Stefan Dennis (born 30 October 1958) is an Australian actor and singer best known for playing the role of cold-hearted and ruthless businessman Paul Robinson in the soap opera Neighbours from its first episode on 18 March 1985. He departed Neighbours in 1992 before returning for a short stint in 1993. He then returned in late 2004 and played the character up until the show's ending in 2025. During his time away from Neighbours he was a cast member of British soap opera River City produced by BBC Scotland and set in Glasgow, Scotland playing Doctor Marcus McKenzie. He is also known for his 1989 single "Don't It Make You Feel Good", which reached Number 16 in the Irish and UK Singles Chart.
Early life Dennis was born in Tawonga, Victoria but moved with his family to the Gold Coast when he was an infant and grew up in the coastal city where he attended Southport State High School throughout his upbringing. While on the Gold Coast, he developed a passion for the performing arts and made his acting debut at 11 years old in a local amateur theatre production of Oliver!. He would also regularly perform in a vocal group with his brother at local weddings and charity events throughout the Gold Coast. At 16 years of age, Dennis left school and began a chef's apprenticeship that would last five years. Upon completion of his culinary training he moved from the Gold Coast to Melbourne in hopes of pursuing a career in the entertainment industry.
Career Dennis started out in guest roles on programmes such as Cop Shop, Skyways, Carson's Law, Young Ramsay, Prisoner, Home, The Henderson Kids, The Sullivans, The Young Doctors and Sons and Daughters and many others. He had a major role in The Henderson Kids, a co-lead in an ABC children's show called Infinity Limited, and he co-starred in The Flying Doctors mini-series as Young Doug. In 1984, he auditioned for the roles of Shane Ramsay and Des Clarke in a new soap opera, Neighbours where he was later cast as Paul Robinson instead.
After 12 years in the UK, Dennis was planning to return to Australia when he was offered the role of Dr Marcus McKenzie in Scottish soap opera River City. He accepted the six-month role, as he felt it was too good an opportunity to miss. He then worked on the Sky One sports drama Dream Team for a year, as well as The Bill, and Casualty. He also returned to Australia from time to time, where he made a number of guest appearances in shows such as Blue Heelers, Good Guys Bad Guys, and Stingers.
Dennis was part of the team that set a new world record in 1995 for 24-hour endurance outdoor karting. The team, which also included David Brabham, Russ Malkin, and Steve Malkin, set the record of on a track at Brooklands in Surrey on 24 and 25 February 1995 using a Playscape Pro Racing 160cc Zip kart. The record was authenticated by Autosport Magazine for Guinness World Records. While in the UK, Dennis became a partner in the production company Lex Film Entertainment,
After his River City character was killed-off, Dennis and his family returned to Australia. He re-joined the cast of Neighbours at the end of 2004, intending to only appear for two weeks, but stayed on as a series regular until the serial's cancellation. He is the only current cast member who appeared in the first episode, although not the longest serving due to his long break. Of his role in Neighbours, Dennis has said that people struggle to tell the difference between himself and the character and "shy away" from him because "they think I'm going to bark at them". He has conceded that it could be a testament to his acting and says "It's a real compliment though, as people know the character that well, they actually think I am like him in real life". Although his character has a prosthetic leg, Dennis does not, and he admitted that he looked forward to not having to walk with a limp once the show finished production.
In 2009, Dennis was stalked by two fans while presenting the Best Villain award at the British Soap Awards. He hosted a documentary special celebrating Neighbours 30th anniversary titled Neighbours 30th: The Stars Reunite, which aired in Australia and the UK in March 2015. In 2018, Dennis appeared in the recurring role of Michael Armstrong QC in the sixth series of Wentworth. Dennis appears in the 2023 New Zealand thriller film Home Kills.
In August 2025, Dennis was announced as a contestant on the twenty-third series of Strictly Come Dancing. He was partnered with Dianne Buswell. Dennis was unable to perform during Movie Week on 11 October 2025 due to illness. Dennis withdrew from the show on 20 October after he tore his calf. He expressed his devastation about having to leave the competition prematurely, adding "I owe both the Strictly family and Dianne a massive debt of gratitude for giving me the opportunity to fulfil my dream of being able to dance with my wife. (When my leg is better). Fun fact for all the avid Neighbours fans... it's the same leg!"
Music In 1989, Dennis started a side-line music career, and released the single "Don't It Make You Feel Good", which reached No. 16 in the UK Singles Chart,UK charts Search "Stefan Dennis" in May of that year. He released a second single, "This Love Affair", which reached No. 67 in the UK in October 1989.
In 2013, Dennis sang and appeared as Santa Claus in the music video for his Neighbours co-star Alan Fletcher's song "If You Want a Happy Christmas".
Personal life Dennis' older brother, John, was killed by a drunk driver at the age of 12. Of the sentencing, Dennis has said: "That driver was fined just $50 for what he did. And that same weekend someone who killed a koala at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary got fined $200. So... well, that's hard".
