Hilary Robinson

Add links
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
This article is about the soap character. For the children's author, see Hilary Robinson (author). For the art scholar, see Hilary Robinson (scholar).

Hilary Robinson
Neighbours character
Former; regular
Created byReg Watson
Introduced by
In-universe information
OccupationLibrarian
Administrator
FamilyRobinson
SonsMatt Robinson
GrandfathersSam Robinson
UnclesJames Robinson
First cousinsJim Robinson
Other relatives

Hilary Robinson is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Anne Scott-Pendlebury. The character first appeared on-screen during the episode broadcast on 25 June 1987. Hilary departed the show on 28 February 1990, following Scott-Pendlebury's decision to quit in 1989. Scott-Pendlebury reprised her role in 2005 for the serial's 20th anniversary episode, and again in February 2015 ahead of the 30th anniversary. Writers established that Hilary is back living in Erinsborough, so she could continue to make sporadic appearances from 2015 until 2023.

Hilary is characterised as a bossy and meddling woman who lacks romance and seeks comfort interfering with her Neighbours' personal lives. Hilary's main storyline was mothering an illegitimate child, Matt Robinson (Ashley Paske). He arrives in Erinsborough to forge a relationship with his birth mother. The character's "hard-edged approach to life" mellowed during the storyline.

Casting

Scott-Pendlebury joined the cast in 1987 for Scott Robinson (Jason Donovan) and Charlene Mitchell's (Kylie Minogue) wedding. The actress commented, "Hilary would then turn up at Christmas and weddings, as annoying relatives do!"[1]

Development

Characterisation

Hilary Robinson was like an older Julie – on the surface, a very nice person who genuinely wanted to help others. But those very do-gooder qualities were what drove everyone up the wall. Hilary was an organiser of other people's lives. She liked to take over and manipulate, always for the other person's "good". Her intentions were the best, but the way she carried them out was often infuriating.

— A Neighbours.com writer on Hilary (2002)[2]

Hilary is characterised as a "stuffy and proper" woman and not an ideal mother figure.[3] Her bossy manner and liking to organise everyone's lives angers other characters. This surprises Hilary because she never sets out to offend others and is not vindictive. She is an honest person which is important to her, though others perceive it as tactlessness.[2] Hilary enjoys meddling in other people's personal lives. She does so because she lacks romance in her own life and does not have male friends. The character does have a neat and attractive dress style, but men become alarmed by her bossy tendencies. Hilary also believes that men only want sex and is wary of any attention.[2]

Introduction and family

Hilary was introduced into the show as the cousin of Jim Robinson (Alan Dale).[4] She arrives in Ramsay Street to attend Scott Robinson and Charlene Mitchell's wedding. Her first storyline saw her nearly exposing the secret that relative Paul Robinson (Stefan Dennis) has married Gail Lewis (Fiona Corke) for business reasons after spying on them.[4] Dennis later recalled the storyline as one of his favourites because "it was just silly, fun stuff to play."[5]

Scott-Pendlebury was invited to join the show's regular cast following the departure of

Ashley Paske) was introduced into the show when he tracks Hilary down. She had become pregnant with Matt following a short romance when she was aged twenty. Hilary rejects Matt because she feels ashamed and fears a negative reaction from her Neighbours. But he decides to stay and convinces Hilary to tell the Robinson family the truth. They go onto create a strong relationship.[3] A writer from Neighbours.com assessed that "her slightly 'hard-edged' approach to life was softened slightly" through her relationship with Matt.[2]

Departure and returns

Hilary stayed in the show for around a year,[1] before Scott-Pendlebury left the series in 1989 at a time many of her fellow cast members left.[7] Her departure from the series was publicised in December 1989. TV Week's Brown reported that producers had decided to "rest" the character with the potential of a future return.[6] Producers sent the character to live in Adelaide.[1]

