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Wikipedia

Andrea Somers

January 07, 2023

Andrea Somers is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Madeleine West. West had previously played the role of Dee Bliss, who disappeared after a car crash into the ocean after marrying Toadie Rebecchi (Ryan Moloney). West originally reported that she was returning to Neighbours as Dee Bliss, but it was later revealed she was playing the conniving Andrea Somers, who comes to Erinsborough to scam Toadie by pretending to be Dee. West stated that returning to the sets was a homecoming for her and she was thrilled to be invited back to the cast. Andrea made her first appearance on 20 January 2017 and her first stint ended on 23 March. Andrea is initially credited as Dee Bliss and is depicted as calm, polite and charismatic. As her identity of Andrea Somers is revealed, her character increasingly becomes impatient, insecure, restless and easily agitated.

Andrea Somers
Neighbours character
Portrayed byMadeleine West
Duration2017–2020
First appearance20 January 2017 (2017-01-20)
Last appearance25 June 2020 (2020-06-25)
ClassificationFormer; recurring
Introduced byJason Herbison
In-universe information
Other namesDee Bliss
OccupationCleaner
FatherPeter Wilson[1]
MotherHeather Schilling
SistersDee Bliss
SonsHugo Somers
DaughtersWillow Somers

West returned to filming for a short stint at the end of 2017 and again in mid 2018. For these scenes, she was not credited as either Andrea Somers or Dee Bliss, but as a special appearance, leading viewers to question whether it was really Dee. Andrea returns when Toadie discovers that he is the father of Andrea's son, Hugo (John Turner). Producers later introduced Andrea's mother, Heather Schilling (Kerry Armstrong), who was acting as a nanny for Toadie's children and in an attempt to unite Toadie and Andrea. Whilst in rehabilitation in 2019, Andrea gives full custody of Hugo to Toadie and tells Toadie's wife that a man approached her and called her Karen, suggesting that Dee is still alive.

West reprised the role of Dee Bliss later in 2019. Andrea manipulates the possibility of Dee being alive to try and get Toadie to fall for her. The storyline leads to a confrontation between Andrea and Dee. Andrea and Heather are sent to prison, but West once again returned as Andrea in 2020 in a storyline focusing on Andrea taking back her son. West finished filming in early 2020 and her final scenes as Andrea aired on 25 June.

Creation

When producers approached West and proposed that she portrayed Andrea Somers, West did not hesitate to return. Although she had been asked to return multiple times, she could previously not, due to family commitments.[2] The creation of Andrea helped to close off all loose ends related to Dee's death.[3] West loved the creation of the Andrea character, due to her complex and interesting story.[4][5] West began filming in September 2016.[6] Neighbours executive producer, Jason Herbison, explained, "We've wanted to bring Dee back for years but we had a big challenge – Harold Bishop. The fact is, the show has famously done a storyline where a beloved character disappeared at sea, only to return as the lovely mild-mannered person they always were. This presented us with a dilemma: do we do the same thing with Dee? Naturally there are all sorts of ways we could go to make it different and could still do in the future. However, we saw an opportunity to shock the audience and do something entirely different – and we opted for that path."[7]

Development

Characterisation

Andrea is impatient, insecure, restless and easily agitated – the opposite of Dee. West stated that Andrea's complex personality causes her to have strong motivations,[8] which sometimes causes Andrea's heart to lead her the wrong direction.[8] West stated that Andrea is "such a complicated character" and that she "really wanted to investigate why she is the way she is."[9] She added, "This particular run of storylines has fleshed that out more than we had the opportunity to do before. I love Dee's softness, but I've played her for many years now. Andrea is such a fascinating character, who came into the show pretending to be Dee."[9] West also said that Andrea is "certainly a nasty piece of work",[9] as well as that Andrea is "trying to make her way in the world without much of a guide."[9] Laura Denby of Radio Times also described Andrea as "cold and manipulative."[10]

Backstory and scam

Whilst working at a mine site, Andrea Somers was recognised as Dee Bliss by Sindi Watts (Marisa Warrington), and together they planned to scam Toadie Rebecchi for Dee's money.[11][12] Andrea and Sindi constructed Dee's survival story and Sindi poses as Dee's rescuer, Emily, over the phone.[13] Using a sample from Toadie's daughter, Nell (Scarlett Anderson), they provide a DNA paternity test that convinces Toadie that Willow Somers (Mieke Billing-Smith) is his daughter.[11] When Andrea takes Toadie's money, she flees to London with Willow, causing Toadie and Karl Kennedy (Alan Fletcher) to follow them.[14] Channel 5 advertised it as "unmissable drama",[14] while a Channel 5 commissioner stated, "This week promises another unmissable and dramatic series of events in Neighbours."[15] In London, Andrea and Toadie have sex and Toadie's wife, Sonya Rebecchi (Eve Morey), watches it via Skype.[16][17] Daniel Kilkelly of Digital Spy called it the "ultimate betrayal."[16] When Toadie discovers that Andrea is not Dee, he leaves.[17] Of the storyline in London, Moloney reported, "Of all my storylines over the years, Dee's disappearance is definitely one I'm most asked about, so it's great that we're able to add an international element to this latest chapter."[15]

