Glen Donnelly

Glen Donnelly is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Richard Huggett. The actor joined the cast shortly after leaving E Street, and he relocated from Sydney to Melbourne, where the show is filmed. He made his first appearance during the episode broadcast on 7 December 1990. Glen was introduced as the secret son of series regular Jim Robinson (Alan Dale). He came to Erinsborough to meet his father and to ask for money to pay for his mother's funeral.

Glen Donnelly
Neighbours character
Portrayed byRichard Huggett
Duration1990–1992
First appearance7 December 1990 (1990-12-07)
Last appearance6 February 1992 (1992-02-06)
Introduced byDon Battye
ClassificationPast; regular
Profile
OccupationBarman
Builder

The character was portrayed as being independent, mature and strong. One of Glen's most notable storylines featured an inappropriate relationship between him and his half-sister, Lucy Robinson (Melissa Bell). Scenes between them were edited out by the BBC upon their UK airing. Glen also had a romance with Gaby Willis (Rachel Blakely). Huggett decided not to renew his contract and Glen departed on 6 February 1992, following an accident which left him paralysed.

Casting

Huggett joined Neighbours shortly after leaving his role as Sonny Bennett in E Street. On his arrival, Huggett said Glen was "very different" from Sonny.[1] Huggett was forced to relocate from Sydney to Melbourne for the role and he revealed it had a negative impact on his personal life.[2]

Development

Characterisation

Glen has been described as "independent, tough and mature beyond his twenty years".[1] He is used to fighting his own battles. When his mother died of cancer, Glen was "full of grief for his mother and resentment for Jim".[1] When Glen arrives in Ramsay Street, he assumes that Jim (Alan Dale) did not want to know him and he comes in a "fight-picking mood".[3] Jim eventually persuades Glen that he knew nothing about him. Glen and Jim's oldest son, Paul (Stefan Dennis), do not get on and Glen resents the fact the only jobs he can get mean Paul would be his boss.[3]

Incest

One of Glen's most notable storylines was his incestuous relationship with his half-sister Lucy (Melissa Bell). This was Neighbours' first incest storyline.[4] Neither Lucy or Glen were aware that they were related after he arrived in Ramsay Street and before she returned home from boarding school. When Glen and Lucy meet they are "unable to deny the attraction between them".[3] Glen and Lucy kiss and they are discovered in a compromising situation that angers their father, Jim.[1] Of the storyline Huggett said "The story of Glen's and Lucy's growing feelings for one another might seem pretty audacious, but I think it works because it has been handled sensitively. It was a great acting challenge."[1] He added that incest was a brave subject for Neighbours, a family show, to tackle and that he was surprised about the reaction it caused.[1] Viewers in Australia called Network Ten to complain about the storyline, which was branded a "scandal" and "one of television soaps' most daring encounters".[1] Scenes showing the relationship were edited out and cut by the BBC in their UK airing.[5] The scenes were later shown uncut in repeats on UK Gold.[6]

Relationships

The character was part of the show's first "shotgun wedding" plot in 1991.[7] Actress Fiona Jarvis was introduced as Karen Constintine, a woman Glen had had a one-night stand with prior to his arrival in Erinsborough. Karen informs Glen that she is six months pregnant with his child, so he feels that he has to "do the right thing" and proposes marriage.[7] Chrissie Camp of TV Week observed that Glen's decision "has been the talking point of Ramsay Street for weeks."[7] The couple opt to be married at a registry office, with Jim and Harold Bishop (Ian Smith) as witnesses. However, as the celebrant talks about love and honesty, Karen grows "decidedly uncomfortable". Jarvis hoped viewers would sympathise with her character, as she reveals a secret. She explained, "Karen is hiding something, but basically she is a good person. She doesn't mean to hurt anybody."[7] Jarvis said that she enjoyed working with Huggett on the storyline, and admitted that she accepted the part of Karen when her agent told her he was a good actor.[7]

Producers established a romantic relationship between Glen and Gaby Willis (Rachel Blakely). Glen proves to be a big support when Gaby opens her own fashion boutique.[8] He encourages her to capitalise on a client with a famous name and they begin dating.[8] A writer for Inside Soap said the couple had Ramsay Street's biggest on-off romance since Scott (Jason Donovan) and Charlene (Kylie Minogue).[9] Following an argument, Gaby runs off with Guy Carpenter (Andrew Williams), but Huggett revealed that she is not serious about Guy and she soon returns to Glen, who proposes.[9] Gaby accepts, making it Glen's second engagement, the first being to Karen Constintine.[9] The characters do not end up marrying, and Huggett said "I don't want to give the game away, but it's pretty dramatic stuff, and it all ends in tears."[9]

Departure

In September 1991, Chrissie Camp of TV Week reported that Huggett had decided to quit the role. The actor's one-year contract ended in November and he chose not to renew it.[10] Huggett wanted to pursue more "demanding" roles, and stated "I was always pretty adamant that one year is enough to be in one TV series. The thing that has changed in me is that I want to do material which means something to me, stuff with a harder edge. I suppose quality is what I mean – not pumping it out like a sausage factory."[10]

