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Dee Bliss

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Dee Bliss
Neighbours character
Portrayed byMadeleine West
Duration2000–2003, 2017-
First appearance3 February 2000
ClassificationFormer; regular (returning)
Introduced byStanley Walsh (2000)
Jason Herbison (2017)
In-universe information
OccupationNurse
FatherJohn Bliss
MotherMagda Bliss
SistersCecile Bliss
HusbandDarren Turner (1997)
Toadfish Rebecchi (2003)
GrandmothersNancy Bliss

Dione "Dee" Bliss is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Madeleine West. The actress received the role three days after securing an agent. West deferred her law degree studies to take the part. She made her first screen appearance during the episode broadcast on 3 February 2000. The character proved popular with viewers and producers soon promoted her to the main cast. West decided to leave Neighbours at the end of her contract in 2003. She filmed her final scenes in April and Dee made her last appearance on 29 July 2003. West reprised her role in September 2016 and will make her on-screen return in 2017.

Casting

West was enrolled in university studying law, when she decided to try acting and found an agent. She secured the role of Dee three days later.[1] West said "It happened pretty quickly. I got the agent, then I went to the audition for Neighbours and luckily I got the part. I know it doesn't always happen that quickly for people, so I consider myself fortunate."[1] West then deferred her law degree studies after she was offered the role.[2][3] Dee became an audience favourite, so the Neighbours producers decided to make her a regular cast member and offered West a new contract.[1]

In July 2002, West was struck by a bus. She needed re-constructive plastic surgery and was written out of Neighbours.[4] West returned to the show a month later and said she was pleased to be back, but found it to be tiring.[4] She said, "It was actually really good because it felt so nice to be back at work and to be not just lying in bed and doing nothing. It was so good to see everyone, so that really kept me occupied. But, I found that weekend that I just crashed and burned."[4]

In March 2003, West announced that she was to leave Neighbours after her contract expired.[5] She filmed her final scenes in early April.[6]

On 15 September 2016, Tiffany Dunk of News.com.au reported that West had reprised her role thirteen years after Dee's supposed death.[7] West returned to filming that same week, with the role continuing through to January 2017.[8] Of her decision to return, West stated "It is a very rare and wonderful thing when an actor has the opportunity to step back into the shoes of a character they created, even more so when that character had not been seen for some 13 years, and was one as beloved as Dee Bliss. For me, this return to Neighbours is something of a homecoming, to the place where I took my first tentative steps into the entertainment industry, and where I truly learnt my craft."[8]

In an interview with Daniel Kilkelly of Digital Spy, West said she had been asked to return to the show several times, but she had always been busy with her family and other acting work.[9] When Dee and Toadie's wedding was voted viewers' second favourite Neighbours storyline for the 30th anniversary, West felt "honoured" and thought her return would be a chance to give something back to the fans, as well as allow her the chance to finish Dee's story.[9] It was important to West that Dee's return storyline was plausible and while she was not initially aware of all the details, she thought that it was "really topical" and "juicy".[9] She also speculated that Toadie would go through a range of emotions upon seeing Dee, including remorse and happiness. She continued, "There's going to be some really interesting and hard-hitting scenes for us both to play, along with everyone else in Ramsay Street who will feel the repercussions of Dee's return."[9] West added that she would be filming for "a reasonable chunk of time" and that "the door is always left open..."[9]

In the 2016 season finale episode, Toadie was shown a photograph of a woman that looked like Dee, leaving him with the possibility that Dee is alive. A trailer showcasing upcoming storylines showed Toadie appearing to meet Dee face to face.[10]

Storylines

Dee and her friend Vanessa Bradshaw (Julieanne Tait) are in a bar when Joel Samuels (Daniel MacPherson) and Toadfish Rebecchi (Ryan Moloney) begin flirting with them. Joel pretends to be an Argentine football player, while Toadie pretends to be his agent. The girls play along with the charade, but after the truth is revealed Dee and Joel begin dating. Dee later moves onto Ramsay Street. The couple continue to play practical jokes on one another. This comes to a climax when Joel fakes a letter from a noted art gallery, asking to put on an exhibition of Dee's work. He enlists his friend Malcolm Kennedy (Benjamin McNair) to pose as a distant relative, who is interested in Dee's paintings. Upon finding out that it was a joke, Dee breaks up with Joel.

Dee begins a relationship with local doctor Darcy Tyler (Mark Raffety). She soon finds out Darcy is having an affair with her best friend, Teresa Bell (Krista Vendy) and breaks up with Darcy. Dee finds out she is pregnant with Darcy's child. While she is spending time with Toadie, who is washing his car, Dee slips and falls on the driveway. Toadie rushes her to hospital, where Karl Kennedy (Alan Fletcher) breaks the news that Dee has miscarried. Toadie blames himself, but Dee is forgiving. Dee and Tess repair their friendship and Dee reconciles with Joel. The relationship does not last, as Joel leaves on a diving expedition.

Stuart Parker (Blair McDonough) moves into Number 30 and begins a relationship with Dee. It soon ends when Stuart's ex-girlfriend, Tracey Slattery (Christine Wools), follows him to Erinsborough. After a failed relationship with Stuart's army friend Ray Milsome (Tom Meadmore), Dee realises she has feelings for Toadie and they eventually begin dating. Darcy conspires to break them up; first by claiming to have turned over a new leaf and then by playing them off against each other by pretending to be a sensitive confidant to Dee, and a drinking buddy for Toadie. Darcy's plan is successful and he pays Sindi Watts (Marisa Warrington) to date Toadie.