Family introductions

Part of Andrea's con, which involved a DNA test from Willow, was not initially revealed to viewers.[18] Herbison said of Willow's introduction, "It's always a great dynamic when you have a child who's forced to parent an adult. She really was a leaf blown about in the breeze created by Andrea."[19] Willow goes against Andrea multiple times, and runs away from London to try and escape Andrea.[20] The following year, Sindi Watts returns to Ramsay Street and reveals that Toadie has a son named Hugo,[21] whose mother is Andrea.[21] Willow then explains the story of Hugo's birth to Toadie and Sonya.[22] In 2018, Neighbours producers introduced Andrea's mother, Heather Schilling, played by Kerry Armstrong.[23] Heather comes to Erinsborough as Alice Wells, a nanny for the Rebecchis.[24] She tries to poison Sonya in an attempt to unite Andrea and Toadie.[24] After Andrea is sent to prison in 2019, the real Dee suspects that she and Andrea are related,[17] ultimately discovering that Dee and Andrea were twins, separated at birth,[25] with Dee being adopted by the Bliss family and Andrea remaining in the care of Heather.[25]

Returns

At the end of 2017, Andrea is seen watching over Toadie and Sonya renew their vows.[21] For this scene and her upcoming appearances in 2018, West was not credited as either Andrea or Dee, but instead simply a guest appearance.[26] McMullan of Digital Spy stated, "So, when 'Andrea' reappeared this month in a psychiatric hospital, eagle-eyed fans quickly spotted that Madeleine West was given a unique credit as "special appearance" without a character name. If this isn't a clue that Neighbours want us to think there's something amiss, we don't know what is." Additionally, he added, "What does it all mean? Either the Neighbours bosses are playing games with our hearts, or the real Dee is alive, but doomed to be accused of being Andrea Somers. Talk about a twist of fate."[27] Sonya and Paul Robinson (Stefan Dennis) track down Andrea in a psychiatric hospital and Sonya confronts Andrea, who is once again claiming to be the real Dee.[28] Morey reported that Andrea was going through post-natal depression, following the birth of Hugo.[28]

In 2019, West again appeared as Andrea. Sonya confronts her in the psychiatric hospital and reveals that she has stage IV ovarian cancer. Andrea agrees to give full custody of Hugo to Toadie.[29] Andrea tells Sonya that she was approached by a man who called her 'Karen', and speculates that Dee is still alive.[30] Andrea and Dee eventually meet, and Andrea pushes Dee off a cliff.[31] Andrea goes to Toadie's house one more time to try and con him, but the real Dee turns up and she is arrested.[17] In 2020, Andrea escapes from prison with the help of prison guard Owen Campbell (Johnny Ruffo).[32] Heather Schilling then helps Toadie get Hugo back,[33] and Andrea is sent back to prison afterwards.[34] Denby said, "Most recently, Andrea swapped places with Dee and snatched Hugo. This could have been a predictable twist, but quickly developed into a satisfying conclusion. The remorseful Heather, who had arguably caused even more damage than Andrea - earned a moment of redemption when she saved the day."[10]

Of the multiple returns of West as Andrea, Herbison stated, "We are now well beyond what we originally planned and it’s the gift that keeps on giving".[35] He also expressed his love for the character.[35]

Storylines

Andrea comes to Erinsborough pretending to be Dee Bliss. She tells Toadie Rebecchi (Ryan Moloney) that she got a brain injury in a car crash with him, but that she was found by a woman named Emily, who did not call for help, as she believed she was protecting her from Toadie. She explains that she saw him with Sindi Watts (Marisa Warrington) and did not want to ruin his happiness. Toadie asks to get a DNA test to prove her identity, but Andrea says they cannot ask Dee's sister, Cecile Bliss (Molly McCaffrey), for a sample, as she is dead. Mark later obtains a sample of Cecile's DNA and Andrea gives Mark a strand of hair, causing the DNA results to confirm that it belongs to Dee. Andrea tells Toadie that Willow Somers (Mieke Billing-Smith) is his daughter. Toadie's wife, Sonya Rebecchi (Eve Morey), asks for a paternity test and it comes back as positive. Andrea later explains to Willow that she replaced Willow's swab with one she took from Sonya and Toadie's daughter, Nell Rebecchi (Scarlett Anderson).

It emerges that Andrea wants the money from the Bliss family estate, and that Andrea and Sindi not only devised a plan for Andrea to act as Dee, but that Sindi posed as Emily over the phone. Sindi demands her initial cut of $20,000 be doubled to $40,000, but Andrea finds out that there is no more money left in the estate. Andrea tells Toadie that she has feelings for him and after Toadie gives Andrea a cheque for $100,000 for Willow's education, Andrea flees for London with Willow. Toadie follows them, leading to him and Andrea having sex. Toadie then finds Andrea's passport and she admits that she is not Dee. He rejects her and leaves. Willow attempts to convince Andrea to return the money, but she refuses. Months later, Andrea watches Toadie and Sonya renew their wedding vows.

A year later, Sindi tells Toadie that Andrea is in Perth. She then brings Andrea's son, Hugo Somers (John Turner), to Toadie's house and informs Toadie that he is Hugo's father. Willow explains that Andrea left Toadie a note asking him to visit her. Willow convinced Andrea not to tell Toadie. Andrea developed post-natal depression and left Hugo in Sindi's care. Sonya discovers that Andrea is in a psychiatric hospital, so she and Toadie take Willow and Hugo to visit Andrea, who fails to recognise either of them and claims to be Dee. Sonya and Toadie agree to pay for Andrea's ongoing treatment for Willow and Hugo's sake. Months later, Andrea's mother, Heather Schilling (Kelly Armstrong), visits her and she reveals that she has conned the Rebecchis into hiring her as their nanny, Alice Wells, so she can destroy their marriage, leaving Toadie free to be with Andrea. Andrea tells Toadie that she knows she is not Dee. Heather's scheme fails and she flees Erinsborough.