While repairing a roof at the Lassiter's Complex, Glen falls and is paralysed from the waist down.[3] Josephine Monroe, author of Neighbours: The First 10 Years, said Gaby is as supportive of Glen as she could be, but "nothing could remove the chip on his shoulder the size of Ayer's Rock."[3] Glen then decides to leave Erinsborough for good.[3] After his exit from Neighbours, Huggett told a writer for Inside Soap that working in soap operas was good training, but he would not go back to them.[9]

Storylines

Glen turns up in Ramsay Street to see Jim and he reveals that he is his son. He also explains that his mother Maureen Donnelly, who Jim had an affair with, has died of cancer. Jim is shocked and Glen realises that Jim had never been aware he existed. Jim wants to get to know Glen better and invites him to move in. Glen finds it difficult to fit in at first. Helen Daniels (Anne Haddy), Jim's mother-in-law, was shocked to learn about Jim's affair, but she gradually began to look on Glen as part of the family. Julie (Julie Mullins) and Scott accept Glen, but Paul refuses to and he and Glen fail to get on. Lucy is away at boarding school and she returns home before Jim tells her the truth about Glen. Lucy is attracted to Glen after she arrives home and finds him wearing nothing, but a bath towel. Glen is also attracted to Lucy, but he knows that she is his half-sister and he refuses to let anything happen. Jim tells Lucy about Glen, but they still end up kissing. Both of them realise what they were doing is wrong and stop things before they develop any further.

Glen get a job as a barman at The Waterhole pub. Glen preferred working outdoors and he became a labourer with Doug Willis' (Terence Donovan) construction firm. Glen has a brief romance with Gemma Ramsay (Beth Buchanan). Karen Constintine shows up in Erinsborough and reveals that she is pregnant with Glen's child. Glen is shocked, but resolves to do the right thing and he and Karen become engaged. During their wedding, Karen confesses that Glen is not the father of her baby and leaves.

Glen then began dating Gaby Willis after she comforts him on the anniversary of his mother's death. After a brief split, Glen proposes to Gaby who accepts. Just as the wedding plans were getting started, Glen fell from the roof of Lassiter's Hotel while trying to fix a banner for Paul. Glen is paralysed from the waist down, which devastates him. Feeling like he is a burden, he begins to reject Gaby's support.

Paul begins acting differently towards Glen and Glen realises that Paul is terrified he is going to be sued. Glen initially wants nothing from Paul other than his medical expenses paid for. However, when Paul attempts to get Glen to sign a document wavering his rights to sue his company, Glen decides to sue Paul for a large amount of money. Glen finds himself alienated by his family. Karen returns, with her daughter, Rose (Alisen Merrey) when she hears of Glen's accident. Glen turns to her for support and falls in love with her again. Glen secretly agrees to take an out-of-court settlement from Paul and he flees Erinsborough with Karen. Jim and Gaby search for Glen, but they never find him.

Reception

In 1993, Huggett received a nomination for Best Actor In Soap from the Inside Soap TV Awards.[11] Peter Holmes of The Sydney Morning Herald branded Huggett "Neighbours' new sex bomb" upon his introduction.[12] To celebrate the 20th anniversary of Neighbours, the BBC asked readers to nominate their twenty favourite obscure characters. Glen came in seventh place and the readers said "Jim's son that he fathered during a fling in Vietnam. Now not acknowledged as one of his children".[13] The BBC also said Glen's most notable moment was "Falling from the roof at Lassiter's and becoming paraplegic."[14] In July 2020, Joe Julians of the Radio Times called for the character to make a comeback, citing his rivalry with Paul Robinson as the reason for a potential return. Julians wrote "If you're looking for someone with a personal grudge against Paul to inflict some drama into his life, you cannot get much better than Glen."[15]

References
  1. Fletcher, Mary (9 March 1992). "Our incest storyline is a shocker". Woman's Own. IPC Media: 30–31.
  2. "Fame takes its toll". TV Week. ACP Magazines (28). 20–26 July 1991.
  3. Monroe 1996, pp. 43–44.
  4. Davies, Hannah (11 May 2008). "Uproar over incest storyline". The Courier-Mail. News Limited. Retrieved 8 December 2010.
  5. Deller, Ruth (23 July 2009). "A guide to recognising your Ramsays and Robinsons". Lowculture. Archived from the original on 14 August 2009. Retrieved 9 May 2010.
  6. "A neighbourly obsession". The Age. Fairfax Media. 30 September 2004. Retrieved 17 July 2010.
  7. Camp, Chrissie (17 August 1991). "Marriage trap!". TV Week. p. 21.
  8. Monroe 1996, p. 57.
  9. "Heartache for Glen and Gaby". Inside Soap. Attic Futura (UK) Ltd (5): 15. January 1993.
  10. Camp, Chrissie (7 September 1991). "One year is enough". TV Week: 7.
  11. "And the winner's are...". Inside Soap. No. 9. May 1993. p. 22.
  12. Holmes, Peter (5 May 1991). "Soap studs". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 18 December 2016.
  13. "Your 20 favourite obscure Neighbours characters". BBC News. 21 October 2005. Retrieved 11 July 2010.
  14. "Character: Glen Donnelly". BBC Online. Archived from the original on 23 December 2003. Retrieved 3 March 2011.
  15. Julians, Joe (16 July 2020). "7 Neighbours characters that need to make a comeback". Radio Times. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
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