'She was one of the all-time greats!"

Much-loved A Country Practice and Neighbours star Joan Sydney leaves behind an incredible legacy

Matron Maggie Sloan was a force of nature who could silence a doctor or nurse with M one withering stare at Wandin Valley Bush Nursing Hospital, but Joan Sydney, the brilliant woman who played her, was witty and generous in real life.

Joan's good friend and co-star on A Country Practice, Shane Porteous, 80, opened up exclusively to Woman's Day about working with the "extraordinary actor" on the legendary show, before he turned his hand to writing and also worked with Joan on Neighbours.

"I'm very sad at news of Joan's passing," lamented the actor, who played Dr Terence Elliott on the show that made Joan a household name in Australia after starring in 453 episodes of A Country Practice between 1983 and 1990.

"We hadn't been in touch in the last couple of years but she was an extraordinary actor. She was never out of character. She completely put aside her own personality to play all her characters. I saw her work for Neighbours when I was writing for the show, and her work there was similar.

"She could adopt totally new personalities and you never saw glimpses of her real personality coming through. She was a remarkable actor."

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