neighbours, she is running an illegal car racket and is relentless in getting what she wants. Sometimes a bit scary." Chapman enjoyed playing Michelle, as she evolved to become "tougher and meaner".
When Matt Turner (Josef Brown) starts a new job as a security guard at Dimato Industries, he meets with Michelle, who tells him his duties. Michelle tries to befriend Matt and offers him a dress from surplus stock for his wife. She later calls her boss, Dennis Dimato, to tell him that getting Matt onside will not be hard. Matt quits his job after learning he is working for Dimato, but soon meets with Michelle to ask for it back as he needs the money. He later asks her for extra shifts. Michelle meets Tyler Brennan (Travis Burns) and gives him the details about his new job stripping stolen cars for parts. Michelle later congratulates Tyler for stealing items on a list given to him by Dimato, and she asks him to continue working for them. She exploits his strained relationship with his brother Mark (Scott McGregor) and convinces him to steal cars. When Tyler takes a car that is tracked by the police, Dimato is arrested. When he gets out on bail, he and Michelle buy Fitzgerald Motors to use as a cover for their business. Dimato flees the country and leaves Michelle in charge.
When Bailey Turner (Calen Mackenzie) takes one of the stolen cars, Michelle demands that Tyler steals a replacement or give her $8,000. After learning Paige Smith (Olympia Valance) reported the stolen car to the police, Michelle blackmails her into helping Tyler. He tries to persuade her to leave Paige out of it, but Michelle makes her the new garage assistant. A few days later, Michelle tells Paige that they have drop off some car parts. However, the police, having been tipped off, arrive and Michelle and Paige try to escape. Michelle trips and sprains her ankle, but Paige helps her. At the hospital, Michelle claims she tripped running for the bus. She accepts Paige's plan to run the garage as a legit business. Dimato later returns to town and reunites with Michelle and their group. Tyler tries to run and Michelle suspects he is spying for the police. When the police eventually arrive, Michelle tries to escape, but Paige trips her up with a dustbin and she is arrested.
A few months later, Michelle is released and she asks Mark for help as Dimato is out for revenge against her, Tyler and Paige. Michelle later turns up at Number 24 and tells Paige that she does not feel safe at the caravan park, where the police have hidden her. They bond over family problems and stay in touch via text messages. Michelle asks Paige to meet her, which results in Paige being knocked out and put in a car boot. Michelle later turns up at Paige's house, claiming that Dimato found her and attacked her. Paige lets her stay the night and tries to help, unaware that Michelle is using make-up to fake her bruises, so she can trick Paige into thinking Dimato is after her, as part of a plan to set Paige up for burglary. Dimato later punches Michelle for real during an argument, but despite this she continues with the plan. After renting an apartment in her name for Michelle, Paige discovers the truth when she finds a large number of stolen items in the apartment, and Michelle tips off the police. Paige manages to remove the items before the police arrive, while Paul Robinson (Stefan Dennis) blackmails Dimato into leaving town, after which Michelle also abandons Erinsborough.
Tyler Brennan
Tyler Brennan, played by Travis Burns, made his first screen appearance on 6 February 2015. The character and casting was announced on 3 November 2014. Burns was asked to audition for the part while he was in the United States earlier in the year. Of his casting, he said "When you score a role on a show as iconic as Neighbours, you don't say no. It's especially cool to be joining the show in its 30th-anniversary year. I feel like I've arrived at the perfect time." Tyler is the younger brother of established character Mark Brennan (Scott McGregor). Burns felt an instant connection with McGregor, as they had previously met a few times through their modelling agency, which he felt helped him secure the role. Tyler is a mechanic and was billed as a "badboy-with-a-heart". Melissa Field from TV Week Soap Extra also called him "troublesome" and a "ladies' man".
Nick Petrides
Nick Petrides, played by Damien Fotiou, made his first screen appearance on 19 February 2015. The character and casting was revealed on 20 November 2014, when Fotiou was seen in a behind the scenes video released by Neighbours on their YouTube channel. Nick is Terese Willis' (Rebekah Elmaloglou) brother, who comes to Erinsborough to visit his family. Fotiou said Nick is an oncologist, but he reassured fans that he was not being introduced as part of any health storylines. The actor explained, "It's all about just coming home I think. He just wants to come home." Nick befriended Georgia Brooks (Saskia Hampele), causing her husband, Kyle Canning (Chris Milligan), to dislike him. Fotiou later described Nick: "He is a very interesting character. His intentions are certainly noble, however all is not what it appears and I love the way the story unfolds – there's a lot of surprises." Fotiou had to undergo a small makeover for the part, which involved having his curly hair slicked back to create "a more conservative appearance."
An Inside Soap columnist thought Nick's fake-cancer plot was "dastardly" and added, "we didn't think there were many people around who are more wicked than Paul Robinson – but it seems he's well and truly met his match in Doctor Nick." Louise Rugendyke of The Sydney Morning Herald observed that Nick "seems to be as competent as Dr. Nick on The Simpsons". Daniel Kilkelly of Digital Spy branded Nick "one of the show's most twisted villains". Fotiou reprised his role in 2017 when Nick was reintroduced for Terese's breast cancer storyline. He returned on 31 July.
Nick comes to Erinsborough for an interview at the local hospital with Karl Kennedy (Alan Fletcher). While he is at The Waterhole, Karl introduces Nick to nurse Georgia Brooks. She attempts to tell him about working at the hospital, but he cuts her off as he is trying to send an email. Nick catches up with his sister, Terese, and stays for lunch with her family. Terese's husband, Brad (Kip Gamblin) is uneasy about Nick's arrival and later tells Terese that Nick engineered a meeting between Brad, his former wife and son before their wedding. Terese confronts Nick, who admits that he wanted to see if Brad was faithful to her. Nick befriends Paul Robinson (Stefan Dennis) and decides to accept the job at the hospital. During a function at Paul's penthouse, Chris Pappas (James Mason) chokes on some food and Georgia saves his life. When Nick questions Georgia as to why she did call for his help, she calls him arrogant. Nick makes a bet with Paul that he can have sex with Georgia, even though she is married. Nick gets closer to Georgia when he asks for her help with fundraising ideas. He gives her tickets to the ballet as a gesture of thanks and accompanies her when her husband is busy with work. Nick later asks Georgia to a conference in Hobart, but Georgia overhears him talking about the bet with Paul. He tries to pass it off as a joke, but Georgia pours her drink over him, causing Nick's stutter to return. Paul angers Nick when he informs him that his application for a cancer research centre has been denied. Nick doctors Paul's blood test results and tells Paul that he has leukaemia. Nick begins Paul on a course of chemotherapy.