After Andrea sends a social worker to assess Sonya in the custody case for Hugo, Sonya visits her in the hospital and explains that she has ovarian cancer. Andrea signs over full custody of Hugo to Sonya and Toadie, in return for them dropping the fraud charges. Before Sonya leaves, Andrea tells her that while she was in the Salamanca Market, a man approached her thinking that she was a woman named Karen, who Andrea suspects could be the real Dee Bliss. Weeks later, Andrea receives a text message from Toadie's brother, Shane Rebecchi (Nicholas Coghlan). Andrea moves to Geelong, where Shane informs her of Sonya's death and asks her to explain the Karen story. Andrea explains that the man thought he had spent an afternoon with her. Andrea follows Shane back to Erinsborough, where she gets a cold reception from Toadie. She tells the Rebecchis that she will help them find Heather and Dee in exchange for time with Hugo. Andrea introduces Toadie to Ian Packer (Nathan Carter), who tells him that he met Dee years previously, now living under the name of "Karen". He tells them that Karen moved to South Africa, but this is a lie orchestrated by Andrea. She has sex with Ian in return for his part in her new con. Andrea finally comes face to face with the real Dee, after Heather tracks Dee down in Byron Bay. Andrea pushes Dee off a cliff and returns to Erinsborough to impersonate her again. Her attempt fails and she is arrested. After a DNA test, Andrea and Dee discover that they are twins and Heather is their biological mother. Andrea is sentenced to at least ten years' imprisonment.

A year later, Andrea shares a cell with Elly Conway (Jodi Anasta). In return for protecting Elly from the other inmates, Andrea asks her to convince Toadie to contact Dee on her behalf. Andrea is secretly contacted by Claudia Watkins (Kate Raison), through her lawyer, Samantha Fitzgerald (Simone Buchanan), who pays her to start a prison riot to dissuade Elly from having her daughter, Aster Conway (Isla Goulas; Scout Bowman), in prison with her. Andrea reveals to Elly that she intends on taking advantage of Dee's kindness to regain custody of Hugo. Andrea and Elly's relationship sours when Elly leaves prison with custody of Aster and she tells Dee that Andrea cannot be trusted. In an attempt to reunite with Hugo, Andrea seduces Owen Campbell (Johnny Ruffo) into helping her impersonate Dee again. Owen drugs Dee, allowing Andrea to swap their clothes while Dee is unconscious. She flees with Hugo and Owen. However, Owen later confesses after Andrea rejects him and, with Heather's help, the police arrest Andrea. Dee visits Andrea for the last time before she leaves to find their father Peter Wilson in Alaska.

Reception

Neighbours executive producer, Jason Herbison, stated of Andrea's initial storyline, "I'm thrilled with the reaction. When we announced that Madeleine was returning, we saw all sorts of viewer commentary – from those who wanted her to be Dee, to those who felt she couldn't possibly be. We knew we had a big opportunity, but that also meant we couldn't please absolutely everybody."[7] He also added, "Our fans are very passionate and rightly so. I consider myself a fan too. The test for us is whether people watch and are being entertained – and we've had a great response to the storyline."[7]

Daniel Kilkelly from Digital Spy said the storyline was the serial's "craziest and most convoluted storyline in its history."[36] He stated, "Many fans have been gripped by the various shocks and surprises along the way, but it's fair to say that others are just plain confused."[36] Kilkelly condensed the storyline into a "bizarre world of cash cons, faked DNA tests, doppelgangers, unstable nannies and mystery men."[36] Although expressing his praise for Andrea's storyline, he also said, "With a new identity, mystery men and lookalikes all in the mix, it’s fair to say that many viewers are getting confused."[36]

McMullan said that West's scenes as Andrea, "help us unravel one of soap's longest-running mysteries."[27] Denby stated "Madeleine West and Ryan Moloney carried the story beautifully as their characters reminisced and reconnected."[10] She also declared that Andrea's storyline could have been a "disaster", but instead was a "triumph."[10] Denby claimed the initial "good versus bad twin" scenario, along with Andrea's birth, sounded like "the most bonkers soap plot" at first.[10] Of Andrea pushing Dee of a cliff, Denby said, "What we had never seen before was one actress performing a showdown with herself – and keeping us on the edge of our seats!"[10] Summarising the storyline, Denby declared, "Neighbours delivered their riskiest plot yet – and it was a total triumph."[10] Andrea was placed at number fourteen on the Huffpost's "35 greatest Neighbours characters of all time" feature. Journalist Adam Beresford was a fan of Andrea's stories stating "this insanely OTT saga had it all and more. One of the most genuinely brilliant storylines of any soap, period."[37]

