Inside Neighbours star Anne Haddy's life - cancer battle, tragedy and kids’ TV fame

dailystar.co.uk:

Neighbours will air its final episode later this year.Over the decades, the serial drama has been a breeding ground for new talent with many becoming Hollywood stars including Russell Crowe and Margot Robbie.

Australian actress Anne Haddy joined the soap as Helen Daniels in 1985 and quickly became a fan favourite.She left the soap in 1997 after 12 years in Ramsay Street, two years before tragic death.Before joining Neighbours, she played many other roles on Australian television and was known for appearing in shows such as Prisoner: Cell Block H, Homicide, The Restless Years and Sons and Daughters.Anne was also a renowned children's presenter and part of the original team of the local version of Play School, a show which also launched national soap stars.She also a voice artist, providing her voice in some animated series, but it was Neighbours where viewers took the actress into their hearts.The soap star played the matriarch role of Helen, mother of another veteran character Jim, played by Alan Dave.Anne appeared in the very first episode in 1985 and would go on to star in over 1000 episodes.Even her husband, radio and stage actor James Condon, who Anne married in 1977, appeared in Neighbours episodes during her time of playing Helen.She was part of many big storylines and the character passed away while watching a video of her grandson Scott Robinson's wedding to Charlene Mitchell, played by Jason Donovan and Kylie Minogue.Anne battled with illness for many years.

She had previously suffered from a heart attack in 1979 and had further heart operations in 1982 and 1983. The TV personality also had a hip replacement in 1996 as well as kidney problems, which forced her to leave the show the following year.