yes but in saying that don’t forget what is seen on screen isn’t always like that off-screen
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You could understand that they might have someone there if they were covering a cultural story or a particularly sensitive topic. But generally, Neighbours avoids even talking about the heritage of the characters.
There may be brief mentions by regular characters when a particular storyline pops up but then they’ll often never mention it ever again. They had an indigenous actor on the show for two years, Meyne Wyatt, and his heritage was only mentioned in one episode.
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That’s absolutely true, but it’s always been a huge part of the show and I wouldn’t expect they’d hire people on the show or behind the scenes who would so openly go against the positive message Neighbours is trying to portray.
This is hugely damaging to the show and I feel so sorry for the 99% of people working on the show who presumably had nothing to do with these allegations.
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I’m very surprised by the allegations, I would expect a full review from the production company.
In terms of it being a toxic workplace, a number of former cast (and crew) do seem to come back to the show which is why I find it so surprising.
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I also question how Neighbours will be able to defend themselves from these allegations without sounding even more racist.
Below is a comment from one of the many Neighbours pages on Facebook. I’m older, but I can’t imagine hearing any of these comments in my workplace but perhaps it’s more common than I thought:
Sadly this would be in every work place, the N word is very popular amongst young people ATM, cum slut although gross is pretty normal chatter among some people. The little monkey’s and slave driver is something most of us have said in a non racist way, it is just relearning the impact they have on people of color. It is fair enough to raise this issues as that’s how we learn, I will also say that Shareen does write complaints like this all the time in her instagram.
Me neither. While I am old, like most of us I have worked in enough workplaces with people of a variety of ages, but I have never heard the N word used.
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I was at that beach on the weekend and I heard some young guys, late teens or early twenties calling each other the “N” word.
They all looked European and they were just mucking around. It wasn’t being used in a derogatory way but it sounded really jarring to me. It felt like they’re just doing it to be “cool” but not fully grasping how using the word in any context could be very offensive to people around them.
I have heard “slave driver” used in the workplace, but i guess I never considered it as being offensive to other people. Just the boss you are intentionally offending for working you too hard.
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On the same page and level with you at this.
I have heard the term slave driver used as well and I may have even used it at some point, and haven’t considered it to be offensive. But now it’s been called out, I can 100% see why.
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Loved this line lol. She ia drawing out attention to whats currently happening and standing up against any racist behaviour at any workplace.
Sorry JeepersCreepers i quoted you saying this but i understand you got that from facebook.
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Shane Conner had some issues behind the scenes when he was on. He played Joe Scully.
Just awful. That kind of thing happening in a workplace in 2021 is completely unacceptable.
Fremantle will need to go into some serious damage control with Channel 5 in the UK over this. As, let’s face it, them continuing to air Neighbours is the only reason it wasn’t axed years ago.
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Fremantle’s statement appears to be a lot of buzzwords but not denying the claims that she made
I dont see Neighbours being axed over this.
From memory he had some personal issues at the time and I think he was let go. I think he won wrongful termination case against the show.
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Shocking statement.
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Ahh okay thanks for clarifying that.
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Meyne Wyatt (Nate) wrote in a series of tweets late this afternoon saying he had also suffered from racism on the set of Neighbours. He also claimed he heard homophobic jokes on set.
https://twitter.com/meynewyatt/status/1379334253599629312
I have too much experience to believe otherwise. And it is disappointing but not at all surprising to hear that five years later racism continues to be present in that workplace. But what can you say, we are in Australia.
In 2015 Neighbours celebrated its 30th year anniversary and I was the First Indigenous Actor to be on the Main cast. The First. In 30 years. Tony Briggs and Aunty Justine Saunders had made appearances on the show before me but I was the first regular.
I don’t see a lot of Indigenous actors on the show or on any prime time Television series, whether it be Neighbours, Home and Away, anything on Channel 7, 9 or Ten for that matter. Stan and Netflix take note! But these attitudes are prevalent throughout the industry.
And we are fucken tired of calling this shit out. Individuals, actors, cast and crews! To the Production companies, to the networks! Do better, be better. You can always do better. The work is not finished. Even when you think you have, just know you haven’t. Because you haven’t.
It saves time from me calling you a racist and humiliating you, if you don’t do shit the first place! And on top of that, the Homophobia that was present whilst I was on Neighbours, was fucking rampant! The comments and jokes and innuendos were ridiculous!
It made for a very unsafe environment for anyone in the LGBTQIA+ community and the shit needs to be stamped out. Racism and Homophobia needs an active and present force behind it to be driven out! Neighbours do better! The Film and TV Industry do better! Australia do better!
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The situation has escalated further throughout the day.
Entertainment reporter Peter Ford reports that Neighbours cast and crew are being threatened with immediate dismissal if they comment on the situation.
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