In April 2005, it was announced that Scott-Pendlebury had returned to make a cameo appearance in the 20th anniversary special episode.[8] On 28 November 2014, it was announced that Scott-Pendlebury had reprised her role as part of Neighbours' 30th anniversary celebrations.[9] Hilary returned on 25 February.[10] Script writers had written Hilary as living back in Erinsborough. Jason Herbison told Daniel Kilkelly from Digital Spy that the move would allow Hilary to continue making appearances in the show.[11] Hilary returned the following year on 5 November 2015.[12] She made further appearances on 10 November 2017,[13] 31 January 2018,[14] and 5 March 2018.[15] The character made a brief appearance in October 2023.[16]

Storylines

Hilary arrives in Ramsay Street to attend Scott and Charlene's wedding. While staying at Number 22, she discovers Paul has married Gail for business reasons and nearly exposes their secret. Hilary interferes with Jim's love life, match-making him with her friend

Edith Chubb (Irene Inescort) is away. She then begins feuding with Joe Mangel (Mark Little) and Kerry Bishop (Linda Hartley-Clark). Kerry becomes enraged by Hilary after she sets up an aviary; Kerry, an animal rights activist, releases the birds and Hilary argues with her. She attempts to save some of the birds, but falls from a ladder. Bronwyn Davies (Rachel Friend
) finds her and saves her life.

Matt is revealed to be Hilary's son. She initially tries to keep it a secret until he blackmails her, telling her he will walk out on her for good, in turn making Hilary publicly reveal him as her son. Hilary begins a relationship with

Kenneth Muir (Roger Boyce); they later split up when he finds out Hilary has been tax evading. Hilary decides to leave Ramsay Street permanently; this angers Paul, after Hilary withdraws her funding of the Robinson Corporation. Hilary suggests Matt come back to Adelaide with her but he decides to stay and she leaves alone. Hilary later makes a cameo appearance in Annalise Hartman's (Kimberley Davies
) documentary. She credits her time living in the street as helping her rebuild her relationship with Matt.

In 2015, Hilary and her friend Janice Stedler (Helen Noonan) go to the Erinsborough community centre for their flu shots, and Hilary complains about the waiting times to Karl Kennedy (Alan Fletcher). She later apologises and explains that she is unhappy about the mayor cutting community services to help fund the Erinsborough Festival. When the mayor, Paul, turns up to talk about the festival with a journalist, Hilary interrupts to say she is a victim of his budget cuts. Paul takes Hilary back to his apartment and berates for her actions. While waiting for her bus, Hilary meets Daniel Robinson (Tim Phillipps), Scott and Charlene's son. She admits to Paul that she moved back to Erinsborough after a falling out with Matt's wife. Hilary threatens to stay at Paul's apartment for the night, so he gives her money to start up some of the community services again. Harold Bishop (Ian Smith) drives Hilary home.

A couple of months later, Hilary returns to give Paul his daughter

Jimmy (Darcy Tadich). Hilary then promises to take Paul's arguments back to the pensions association. Hilary invests fifty dollars in Paul and Amy's gazeebo business. But Amy decides not to go ahead with the business because of Paul's deceit. Imogen Willis
(Ariel Kaplan) offers legal advice to Hilary and she demands her money back from Paul. Daniel manages to diffuse the legal proceedings by taking her out for dinner.

A few weeks later, Hilary is introduced to

Jodi Anasta
) introduces herself as Susan's niece and Hilary complains about Susan not having kept her job open at the school, while she was looking after her son's issues in Adelaide. Elly admits that she does not know anything about it and Hilary walks off. Amy asks Hilary to come to Paul's apartment and pretend she is moving in, so Amy can teach him a lesson about asking before going ahead with something. Paul later asks Hilary to act as a spokesperson for his clubhouse idea located at his new housing development.

Five years later, Hilary has a meeting with

Annie Jones
) interrupts and tells Hilary that the village is planned to be where Erinsborough High is located, Hilary abruptly departs the meeting.

