In the latest set of spoiler images, Neighbours has teased the return of an iconic star of the show from the early 2000s.
From 2001-2007 Shane McNamara played hairdresser Gino Esposito and is shown returning next week in scenes alongside Karl and Susan Kennedy.
Gino was the flamboyant owner of A Good Hair Day, the hair salon within the Lassiters Complex that employed Lyn Scully and Janelle Timmins.
The character was originally introduced in 2000 as a guest role, originally played by actor Christopher Uhlman. Gino was written in as a recurring guest character the following year, with McNamara picking up Gino’s scissors.
Gino, whose real name was Ray Murphy, bought the Lassiters salon in 2001, upsetting manager Lyn Scully who had been a long-time rival of Gino. Whilst the pair originally struggled to work together, with Lyn eventually quitting, she returned to the salon and they eventually managed to become good friends with Gino even being godfather to Lyn’s son Oscar.
Remembering that the early 2000s was a very different time, the social landscape of Erinsborough looked very different. Gino was one of the show’s first openly gay characters, although initially his boyfriend, Aaron, was referred to as his housemate. (And no, it wasn’t Aaron Brennan!)
Janet Andrewartha, who played Lyn Scully, sadly passed away earlier this year and Neighbours’ Executive Producer, Jason Herbison, said that he had plans to return Lyn Scully to the show, so we could have had a Gino and Lyn reunion!
In the spoiler images for the episode set to air on Thursday, September 19th, Gino is seen sharing a scene with Susan and Karl Kennedy in the offices of Eirini Rising. Is Gino the complex’s newest resident, or maybe he is getting back into hairstyling at Eirini Rising’s salon?
All will be revealed in the episode set to air next week which, of course, you can stream on Amazon Freevee or Amazon Prime Video from 7am.