References

  1. ^ Executive producer: Jason Herbison; Director: Chris Abshead; Writer: Stephanie Carter (24 June 2021). "Episode 8392". Neighbours. 10 Peach.
  2. ^ Kilkelly, Daniel (16 September 2016). "Neighbours spoilers: Madeleine West answers all our burning questions on Dee Bliss's return". Digital Spy. Retrieved 8 October 2021.
  3. ^ West, Madeleine (24 July 2019). Neighbours Q&A – Madeleine West (Dee Bliss/Andrea Somers). Neighbours via YouTube. Retrieved 8 October 2021.
  4. ^ Kilkelly, Daniel (16 September 2016). "Neighbours spoilers: Madeleine West answers all our burning questions on Dee Bliss's return". Digital Spy. Retrieved 8 October 2021.
  5. ^ Kilkelly, Daniel (13 May 2020). "Neighbours star Madeleine West reveals whether she'd return as Dee and Andrea permanently". Digital Spy. Retrieved 8 October 2021.
  6. ^ Dunk, Tiffany (15 September 2016). "Madeleine West to reprise role of Ramsey Street's Dee Bliss, despite onscreen "death"". News.com.au. Retrieved 8 October 2021.
  7. ^ a b c Kilkelly, Daniel (23 March 2017). "Neighbours boss Jason Herbison speaks out over Fake Dee, Real Dee and whether Madeleine West could return". Digital Spy. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  8. ^ a b Kilkelly, Daniel (16 September 2016). "Neighbours star Madeleine West reveals major Dee Bliss storyline spoiler". Digital Spy. Retrieved 8 October 2021.
  9. ^ a b c d Hennings, Emily (15 May 2020). "Neighbours fans confused after big new revelations about Dee Bliss". Daily Express. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g Denby, Laura (17 July 2020). "Neighbours' evil twin plot could have been a disaster – instead it's a soap triumph". Radio Times. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  11. ^ a b Kilkelly, Daniel (2 February 2017). "Neighbours has finally revealed the WHOLE truth about Dee Bliss and her return from the dead". Digital Spy. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  12. ^ Kilkelly, Daniel (7 February 2017). "Neighbours unleashes more Fake Dee revelations in Sindi Watts's big return episode". Digital Spy. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  13. ^ Kilkelly, Daniel (30 January 2017). "Neighbours: Mark and Sonya fear the worst as Dee Bliss's return gets even weirder". Digital Spy. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  14. ^ a b Kilkelly, Daniel (24 March 2017). "Why Neighbours' triumphant London week proves Channel 5 should keep the show". Digital Spy. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  15. ^ a b Kilkelly, Daniel (3 March 2017). "Neighbours heads to London for the shock climax of the Fake Dee storyline". Digital Spy. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  16. ^ a b Kilkelly, Daniel (21 March 2017). "Neighbours' Toadie Rebecchi commits the ultimate betrayal by sleeping with Fake Dee". Digital Spy. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  17. ^ a b c d Julians, Joe (24 June 2020). "Neighbours' Toadie, Dee and Andrea – timeline of their complex history". Radio Times. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
  18. ^ Kilkelly, Daniel (23 February 2017). "Neighbours legend Toadie Rebecchi meets his long-lost daughter as Dee's return story takes a huge twist". Digital Spy. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  19. ^ Kilkelly, Daniel (23 March 2017). "Exclusive: Neighbours boss Jason Herbison speaks out over Fake Dee, Real Dee and whether Madeleine West could return". Digital Spy. Retrieved 24 March 2017.
  20. ^ Executive producer: Jason Herbison; Director: Tony Osicka; Writer: Elizabeth Packett (12 July 2017). "Episode 7643". Neighbours. Eleven.
  21. ^ a b c Baillie, Katie (18 June 2019). "Neighbours spoilers: Toadie finds out he might have a secret baby son after cheating with Andrea". Metro. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
  22. ^ Kilkelly, Daniel (27 July 2017). "Neighbours' Willow Somers to reveal Fake Dee baby backstory today". Digital Spy. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  23. ^ Price, Natasha (27 August 2018). "Kerry Armstrong joins the cast of 'Neighbours'". Who. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
  24. ^ a b "Nightmare Nanny!". Soap World (314): 13. November 2018.
  25. ^ a b Miller, Rebecca (28 June 2019). "Neighbours spoilers: 'Am I allowed to say?' Dee Bliss star drops huge secret about Andrea". Daily Express. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
  26. ^ Kilkelly, Daniel (16 July 2018). "Neighbours puts a huge Dee Bliss clue in the show's closing titles". Digital Spy. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
  27. ^ a b McMullan, Conor (23 July 2018). "Neighbours: 7 of the most important clues in the 'Dee or Andrea?' mystery". Digital Spy. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
  28. ^ a b Hughes, Roxanne (11 July 2018). "Neighbours spoilers: Sonya Rebecchi finally confronts Andrea in epic Fake Dee showdown". Daily Express. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
  29. ^ Edwards, Chris (12 February 2019). "Neighbours reveals a first look at Sonya Rebecchi's new showdown with Fake Dee". Digital Spy. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
  30. ^ Penwill, Alice (6–12 July 2019). "Caught in the middle!". Inside Soap. pp. 38–39.
  31. ^ Hughes, Johnathon (24 June 2019). "Andrea and Real Dee finally meet in Neighbours clifftop showdown!". Radio Times. Retrieved 24 June 2019.
  32. ^ Lee, Jess (21 June 2020). "Neighbours reveals danger for Dee Bliss as Andrea Somers strikes again". Digital Spy. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
  33. ^ Lee, Jess (21 June 2020). "Neighbours lines up kidnap drama as Andrea's new plan is revealed". Digital Spy. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
  34. ^ Executive producer: Jason Herbison; Director: Kate Kendall, Deborra-Lee Furness; Writer: Jo Kasch (17 June 2020). "Episode 8387". Neighbours. 10 Peach.
  35. ^ a b Julians, Joe (26 March 2020). "Neighbours confirms double trouble for Toadie as Dee and Andrea return". Digital Spy. Retrieved 8 October 2021.
  36. ^ a b c d Kilkelly, Daniel (18 July 2019). "Neighbours' Dee Bliss storyline so far – what's going on in the Aussie soap's most complicated saga?". Digital Spy. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  37. ^ Beresford, Adam (16 March 2020). "The Definitive Ranking Of The 35 Greatest Neighbours Characters Of All Time: #20-11". HuffPost. Retrieved 19 March 2022.

