After her family’s life in a south Sydney waterfront mansion was laid bare in Sylvania Waters – the fly-on-the-wall reality TV series that fascinated Australia and the world back in 1992 – Noeline Baker was forced into hiding.
Now, in an exclusive interview to mark the show’s 30th anniversary, Noeline’s former daughter-in-law, Dione Bilsborough, tells New Idea: “I don’t think any of us really thought about the aftermath.
“I haven’t seen Noeline for many years, but I can’t see that she would have changed. Being the woman that she was, she spoke her truth and if she had an opinion, she would state it. But that was just who Noeline was, I guess.”
SHOCK DEBUT
When we first met Dione all those years ago, she was 21 and living with Noeline’s blond-haired surfie son, Paul Baker, two dogs and a white sulphur-crested cockatoo. Their fibro cottage in Mortdale was just down the road from Noeline and partner Laurie Donaher’s million-dollar mansion.
“Paul and I knew at the time how Noeline was going to be painted during the whole thing,” Dione, now 51, reveals. “It was so obvious to us. The drinking, the smoking and just how Noeline is.
“Unfortunately, it didn’t fare well with viewers at the time.”
Sylvania Waters launched to outrage here and over in the UK (where five million people also watched it), after loud and obnoxiously rich Noeline and Laurie invited the world into a front-row seat to bourbon-fuelled, screaming family arguments.
Denne historien er fra July 25, 2022-utgaven av New Idea.
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Denne historien er fra July 25, 2022-utgaven av New Idea.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
CLOWNING AROUND!
THE GAGLIARDIES PUT THE FUN IN FAMILY
FIGHTS FOR HER JOB!
HER NEW ROLE RUFFLED SOME FEATHERS
'WE'RE ONE AND DONE'
THE WILDLIFE WARRIOR SHARES SOME FAMILY NEWS
CURSE OF DREAMWORLD strikes AGAIN
THE GOLD COAST PARK IS FACING ANOTHER SCANDAL
Seeing RED
SIX RELATIONSHIP RED FLAGS TO BE WARY OF, ACCORDING TO LAWYER CAROLYN DEVRIES
'MUM SAVED THE DAY!'
THEY PAIR ARE SET TO HAVE AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE!
WE THOUGHT WE'D LOSE HIM'
A SIMPLE VIRUS SAW LITTLE RYAN LOSE BOTH HIS LEGS
Getting so ber made me a better man'
Settling in for a candid chat on the porch of his family’s sprawling 100-year-old farmhouse, James Blundell breaks into a warm smile.
Prince Christian's ON ROYAL DUTY!
Denmark’s Crown Prince Christian has enjoyed his first solo royal engagement abroad at the Paris 2024 Paralympics!
3 great ways with DOUGHNUTS
CREATIVE TAKES ON THIS ICONIC SWEET TREAT