Dee and Toadie eventually reconcile and they get engaged. In the lead up to the wedding, Dee clashes with Toadie's mother Angie Rebecchi (Lesley Baker) and becomes a bridezilla. Dee and Toadie marry in front of their family members, friends and neighbours. As they are driving off together to their honeymoon destination, Toadie and Dee take their eyes off the road to kiss, causing their car to veer off a cliff and crash into the sea. Toadie manages to escape, but Dee's body is never recovered despite efforts from rescue teams.

Reception

For her portrayal of Dee, West earned a nomination for Most Popular New Female Talent at the 2001 Logie Awards.[11] In June 2002, Dee came fifth in a poll run by Newsround to find viewer's favourite Neighbours character. She received 9.37% of the vote.[12] Jim Schembri of The Age said Dee was "Ramsay Street's reigning blonde beauty."[13] While the Newcastle Herald called her "effervescent."[14] The BBC said Dee's most notable moments were "When Darcy discovered she was secretly pregnant to him and had lost the child" and "Being killed on her wedding day."[15]

The episode featuring Dee's death earned writer Shane Porteous the Australian Writers' Guild award for Best Episode in a Television Serial in 2003.[16] In 2007, Australian newspaper the Herald Sun placed Dee's death from the car accident at number three on their list of Neighbours Top Ten moments.[17] They said, "One of the more dramatic deaths was of Dee, played by Madeleine West. One of the soap's most loved characters, Toadie, was having the time of his life after marrying Dee, but tragedy struck as they drove off to their honeymoon, probably in Mildura. As Toadie leaned over to kiss Dee, he lost control of the car and drove off a cliff into the ocean. Toadie managed to get out of the car, but despite his anguished search, Dee's body was never found".[17] The Daily Telegraph placed Dee and Toadie's wedding at number nine on their list of "Top 10 TV weddings".[18] They said, "Happiness turns to tragedy when Toadie (Ryan Maloney) and Dee (Madeleine West) drive off a cliff on their wedding day and she is killed. He watches as her veil drifts away in the wind."[18]

Sarah Megginson of SheKnows placed Dee and Toadie's wedding and her death on her list of "Most Memorable Neighbours Moments".[19] She said viewers "beamed when the wedding celebrant announced that Dee and Toadie were married", but knew something was about to happen.[19] She added "Toadie lost control of the car. They fly off a cliff and plunge into the ocean below ... and Toadie loses his bride mere hours into their marriage."[19]

Daniel Kilkelly of Digital Spy expressed his surprise at Dee's return, saying "it's the Neighbours news we never thought we'd hear and we couldn't be more excited about it".[8] He added "we can hardly believe it either, if we're honest."[8]

References

  1. ^ a b c Herbison, Jason (2002). "The Inside Interview: Madeleine West". Inside Soap.
  2. ^ "Series 1 Cast – Madeleine West – Danielle". STV. 20 November 2009. Retrieved 1 January 2011.
  3. ^ Devlyn, Darren (2 December 2009). "Madeleine West plays a hooker in Satisfaction". Herald Sun. Retrieved 1 January 2011.
  4. ^ a b c "Neighbours star back after being hit by bus". Breaking News.ie. 4 August 2002. Retrieved 1 January 2011.
  5. ^ Randall, Tim (1 March 2003). "Soap gossip..." Daily Record. Retrieved 7 March 2011.
  6. ^ Miller, Kylie (10 April 2003). "Networking". The Age. Retrieved 26 May 2011.
  7. ^ Dunk, Tiffany (15 September 2016). "Madeleine West to reprise role of Ramsey Street's Dee Bliss, despite onscreen "death"". News.com.au. Retrieved 15 September 2016.
  8. ^ a b c d Kilkelly, Daniel (15 September 2016). "Neighbours reveals one of its biggest comebacks ever as Dee Bliss returns from the dead". Digital Spy. Retrieved 15 September 2016.
  9. ^ a b c d e Kilkelly, Daniel (16 September 2016). "Neighbours spoilers: Madeleine West answers all our burning questions on Dee Bliss's return". Digital Spy. Retrieved 24 November 2016.
  10. ^ Dainty, Sophie (2 December 2016). "Neighbours releases an amazing new promo teasing Toadie coming face to face with Dee". Digital Spy. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  11. ^ Courtis, Brian (22 April 2001). "Time for hottest show in town". The Age. Retrieved 26 May 2011.
  12. ^ "Fave Neighbours character". Newsround. 13 June 2002. Retrieved 28 November 2010.
  13. ^ Schembri, Jim (24 July 2003). "Tuesday". The Age. Retrieved 26 May 2011.
  14. ^ Barnier, Linda; Doherty, Ben (18 June 2002). "Bus-ted and bruised". Newcastle Herald. Retrieved 26 May 2011.
  15. ^ "Character: Dee Bliss". BBC. Archived from the original on 15 April 2004. Retrieved 15 December 2011.
  16. ^ "Winners 1968–2006" (PDF). Australian Writers' Guild. Retrieved 18 February 2011.
  17. ^ a b "Your all-time favourite moment". Herald Sun. 11 July 2007. Retrieved 11 June 2010.
  18. ^ a b "Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan's wedding on Neighbours is the No.1 television wedding". The Daily Telegraph. 2 November 2009. Retrieved 1 January 2011.
  19. ^ a b c Megginson, Sarah (14 October 2009). "8 Most Memorable Neighbours moments". SheKnows Entertainment. Archived from the original on 18 January 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2011. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
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