January 07, 2023
andrea, somers, fictional, character, from, australian, soap, opera, neighbours, played, madeleine, west, west, previously, played, role, bliss, disappeared, after, crash, into, ocean, after, marrying, toadie, rebecchi, ryan, moloney, west, originally, reporte. Andrea Somers is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours played by Madeleine West West had previously played the role of Dee Bliss who disappeared after a car crash into the ocean after marrying Toadie Rebecchi Ryan Moloney West originally reported that she was returning to Neighbours as Dee Bliss but it was later revealed she was playing the conniving Andrea Somers who comes to Erinsborough to scam Toadie by pretending to be Dee West stated that returning to the sets was a homecoming for her and she was thrilled to be invited back to the cast Andrea made her first appearance on 20 January 2017 and her first stint ended on 23 March Andrea is initially credited as Dee Bliss and is depicted as calm polite and charismatic As her identity of Andrea Somers is revealed her character increasingly becomes impatient insecure restless and easily agitated Andrea SomersNeighbours characterPortrayed byMadeleine WestDuration2017 2020First appearance20 January 2017 2017 01 20 Last appearance25 June 2020 2020 06 25 ClassificationFormer recurringIntroduced byJason HerbisonIn universe informationOther namesDee BlissOccupationCleanerFatherPeter Wilson 1 MotherHeather SchillingSistersDee BlissSonsHugo SomersDaughtersWillow SomersWest returned to filming for a short stint at the end of 2017 and again in mid 2018 For these scenes she was not credited as either Andrea Somers or Dee Bliss but as a special appearance leading viewers to question whether it was really Dee Andrea returns when Toadie discovers that he is the father of Andrea s son Hugo John Turner Producers later introduced Andrea s mother Heather Schilling Kerry Armstrong who was acting as a nanny for Toadie s children and in an attempt to unite Toadie and Andrea Whilst in rehabilitation in 2019 Andrea gives full custody of Hugo to Toadie and tells Toadie s wife that a man approached her and called her Karen suggesting that Dee is still alive West reprised the role of Dee Bliss later in 2019 Andrea manipulates the possibility of Dee being alive to try and get Toadie to fall for her The storyline leads to a confrontation between Andrea and Dee Andrea and Heather are sent to prison but West once again returned as Andrea in 2020 in a storyline focusing on Andrea taking back her son West finished filming in early 2020 and her final scenes as Andrea aired on 25 June Contents 1 Creation 2 Development 2 1 Characterisation 2 2 Backstory and scam 2 3 Family introductions 2 4 Returns 3 Storylines 4 Reception 5 ReferencesCreation EditWhen producers approached West and proposed that she portrayed Andrea Somers West did not hesitate to return Although she had been asked to return multiple times she could previously not due to family commitments 2 The creation of Andrea helped to close off all loose ends related to Dee s death 3 West loved the creation of the Andrea character due to her complex and interesting story 4 5 West began filming in September 2016 6 Neighbours executive producer Jason Herbison explained We ve wanted to bring Dee back for years but we had a big challenge Harold Bishop The fact is the show has famously done a storyline where a beloved character disappeared at sea only to return as the lovely mild mannered person they always were This presented us with a dilemma do we do the same thing with Dee Naturally there are all sorts of ways we could go to make it different and could still do in the future However we saw an opportunity to shock the audience and do something entirely different and we opted for that path 7 Development EditCharacterisation Edit Andrea is impatient insecure restless and easily agitated the opposite of Dee West stated that Andrea s complex personality causes her to have strong motivations 8 which sometimes causes Andrea s heart to lead her the wrong direction 8 West stated that Andrea is such a complicated character and that she really wanted to investigate why she is the way she is 9 She added This particular run of storylines has fleshed that out more than we had the opportunity to do before I love Dee s softness but I ve played her for many years now Andrea is such a fascinating character who came into the show pretending to be Dee 9 West also said that Andrea is certainly a nasty piece of work 9 as well as that Andrea is trying to make her way in the world without much of a guide 9 Laura Denby of Radio Times also described Andrea as cold and manipulative 10 Backstory and scam Edit Whilst working at a mine site Andrea Somers was recognised as Dee Bliss by Sindi Watts Marisa Warrington and together they planned to scam Toadie Rebecchi for Dee s money 11 12 Andrea and Sindi constructed Dee s survival story and Sindi poses as Dee s rescuer Emily over the phone 13 Using a sample from Toadie s daughter Nell Scarlett Anderson they provide a DNA paternity test that convinces Toadie that Willow Somers Mieke Billing Smith is his daughter 11 When Andrea takes Toadie s money she flees to London with Willow causing Toadie and Karl Kennedy Alan Fletcher to follow them 14 Channel 5 advertised it as unmissable drama 14 while a Channel 5 commissioner stated This week promises another unmissable and dramatic series of events in Neighbours 15 In London Andrea and Toadie have sex and Toadie s wife Sonya Rebecchi Eve Morey watches