Quick Read
- Stefan Dennis will say the final line in Neighbours’ last ever episode, airing December 11.
- Neighbours has been cancelled three times; Dennis has left and returned five times.
- Dennis is the only original cast member left, playing Paul Robinson since 1985.
- He is currently training for Strictly Come Dancing 2025.
- Neighbours launched the careers of stars like Kylie Minogue and Margot Robbie.
Stefan Dennis: The Face of Ramsay Street’s Enduring Legacy
When the curtain falls on Ramsay Street this December, one voice will echo through the decades: Stefan Dennis, the last original cast member of Neighbours, will deliver the final line in the iconic Australian soap’s ultimate episode. For fans and casual viewers alike, it’s more than just a scripted goodbye—it’s a moment weighted with nostalgia, history, and a sense of closure that few television characters ever achieve.
On ITV’s Loose Women, Dennis, now 66, shared the scoop that he’s been entrusted with the series’ closing words. It’s a fitting tribute from executive producer Jason Herbison, who explained, “You were in the first episode. It’s just a no-brainer that you have to say the last thing.” Dennis smiled as he recounted the honor—a gesture that seals his place as the soul of Ramsay Street, even as the show faces its third and final axing.
The Journey of a Soap Legend: Surviving Axes and Revivals
Stefan Dennis’s tenure as Paul Robinson isn’t just long—it’s legendary. He’s weathered the soap’s turbulent history, from its Channel 5 cancellation in 2022 to its brief resurrection by Amazon’s Prime Video, and now, the final decision to end the show for good. “It’s the only show in the world, as an ongoing serial, that’s been axed three times,” Dennis reflected, with the wry humor of someone who has seen it all. The actor himself has been written out—and invited back—in dramatic cycles, a testament to both the unpredictable nature of television and the enduring popularity of his character.
In an interview with Australia’s TV Tonight, Dennis revealed, “Unbeknownst to a lot of people, I was actually sacked in 2006 because producers didn’t know what to do with the character anymore, because they’d made him too big. I was actually sacked for about three days before they changed their minds and got me back.” Since then, he’s exited and re-entered the Neighbours universe multiple times, each instance adding a new chapter to the show’s mythos.
Neighbours: The Springboard to Stardom
As Neighbours prepares for its final bow, it’s impossible to overlook the show’s cultural footprint. Ramsay Street has launched the careers of global icons: Kylie Minogue, Jason Donovan, Alan Dale, Margot Robbie, Jesse Spencer, and Russell Crowe all once called the fictional suburb home. For Dennis, sharing the stage with such talent has been a privilege, but his own legacy is singular—he’s the last man standing, the thread that ties together nearly four decades of storylines, heartbreaks, and triumphs.
Kylie Minogue’s rise from Charlene Mitchell to pop superstardom, Jason Donovan’s transition to West End fame, Alan Dale’s eight-year anchoring as Jim Robinson, Margot Robbie’s leap to Hollywood blockbusters—all these stories began in the humble setting of Neighbours. Dennis’s Paul Robinson, meanwhile, became emblematic of the soap’s most memorable arcs, a ruthless businessman whose complexity kept audiences hooked.
Beyond Ramsay Street: New Challenges Await
With filming wrapped on Neighbours’ last episode—set to air December 11—Dennis isn’t fading into retirement. Instead, he’s stepping onto an entirely different stage: Strictly Come Dancing 2025. The transition from soap star to ballroom hopeful is daunting, and Dennis admits he’s “quietly petrified.” “I’m very excited to be doing something completely out of my comfort zone. But because of that, quietly petrified. I’ve got left and right feet but when I look down they’re actually two left ones,” he joked in a recent interview.
Strictly’s line-up offers Dennis a new kind of challenge—one that’s less about dramatic monologues and more about footwork, rhythm, and the relentless glare of live competition. For viewers, it’s a chance to see a familiar face in an unfamiliar context, testing the limits of adaptability and resilience.
A Farewell Etched in Television History
The final episode of Neighbours will be more than a routine send-off. As Dennis prepares to utter the last words, there’s a sense of gravity to the moment. It’s the end of an era—a show that survived multiple cancellations, nurtured generations of talent, and carved out a unique place in television history. For Dennis, the last line is both a personal milestone and a communal one, linking past and present in a way that transcends mere entertainment.
As the credits roll, fans will remember Ramsay Street not just as a backdrop for drama, but as a living world—one shaped by countless stories and anchored by the steady presence of Stefan Dennis. It’s a reminder that, even as the sets are dismantled and the scripts put away, the impact of Neighbours will linger far beyond its final broadcast.
Stefan Dennis’s journey encapsulates the highs and lows of long-running television: resilience, reinvention, and a deep connection to both character and audience. By delivering Neighbours’ closing words, Dennis isn’t just marking the end of a soap—he’s memorializing a chapter in cultural history, one that will continue to resonate as other shows come and go.