Dennis was married to model and The Price Is Right hostess Roz Roy. They met when they were teenagers on the Gold Coast, where Dennis was undertaking an apprenticeship as a chef. After marrying, they moved to Melbourne so Dennis could pursue acting work. In 1989, after eleven years together, Dennis and Roy confirmed that they had separated. Dennis admitted that his heavy workload played a part in their separation.
Dennis previously dated Natalie Imbruglia and Gayle Blakeney in the 1990s while they were co-starring on Neighbours with him. He married Gail Easdale at Borthwick Castle in May 2000. They met while they were performing in a pantomime in London. They have three children. Easdale later appeared alongside Dennis in Neighbours as Julie Quill.
Filmography
Television Date Title Role Notes 1978 Cop Shop Giovanni Morelli Episode 75 1979 Skyways Richard Episode: "Deborah Loves Jim" 1979–1980 Prisoner Shayne Berkley / Spike Guest roles 1979–1981 Cop Shop Steve / Booking Clerk / Francis Allen Turner / Vincent Cahill Guest roles 1980 Young Ramsay Sid Atkinson Episode: "Gift Horse" 1981 The Sullivans Soldier Guest role 1981 Prisoner Peter Richards Recurring role 1983 Home Paul Episodes 29 & 30 1983 Infinity Limited Rick Main cast 1985 Five Mile Creek Boy No. 2 Episode: "The Best of Mates" 1985 The Flying Doctors Doug Hennassy Miniseries 1985 The Henderson Kids Terry Episodes: "Broken Lights and Broken Dreams: Part 1 and 2" 1985–1993, 2004–2025 Neighbours Paul Robinson Series regular 1996 The Office Nigel Television film 1997 World Fun Stefan C Dyson 1997 Blue Heelers Colin Docker Episode: "Poetic Justice" 1998 Good Guys, Bad Guys Andy Caesar Episode: "Don't Cry for Me Arch 'n' Tina" 1999 Stingers Snr. Com. Karl Hiller Episode: "Nothing Personal" 2001–2002 Dream Team Samuel Irving 2002–2003 River City Dr. Marcus McKenzie 2002 Casualty Mark Christie Episode: "Innocence" 2003 The Bill Gene Bishop Episode: "Laid to Rest" 2014 Neighbours vs Zombies Paul Robinson Webseries 2015 Neighbours 30th: The Stars Reunite Himself Documentary 2015 Shaun Micallef's Mad as Hell Bob Hawke Episode: #5.2 2015 Footballer Wants a Wife The Voice Miniseries 2016 Neighbours: Summer Stories Paul Robinson Webseries 2017 Neighbours vs Time Travel Paul Robinson Webseries 2017 Neighbours: Mrs Robinson Paul Robinson Webseries 2018 Wentworth Michael Armstrong Recurring role2025 Strictly Come DancingHimselfContestant; series 23
Films Year Title Role Notes 1984 Channel Chaos Cameraman Feature film 2004 The Truth About Love Douglie Feature film; also associate producer 2021 Apparitions Tom 2023 Home Kills Woods
Theatre Year Title Role Location / Co. 1978 Yertabulti Victorian regional tour with Arena Theatre Company 1990 Babes in the Wood Liverpool Empire Theatre, UK with B.C.C. Productions 1990–91 Robin Hood Lead Liverpool Empire Theatre, UK with B.C.C. Productions 1991–92 Aladdin Abanazar Mayflower Theatre, Southampton, UK with E&B Productions 1992–93 Cinderella Buttons Bournemouth Pavilion, UK with E&B Productions 1993 Whose Life is It Anyway? Lead Theatre Royal, Bath & UK tour with E&B Productions 1993–94 Jack and the Beanstalk Jack Trot Wimbledon Theatre, UK with E&B Productions 1994 Blood Brothers Mickey Comedy Theatre, Melbourne, Her Majesty's Theatre, Sydney 1994 Blood Brothers Mickey New Zealand tour (also director) 1994–95 Peter Pan Peter Pan Grand Theatre, Blackpool, UK 1995 Blood Brothers Mickey West End & UK tour 1995 Point of Death Simon Cable UK tour with E&B Productions 1997 Murder by Misadventure Paul Riggs Connaught Theatre, Sussex, & UK tour 1998–99 Aladdin Abanazar The Playhouse, Weston-super-Mare, UK 2000 Fool for Love Eddie Dynamic Earth, Edinburgh, Scotland 2007 Aladdin Abanazar His Majesty's Theatre, Aberdeen, Scotland 2009–10 Cinderella Dandini Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, UK 2015 Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune Marlon (voiceover) Fortyfivedownstairs, Melbourne 2022–23 La Cage Aux Folles Edouard Dindon The Concourse, Sydney 2023 Neighbours: The Celebration Tour UK tour
References
External links Official Stefan Dennis Website
Photographs of Dennis as Paul Robinson