TV Week
13th June 1992
Two soaps look at traumatic times facing two young girls…
Teenage Bride
MARRIAGE might be on the cards for her in Neighbours, but Natalie Imbruglia has no intention of being a teenage bride.
“Marriage is the last thing on my mind,” says 17-year-old Natalie.
“I’d never consider getting married at such a young age.
“Serious relationships can happen at 17, but why commit yourself to marriage at that age?
“It’s such a big step to take.”
That’s what Natalie’s character Beth Brennan is planning in upcoming episodes of Neighbours.
Beth shocks Ramsay Street by announcing her engagement to Rod Baker (Chris Lloyds), whom she met on a holiday in Brisbane.
Rod, 40, is old enough to be Beth’s father.
“Relationships like this do happen,” Natalie says.
“For Rod and Beth, it’s love at first sight, but their relationship is not sexual. They fall in love
with the idea of being together.”
Despite protests from the Robinson family, Beth goes ahead and plans for the big day.
“Beth even chooses her wedding dress … well, actually, I chose it,” Natalie says, grinning.
“But you’ll just have to wait and see if Beth walks down the aisle with Rod!”
Story: Mark McGowan
Pictures: Dave Mason
Teenage Mother
WITH blue eyes and blonde hair framing her cherubic face, baby Tamara has captivated the residents of Summer Bay.
And there is no happier screen mother than Home And Away’s Rebekah Elmaloglou, whose character Sophie gave birth to Tamara.
The look of love as Rebekah cradles first Emily and then Chloe, the twins who play Tamara in the Seven Network soap, is genuine.
“I fell in love with the twins the first time I saw them,” Rebekah says. “You get clucky because they’re so beautiful.’’
While the joys of motherhood are to be treasured, the pain of labor sees Sophie utter, mid-contraction: “I want this to stop… I want to go home now!”’
Sophie goes into labor while sitting at the kitchen table flicking through baby magazines with Marilyn (Emily Symons).
Panic sets in at the Fletcher household because the baby isn’t due for a week and Sophie hasn’t even packed for the hospital.
Pippa (Debra Lawrance) had promised to be by Sophie’s side for the big event but is in Yabbie Creek,
and the hand-holding is left to a nervous Michael (Dennis Coard).
“It was actually a very short labor and it turns out to be a fine birth,” Rebekah says. “It was a huge day for me because there were so many scenes where I was having contractions, resting and whatever.
“I was hyperventilating at times and it was hard work. I felt like I really was having a baby. I was exhausted at the end of the day.”
On screen, friction develops between the new mother and Pippa, who swamps Sophie with her own desire to once again be a mother.
“There are storylines with Pippa helping out a bit too much and Sophie freaking out, but the problem is resolved,” Rebekah says.
“Sophie has a real support network with Finlay, Bobby, Lucinda and everyone wanting to help out.”
The baby strengthens Sophie’s memories of its father, David Croft (Guy Pearce), who was killed in a car accident.
“Sophie has been through so much,” Rebekah says. “I think that now she’s got a baby under her arm, she will settle down.
“She finds a job and Pippa ends up looking after the baby while Sophie’s at work.”
Story: Di Stanley
Picture: Tony Merrick
Original content copyright TV Week.