James Condon: Last News

Neighbours has sadly seen the loss of many of its great actors since the series began in 1985 - including the death of actress Miranda Fryer earlier this year.Actresses including Anne Haddy and Cathy Godblod, who played fan favourites Helen Daniels and Sondra Pike respectively, along with Miranda Fryer, are just three of the stars to have died in the decades since the soap first aired.Fans and fellow cast members have been left devastated by the deaths, some of which occurred suddenly while the stars were still appearing in Neighbours.Here, Daily Star looks back on the Neighbours stars who have sadly died.Anne Heddy was one of the longest reigning on-screen matriarchs in Neighbours - with both her on-screen and real life deaths leaving fans devastated.During her time in Ramsay Street, Helen had romances with residents including Reuben White and James Condon, saw members of her family mysteriously disappear, and left viewers in tears following her tragic death in her sleep while watching Scott and Charlene's wedding in 1997.Her portrayal of the character Helen won the Penguin Award for Sustained Performance by an Actor in a Series in 1987.Away from our screens though, Anne had encountered multiple health battles including a heart attack that led to multiple bypass operations, angina and kidney troubles - leading the actress to retire in 1997.However the actress died on June 6, 1999 at the age of 69 years old, just two years after she left Neighbours.Cathy Godbold was one of Australia's most famous TV actresses, having appeared in both Home And Away and Neighbours during her career - as well as playing Deborah Hale Regnery in The Saddle Club.In 1997, she was cast as Sondra Pike in Neighbours, who was involved in story

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.