Actress Charlotte Chimes in on the Cancelled “Neighbors” Storyline and the Show’s Finale!

By Mohit Kamboj On Sep 2, 2022

Spoilers

In this latest instalment of our Neighbours interview series, we get up with Charlotte Chimes to discuss her time spent portraying the contentious character of Nicolette Stone on the show.

Charlotte reflected on the show’s closure, a scrapped storyline for her character, and fan reactions to Nicolette in an interview with Digital Spy that took place only two weeks before filming finished for the classic Australian soap opera.

How Has the Mood Been on Set Been Throughout the Last Episodes?

“Everyone has been on quite the emotional rollercoaster as a result of it. In comparison to Jackie Woodburne, who plays Susan, and Alan Fletcher, who plays Karl, who have both been there for a significantly longer period of time than I have, I’ve only been there for a little over two years.

“The first disappointment that it was over was followed by the realisation that it had to be accepted. After that, we got together as a group and said, “Let’s make this the best possible finale to the show that we can possibly make.”

“It’s starting to get fairly sentimental, but the reality is starting to set in at the same time.”

Can You Give Us Any Hints About the Season Finale?

“Who’s Coming Back has been made public, but there may be more. A tapestry is the best way to describe the last few episodes. Erinsborough and Neighbours is like a rich tapestry that weaves together the past and the present. I think everyone will be happy with how it all comes together.”

Were You Taken Aback by the Announcement of the Series’ Cancellation?

“Unfortunately, I wasn’t all that surprised by what happened. I was optimistic about the future, just like the rest of my coworkers, not only for myself and everyone else with whom I work but also for the Australian industry as a whole and all of our devoted fans across the world, particularly in the UK.

“But from an economic standpoint, it makes perfect sense. These days, absolutely everyone watches streamers. Because of this, there has been a lot of speculation regarding whether or not Neighbours could be reworked to fit into a streamer, and who knows? Maybe someday it will. Perhaps it will be similar to Neighbours but updated to reflect the modern times in which we live.

How Have the Past Several Months Been Treating You?

“It’s funny, but a couple just stopped me on the street because they knew me from the show. They wanted to say how happy they were that we were on Neighbours and told us we should all be proud that we were on this famous show.

“That seems to sum it up for me. I’m very thankful that I got the part of Nicolette, that I got to work during the pandemic, and that I’m on one of the most famous Australian shows ever made. I can’t think of another show that would have the same effect.”

Do You Feel Relieved That the Group Had Sufficient Time to Finish Things Up?

“Absolutely. The phrase “Thank God we’ve had three months’ notice and it’s not two weeks” was something that I kept repeating to my friends and my coworkers. That would have been the equivalent of tearing the carpet out from under us.

I’m really thankful that the crew has enough time to properly prepare. Everyone usually wishes they had more time, and everyone has been running about like headless chickens in preparation for the conclusion, but thank goodness we had those months.

Any Nicolette-related Plans Become Altered?

“I believe that everything has been going according to plan, but it’s probably been sped up. It’s a shame that a few things that I knew were coming up for her aren’t happening now because I would have loved to have been able to enjoy those stories if they had happened. I knew they were coming up for her because I knew they were coming up for me.

“Nicolette’s dad was planning to visit, but we simply did not have the time to accommodate him. Exploring the relationship between Jane and Nicolette, as well as the impact that their father would have on that, was one of the things I was most looking forward to.

Do You Think Nicolette’s Life Was Cut Short Before It Could Have Reached Its Full Potential?

“The process of making soap is repetitive. I had the good fortune to be in charge of the primary storyline for close to a year, but since last year I’ve taken a more supporting role in the other storylines.

“I would have loved to discuss further topics with Nicolette, such as whether or not she plans to return to the nursing profession. Where do we stand with the father figure? Dating? There were a number of other things that the character could have done, but with the programme coming to an end, maybe that’s just how it has to be.”