it via Skype 16 17 Daniel Kilkelly of Digital Spy called it the ultimate betrayal 16 When Toadie discovers that Andrea is not Dee he leaves 17 Of the storyline in London Moloney reported Of all my storylines over the years Dee s disappearance is definitely one I m most asked about so it s great that we re able to add an international element to this latest chapter 15 Family introductions Edit Part of Andrea s con which involved a DNA test from Willow was not initially revealed to viewers 18 Herbison said of Willow s introduction It s always a great dynamic when you have a child who s forced to parent an adult She really was a leaf blown about in the breeze created by Andrea 19 Willow goes against Andrea multiple times and runs away from London to try and escape Andrea 20 The following year Sindi Watts returns to Ramsay Street and reveals that Toadie has a son named Hugo 21 whose mother is Andrea 21 Willow then explains the story of Hugo s birth to Toadie and Sonya 22 In 2018 Neighbours producers introduced Andrea s mother Heather Schilling played by Kerry Armstrong 23 Heather comes to Erinsborough as Alice Wells a nanny for the Rebecchis 24 She tries to poison Sonya in an attempt to unite Andrea and Toadie 24 After Andrea is sent to prison in 2019 the real Dee suspects that she and Andrea are related 17 ultimately discovering that Dee and Andrea were twins separated at birth 25 with Dee being adopted by the Bliss family and Andrea remaining in the care of Heather 25 Returns Edit At the end of 2017 Andrea is seen watching over Toadie and Sonya renew their vows 21 For this scene and her upcoming appearances in 2018 West was not credited as either Andrea or Dee but instead simply a guest appearance 26 McMullan of Digital Spy stated So when Andrea reappeared this month in a psychiatric hospital eagle eyed fans quickly spotted that Madeleine West was given a unique credit as special appearance without a character name If this isn t a clue that Neighbours want us to think there s something amiss we don t know what is Additionally he added What does it all mean Either the Neighbours bosses are playing games with our hearts or the real Dee is alive but doomed to be accused of being Andrea Somers Talk about a twist of fate 27 Sonya and Paul Robinson Stefan Dennis track down Andrea in a psychiatric hospital and Sonya confronts Andrea who is once again claiming to be the real Dee 28 Morey reported that Andrea was going through post natal depression following the birth of Hugo 28 In 2019 West again appeared as Andrea Sonya confronts her in the psychiatric hospital and reveals that she has stage IV ovarian cancer Andrea agrees to give full custody of Hugo to Toadie 29 Andrea tells Sonya that she was approached by a man who called her Karen and speculates that Dee is still alive 30 Andrea and Dee eventually meet and Andrea pushes Dee off a cliff 31 Andrea goes to Toadie s house one more time to try and con him but the real Dee turns up and she is arrested 17 In 2020 Andrea escapes from prison with the help of prison guard Owen Campbell Johnny Ruffo 32 Heather Schilling then helps Toadie get Hugo back 33 and Andrea is sent back to prison afterwards 34 Denby said Most recently Andrea swapped places with Dee and snatched Hugo This could have been a predictable twist but quickly developed into a satisfying conclusion The remorseful Heather who had arguably caused even more damage than Andrea earned a moment of redemption when she saved the day 10 Of the multiple returns of West as Andrea Herbison stated We are now well beyond what we originally planned and it s the gift that keeps on giving 35 He also expressed his love for the character 35 Storylines EditAndrea comes to Erinsborough pretending to be Dee Bliss She tells Toadie Rebecchi Ryan Moloney that she got a brain injury in a car crash with him but that she was found by a woman named Emily who did not call for help as she believed she was protecting her from Toadie She explains that she saw him with Sindi Watts Marisa Warrington and did not want to ruin his happiness Toadie asks to get a DNA test to prove her identity but Andrea says they cannot ask Dee s sister Cecile Bliss Molly McCaffrey for a sample as she is dead Mark later obtains a sample of Cecile s DNA and Andrea gives Mark a strand of hair causing the DNA results to confirm that it belongs to Dee Andrea tells Toadie that Willow Somers Mieke Billing Smith is his daughter Toadie s wife Sonya Rebecchi Eve Morey asks for a paternity test and it comes back as positive Andrea later explains to Willow that she replaced Willow s swab with one she took from Sonya and Toadie s daughter Nell Rebecchi Scarlett Anderson It emerges that Andrea wants the money from the Bliss family estate and that Andrea and Sindi not only devised a plan for Andrea to act as Dee but that Sindi posed as Emily over the phone Sindi demands her initial cut of 20 000 be doubled to 40 000 but Andrea finds out that there is no more money left in the estate Andrea tells Toadie that she has feelings for him and after Toadie gives Andrea a cheque for 100 000 for Willow s education Andrea flees for London with Willow Toadie follows them leading to him and Andrea having sex Toadie then finds Andrea s passport and she admits that she is not Dee He rejects her and leaves Willow attempts to convince Andrea to return the money but she refuses Months later Andrea watches Toadie and Sonya renew their wedding vows A year later Sindi tells Toadie that Andrea is in Perth She then brings Andrea s son Hugo Somers John