NEIGHBOURS ICON TURNS 80!

BIRTHDAY GIRL ANNE CHARLESTON HAS PLENTY TO CELEBRATE

- Craig Bennett

Anne Charleston couldn’t believe her ears when she heard that Neighbours, the iconic show she was part of for 11 years, was rising from the grave after its shock cancellation.

“I was hugely surprised but am really happy for everyone involved,” says Anne, who played Ramsay Street’s feisty, no-nonsense Madge Bishop. “It’s the show that keeps on keeping on – it gets knocked down, and it’s back on its feet.”

New Idea is catching up with Anne at her Melbourne home ahead of her 80th birthday on December 30. Despite the impressive number of candles on her birthday cake, Anne confesses she isn’t really giving the milestone much thought.

“I’ll probably have a lunch with family and friends,” she tells us as she’s joined at our photo shoot by her son, Nick, 53, and 15-year-old grandson Tate.

Nick and Tate live around the corner from Anne, as does Nick’s father, and Anne’s former partner, David Ravenswood.