Neighbours spoilers follow.
“Hearing why fans love Neighbours brightens my day,” grins Aussie soap icon Alan Fletcher, aka Karl Kennedy, as he speaks to us in the middle of his UK album tour.
“Everyone’s got their own reasons – for some it’s very personal. People have been through hard times and Neighbours can be a solace.”
What to Read Next
Touring his latest album has been bittersweet for the actor and musician, as fans flock to ask him about the cancellation of the beloved show.
However, Alan beams with pride over the Amazon incarnation of Neighbours and gives us a hint about what’s to come for Karl, including how he might react to Holly’s affair…
Michelle Fredricks
Hi Alan! How is the tour going to promote your new music?
“I’m having a wonderful time getting around the UK, seeing so many fans of my music and fans of Neighbours. It’s a lovely mix. I’m very proud of this new album because it’s cohesive, and it’s got a fascinating array of different types of songs. People are loving that. It’s got some very nice press reviews as well.”
On tour you spend a lot of time meeting your fans. Why do they mean so much to you?
“I wouldn’t have had 31 years of employment if it wasn’t for the wonderful fans watching the show! It’s inspiring to meet people.”
What do you get asked the most when you meet fans?
“At the moment it’s, “Is it really over?” – and I haven’t got anything to offer them, really, in that regard.
“I do talk about Neighbours finishing on the tour and try to give a bit of a positive slant on it too. Because when it first finished in 2022, it was shattering. We had a very successful TV programme, millions of people watched it. Then it was just stopping.
“But the brilliant thing is, when it was picked up by Amazon, the show was rebuilt from the ground up. We got a much better show, I think.”
Prime Video / FremantleMedia Australia
What are your highlights from filming over the past couple of years?
“Mainly the biggest highlight was coming back! Meeting the new cast and having the Varga-Murphys there. There was fantastic diversity in the cast and in the storytelling. Every new character has had the opportunity to inject something different.
“I love the fact that the Rodwell family, who missed out when the show was cancelled, got to come back. We really explored their story and how good they are. There’s a lot to love about where Neighbours has gone. It all comes down to great writing.”
We’ve loved seeing fun times for Karl and Susan lately. Was it nice to show them as stable and together?
“Oh totally! Jackie [Woodburne, aka Susan] and I love working together. They’ve given us some really good stories at the end of our run. The Darcy story has been incredible to play, I’ve loved doing that. And the Holly stuff to come.”
We’ve recently seen Karl and Susan playing dress-up together! How much do you enjoy opening those scripts?
“It’s wonderful – on that particular occasion we contributed to that idea. We thought we could find a funnier way to do it. It was joyful. That’s what makes Neighbours such fun. It’s that variety.”
Prime Video / FremantleMedia Australia
What’s the best thing about working with Jackie?
“We’re so cooperative together. We laugh at the same things, most of the time those are silly things! We’ve got a wicked sense of humour and we help each other.
“When we’re doing scenes and the pace is so fast on the show, sometimes we can feel that a scene isn’t right and the director’s busy doing something else, so Jackie and I will have a quiet word to each other and just advise each other on how we might improve the scene. It’s pretty rare to have that connection with another actor.”
How is Karl going to react if he finds out about Holly’s affair with Andrew?
“Ultimately Karl suffers from a real sense of guilt over not being present enough in his daughter’s life when she was younger. Also, he’s furious with Izzy because she hasn’t been the best mum, either! In a sense he blames himself for what happens to Holly in a lot of ways. I won’t give anything away, but I can promise you that Karl doesn’t take it lying down!”
Did you take any mementoes when filming finished?
“I’m very chuffed because I’ve been gifted Karl Kennedy’s guitar! I did also pinch some tiny things like menus from the pub because I like to give things to some of my fans as memorabilia.
“Of course I took all the pictures from the Kennedy set too. There was a special rock on set painted with ‘Karl and Susan forever’ which I also took!”
Can you tease where we find Karl as we head towards the end of Neighbours?
“A change of direction. He gets involved in another area of work, which eventually ends up being connected to the show’s ending. So I’m quite involved in that process all the way to the end, which is lovely. I had some really great work to be doing.”
For more info on Alan’s tour dates, head to: alanfletcher.net
Neighbours releases new episodes from Mondays to Thursdays for free on Amazon Freevee and Prime Video in the UK and US. In Australia, the show airs from Mondays to Thursdays at 4pm on Channel 10, with a 6.30pm repeat screening on 10 Peach Comedy.
Read more Neighbours coverage on our dedicated homepage
Digital Spy’s new print issue is here! Buy Oasis – Live in ’25 in newsagents or online, now priced at just £8.99.