Turner to Toadie s house and informs Toadie that he is Hugo s father Willow explains that Andrea left Toadie a note asking him to visit her Willow convinced Andrea not to tell Toadie Andrea developed post natal depression and left Hugo in Sindi s care Sonya discovers that Andrea is in a psychiatric hospital so she and Toadie take Willow and Hugo to visit Andrea who fails to recognise either of them and claims to be Dee Sonya and Toadie agree to pay for Andrea s ongoing treatment for Willow and Hugo s sake Months later Andrea s mother Heather Schilling Kelly Armstrong visits her and she reveals that she has conned the Rebecchis into hiring her as their nanny Alice Wells so she can destroy their marriage leaving Toadie free to be with Andrea Andrea tells Toadie that she knows she is not Dee Heather s scheme fails and she flees Erinsborough After Andrea sends a social worker to assess Sonya in the custody case for Hugo Sonya visits her in the hospital and explains that she has ovarian cancer Andrea signs over full custody of Hugo to Sonya and Toadie in return for them dropping the fraud charges Before Sonya leaves Andrea tells her that while she was in the Salamanca Market a man approached her thinking that she was a woman named Karen who Andrea suspects could be the real Dee Bliss Weeks later Andrea receives a text message from Toadie s brother Shane Rebecchi Nicholas Coghlan Andrea moves to Geelong where Shane informs her of Sonya s death and asks her to explain the Karen story Andrea explains that the man thought he had spent an afternoon with her Andrea follows Shane back to Erinsborough where she gets a cold reception from Toadie She tells the Rebecchis that she will help them find Heather and Dee in exchange for time with Hugo Andrea introduces Toadie to Ian Packer Nathan Carter who tells him that he met Dee years previously now living under the name of Karen He tells them that Karen moved to South Africa but this is a lie orchestrated by Andrea She has sex with Ian in return for his part in her new con Andrea finally comes face to face with the real Dee after Heather tracks Dee down in Byron Bay Andrea pushes Dee off a cliff and returns to Erinsborough to impersonate her again Her attempt fails and she is arrested After a DNA test Andrea and Dee discover that they are twins and Heather is their biological mother Andrea is sentenced to at least ten years imprisonment A year later Andrea shares a cell with Elly Conway Jodi Anasta In return for protecting Elly from the other inmates Andrea asks her to convince Toadie to contact Dee on her behalf Andrea is secretly contacted by Claudia Watkins Kate Raison through her lawyer Samantha Fitzgerald Simone Buchanan who pays her to start a prison riot to dissuade Elly from having her daughter Aster Conway Isla Goulas Scout Bowman in prison with her Andrea reveals to Elly that she intends on taking advantage of Dee s kindness to regain custody of Hugo Andrea and Elly s relationship sours when Elly leaves prison with custody of Aster and she tells Dee that Andrea cannot be trusted In an attempt to reunite with Hugo Andrea seduces Owen Campbell Johnny Ruffo into helping her impersonate Dee again Owen drugs Dee allowing Andrea to swap their clothes while Dee is unconscious She flees with Hugo and Owen However Owen later confesses after Andrea rejects him and with Heather s help the police arrest Andrea Dee visits Andrea for the last time before she leaves to find their father Peter Wilson in Alaska Reception EditNeighbours executive producer Jason Herbison stated of Andrea s initial storyline I m thrilled with the reaction When we announced that Madeleine was returning we saw all sorts of viewer commentary from those who wanted her to be Dee to those who felt she couldn t possibly be We knew we had a big opportunity but that also meant we couldn t please absolutely everybody 7 He also added Our fans are very passionate and rightly so I consider myself a fan too The test for us is whether people watch and are being entertained and we ve had a great response to the storyline 7 Daniel Kilkelly from Digital Spy said the storyline was the serial s craziest and most convoluted storyline in its history 36 He stated Many fans have been gripped by the various shocks and surprises along the way but it s fair to say that others are just plain confused 36 Kilkelly condensed the storyline into a bizarre world of cash cons faked DNA tests doppelgangers unstable nannies and mystery men 36 Although expressing his praise for Andrea s storyline he also said With a new identity mystery men and lookalikes all in the mix it s fair to say that many viewers are getting confused 36 McMullan said that West s scenes as Andrea help us unravel one of soap s longest running mysteries 27 Denby stated Madeleine West and Ryan Moloney carried the story beautifully as their characters reminisced and reconnected 10 She also declared that Andrea s storyline could have been a disaster but instead was a triumph 10 Denby claimed the initial good versus bad twin scenario along with Andrea s birth sounded like the most bonkers soap plot at first 10 Of Andrea pushing Dee of a cliff Denby said What we had never seen before was one actress performing a showdown with herself and keeping us on the edge of our seats 10 Summarising the storyline Denby declared Neighbours delivered their riskiest plot yet and it was a total triumph 10 Andrea was placed at number fourteen on the Huffpost s 35 greatest Neighbours characters of all time feature Journalist Adam Beresford was a fan of