ERINSBOROUGH  -  Janet Andrewartha, who played Lyn Scully in Neighbours, has died at the age of 72. The actress joined the long-running Australian soap in 1999 as the Scully family matriarch. She left the show in 2006 but returned multiple times, last appearing in Erinsborough in 2019. The soap’s official Instagram account paid tribute to the star, with a post reading: “Everyone at Neighbours is deeply saddened by the passing of Janet Andrewartha. “Beloved by viewers for her role as Ramsay Street’s Lyn Scully, Janet will be remembered for her wide body of work, which includes her memorable turn as Reb Keane in Prisoner.” Jackie Woodburne who played Susan Kennedy on the soap called Andrewartha “One of the finest actors of her generation and an extraordinary woman. “Passionate, political, curious, delightfully eccentric, generous and fun. To me she was a steadfast friend for over 45 years. I will miss her every day.”  Stefan Dennis, best known for playing businessman Paul Robinson on Neighbours, said he was: “So very upset to lose the lovely Janet. “She truly was an exceptional actress who was a pleasure work with and to be around. We will all miss you dear girl.”  Janet Andrewartha was also known for her roles in other Australian hits including A Country Practice and Blue Heelers.  

She also had a successful theatrical career, starring in Othello, Jerusalem and All My Sons.

Neighbours was cancelled in 2022 but was revived the following year.

Neighbours launched in 1985 and ran until 2022, when it was cancelled after UK broadcaster Channel 5 decided to drop the show from its schedules.

Unable to find alternative funding, producers announced they had “no option but to rest the show”.

At that point, the series had run for 37 years and broadcast more than 9,000 episodes. However, just four months after its finale was broadcast, Amazon announced it had picked up the show for its streaming service Freevee, and the show was relaunched in September 2023.

Neighbours enjoyed a golden era in the 1980s and 1990s, during which time it developed a cult following, particularly among students, as it was screened on BBC One twice a day (including a repeat). Margot Robbie, Russell Crowe, Kylie Minogue, Jason Donovan, Guy Pearce, Natalie Imbruglia and Holly Vallance are among the stars who appeared in Neighbours early in their careers.