THIS ARTICLE REFERENCES THE UNMISSABLE DRAMA THAT OCCURRED DURING THE EPISODE THAT AIRED ON MONDAY 25th DECEMBER 2023
It is Christmas Day on Ramsay Street, the first time we have had a festive visit to Erinsborough since 2019. Whilst the residents begin to celebrate it isn’t a day full of joy for everybody.
It is a lonely day for Paul Robinson. Leo takes Abigail for a quick visit early in the day before retreating, leaving his father alone in the Penthouse. Of course, Paul is not in contact with his other son David, he gave Aaron a gift for Isla to sneak into the pile, an annual pass for the zoo. There is one other visitor for Paul on Christmas Day, Nicolette passes by with a care package of a plated-up Christmas lunch. Whilst the unlikely pair discuss the fact that Paul’s involvement in bribing the council to approve Terese and Jane’s school plans has caused drama, Paul reminds Nicolette that she is far from perfect and he has dirt on her.
“Oh, that’s right, Jane doesn’t know the other reason why you left Erinsborough, does she?”
What secret is Nicolette hiding and why does Paul know about it?
At the Kennedy House, Chloe and Elly join the family along with their houseguest Melanie for Christmas lunch. All is going well until Melanie starts to look back over the last year and what has happened in her life. Seeing the newly engaged couple excited at their future, she realises that the new year will be full of challenges for her. Divorced, alone, facing the consequences of absconding from the UK following her drugs charges, the future doesn’t look bright for Mel. The Kennedys show support, reassuring Melanie that they will be with her every step of the way and she doesn’t have to face the future alone.
Melanie’s momentary spark of hope is thwarted when Karl decides that what everyone needs is a good old-fashioned Christmas song and decides to pick his guitar up… needless to say, Susan is not impressed and Melanie is bought back to tears.
Mel’s day does get better when Nell and Hugo pay her a visit, a reminder that she is loved and still has a place in the lives of her former stepchildren.
The big event of the day is the Christmas pool party at No.32. Whilst the crowd gathers, Holly is uncomfortable seeing Haz and Mackenzie hanging out. She thinks of a way to get Mack away from him and invites Richie Amblin, Mackenzie’s ex, to join them at the party.
As the drinks flow, Richie and Mack reconnect and catch up on what has happened since they split up a couple of years back. As dawn breaks, Mack walks Richie out to the street as he prepares to go home, Mack telling Richie how much she enjoyed spending time with him.
Richie tells Mack that she was his first love and he never stopped caring for her. Misreading the signals, he goes in for a kiss, only to be rejected by Mackenzie. Richie reveals that the only reason he was at the party is because Holly had invited him and said that she was keen to get back with him.
Realising that she had been played by her friend, Mack rushes back into the garden to confront Holly. Their exchange gets progressively more heated until mack decides that she doesn’t want to argue with Holly anymore. As Mack begins to walk away, Holly staggers backwards falling into the pool. Mack leaves, not realising that Holly’s dress is wrapped around the Christmas tree that had fallen in the pool the previous night, trapping her beneath the water.
Holly panics, trying to free herself from the tree. Running out of air, she doesn’t have much time, but no one else is in the garden to see what has happened.
Will Holly survive? Has the rivalry over Haz gone too far?
The next episode of Neighbours is available on Amazon Freevee and Amazon Prime Video from 7am Boxing Day with new episodes dropping every Monday-Thursday on the streaming services.