Andrea s stories stating this insanely OTT saga had it all and more One of the most genuinely brilliant storylines of any soap period 37 References Edit Executive producer Jason Herbison Director Chris Abshead Writer Stephanie Carter 24 June 2021 Episode 8392 Neighbours 10 Peach Kilkelly Daniel 16 September 2016 Neighbours spoilers Madeleine West answers all our burning questions on Dee Bliss s return Digital Spy Retrieved 8 October 2021 West Madeleine 24 July 2019 Neighbours Q amp A Madeleine West Dee Bliss Andrea Somers Neighbours via YouTube Retrieved 8 October 2021 Kilkelly Daniel 16 September 2016 Neighbours spoilers Madeleine West answers all our burning questions on Dee Bliss s return Digital Spy Retrieved 8 October 2021 Kilkelly Daniel 13 May 2020 Neighbours star Madeleine West reveals whether she d return as Dee and Andrea permanently Digital Spy Retrieved 8 October 2021 Dunk Tiffany 15 September 2016 Madeleine West to reprise role of Ramsey Street s Dee Bliss despite onscreen death News com au Retrieved 8 October 2021 a b c Kilkelly Daniel 23 March 2017 Neighbours boss Jason Herbison speaks out over Fake Dee Real Dee and whether Madeleine West could return Digital Spy Retrieved 10 October 2021 a b Kilkelly Daniel 16 September 2016 Neighbours star Madeleine West reveals major Dee Bliss storyline spoiler Digital Spy Retrieved 8 October 2021 a b c d Hennings Emily 15 May 2020 Neighbours fans confused after big new revelations about Dee Bliss Daily Express Retrieved 10 October 2021 a b c d e f g Denby Laura 17 July 2020 Neighbours evil twin plot could have been a disaster instead it s a soap triumph Radio Times Retrieved 10 October 2021 a b Kilkelly Daniel 2 February 2017 Neighbours has finally revealed the WHOLE truth about Dee Bliss and her return from the dead Digital Spy Retrieved 10 October 2021 Kilkelly Daniel 7 February 2017 Neighbours unleashes more Fake Dee revelations in Sindi Watts s big return episode Digital Spy Retrieved 10 October 2021 Kilkelly Daniel 30 January 2017 Neighbours Mark and Sonya fear the worst as Dee Bliss s return gets even weirder Digital Spy Retrieved 10 October 2021 a b Kilkelly Daniel 24 March 2017 Why Neighbours triumphant London week proves Channel 5 should keep the show Digital Spy Retrieved 10 October 2021 a b Kilkelly Daniel 3 March 2017 Neighbours heads to London for the shock climax of the Fake Dee storyline Digital Spy Retrieved 10 October 2021 a b Kilkelly Daniel 21 March 2017 Neighbours Toadie Rebecchi commits the ultimate betrayal by sleeping with Fake Dee Digital Spy Retrieved 10 October 2021 a b c d Julians Joe 24 June 2020 Neighbours Toadie Dee and Andrea timeline of their complex history Radio Times Retrieved 9 October 2021 Kilkelly Daniel 23 February 2017 Neighbours legend Toadie Rebecchi meets his long lost daughter as Dee s return story takes a huge twist Digital Spy Retrieved 10 October 2021 Kilkelly Daniel 23 March 2017 Exclusive Neighbours boss Jason Herbison speaks out over Fake Dee Real Dee and whether Madeleine West could return Digital Spy Retrieved 24 March 2017 Executive producer Jason Herbison Director Tony Osicka Writer Elizabeth Packett 12 July 2017 Episode 7643 Neighbours Eleven a b c Baillie Katie 18 June 2019 Neighbours spoilers Toadie finds out he might have a secret baby son after cheating with Andrea Metro Retrieved 9 October 2021 Kilkelly Daniel 27 July 2017 Neighbours Willow Somers to reveal Fake Dee baby backstory today Digital Spy Retrieved 10 October 2021 Price Natasha 27 August 2018 Kerry Armstrong joins the cast of Neighbours Who Retrieved 27 August 2018 a b Nightmare Nanny Soap World 314 13 November 2018 a b Miller Rebecca 28 June 2019 Neighbours spoilers Am I allowed to say Dee Bliss star drops huge secret about Andrea Daily Express Retrieved 9 October 2021 Kilkelly Daniel 16 July 2018 Neighbours puts a huge Dee Bliss clue in the show s closing titles Digital Spy Retrieved 12 May 2022 a b McMullan Conor 23 July 2018 Neighbours 7 of the most important clues in the Dee or Andrea mystery Digital Spy Retrieved 12 May 2022 a b Hughes Roxanne 11 July 2018 Neighbours spoilers Sonya Rebecchi finally confronts Andrea in epic Fake Dee showdown Daily Express Retrieved 9 October 2021 Edwards Chris 12 February 2019 Neighbours reveals a first look at Sonya Rebecchi s new showdown with Fake Dee Digital Spy Retrieved 9 October 2021 Penwill Alice 6 12 July 2019 Caught in the middle Inside Soap pp 38 39 Hughes Johnathon 24 June 2019 Andrea and Real Dee finally meet in Neighbours clifftop showdown Radio Times Retrieved 24 June 2019 Lee Jess 21 June 2020 Neighbours reveals danger for Dee Bliss as Andrea Somers strikes again Digital Spy Retrieved 9 October 2021 Lee Jess 21 June 2020 Neighbours lines up kidnap drama as Andrea s new plan is revealed Digital Spy Retrieved 9 October 2021 Executive producer Jason Herbison Director Kate Kendall Deborra Lee Furness Writer Jo Kasch 17 June 2020 Episode 8387 Neighbours 10 Peach a b Julians Joe 26 March 2020 Neighbours confirms double trouble for Toadie as Dee and Andrea return Digital Spy Retrieved 8 October 2021 a b c d Kilkelly Daniel 18 July 2019 Neighbours Dee Bliss storyline so far what s going on in the Aussie soap s most complicated saga Digital Spy Retrieved 10 October 2021 Beresford Adam 16 March 2020 The Definitive Ranking Of The 35 Greatest Neighbours Characters Of All Time 20 11 HuffPost Retrieved 19 March 2022 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Andrea Somers amp oldid 1121126686, 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