Reception

Ruth Deller of entertainment website Lowculture commented on Hilary stating: "Jim's cousin Hilary was one of the street's best busybodies. She was mostly a recurring guest character in the series, although she did have a stint as a permanent resident. She was a bit of a 'fusspot' but with her heart in the right place".[17] In her book, The Neighbours Programme Guide, author Josephine Monroe assessed that "Hilary is not anyone's ideal mother – she barely scrapes through in the wicked stepmother stakes – and Matt was disappointed when she showed no interest in getting to know him."[3] To celebrate the 20th anniversary of Neighbours, the BBC asked readers to nominate their 20 favourite obscure characters. Hilary came in fourth place and the readers called her "perpetually bitchy and irascible – got on everyone's nerves and was hugely funny".[18] They added, "Appeared sporadically in the late 80s. She wasn't based in Erinsborough but somehow got Jim and Beverly together – as if Dr Bev would ever have been a friend of such an old witch!!".[18] Barbara Toner from Radio Times branded the character "Jim's clever but sour-faced cousin."[19] Ruth Hessey from The Sydney Morning Herald described Hilary as an "extremely uptight" woman.[20]

In Neighbours: The Official Annual 1991, John McCready and Nicola Furlong said that

Coventry Evening Telegraph reporter branded Hilary "irritating".[25] Daniel Kilkelly from Digital Spy branded Hilary an "interfering" character.[26]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Those were the days...". Inside Soap (207): 31. 8–21 June 2002.
  2. ^
    Network Ten). Archived from the original
    on 4 June 2002. Retrieved 29 November 2014.
  3. ^ a b c d Monroe 1994, p.151.
  4. ^ a b Monroe 1994, p.104.
  5. Channel 5
    . 27 October 2011. Retrieved 29 November 2014.
  6. ^ a b c Brown, David (2 December 1989). "Two more Neighbours move out". TV Week (22): 2.
  7. ^ Hopwood 1990, p.27.
  8. ^ Green, Kris (14 April 2005). "More Neighbours returns confirmed". Digital Spy. (Hachette Filipacchi UK). Retrieved 7 May 2010.
  9. Tenplay
    . 28 November 2014. Retrieved 28 November 2014.
  10. ^ "The guides". TV Soap: 40. 5–19 February 2015.
  11. Hearst Magazines UK
    ). Retrieved 27 March 2015.
  12. ^ "The guides". TV Soap: 38. 5–19 November 2015.
  13. ^ Kilkelly, Daniel (28 October 2017). "Neighbours spoiler: Paul is tempted when Courtney makes an offer". Digital Spy. Retrieved 28 October 2017.
  14. ^ Kilkelly, Daniel (20 January 2018). "Neighbours spoiler: Aaron falls further into Rory's trap". Digital Spy. Retrieved 21 June 2018.
  15. ^ Kilkelly, Daniel (24 February 2018). "Neighbours spoiler: Karl gives Izzy an answer over her baby plan". Digital Spy. Retrieved 21 June 2018.
  16. ^ Executive producer: Jason Herbison; Director: Tony Osicka; Writer: Daniel Papas (16 October 2023). "Episode 8920". Neighbours. Network 10.
  17. ^ Deller, Ruth (23 July 2009). "A guide to recognising your Ramsays and Robinsons". Lowculture. Archived from the original on 14 August 2009. Retrieved 6 May 2010.
  18. ^ a b "Your 20 favourite obscure Neighbours characters". BBC News. BBC. 21 October 2005. Retrieved 11 July 2010.
  19. BBC Magazines
    ): 10.
  20. Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  21. OCLC 60285359
    .
  22. Evening Times. (Newsquest
    ). 8 May 2009. Retrieved 3 April 2011.
  23. ^ "Are you a Neighbours nut?". Inside Soap (101): 32–33. 16–29 May 1998.
  24. ^ "Wednesday's pick: Neighbours". TV Week. February 2015. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
  25. Coventry Evening Telegraph. 7 March 2015. Archived from the original
    on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 25 March 2015.(subscription required)
  26. Hearst Magazines UK
    ). Retrieved 10 March 2018.

External links
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hilary_Robinson&oldid=1219737743"