One of television’s most iconic props has gone under the hammer to raise money for Dementia Australia.
Following the axing of soap opera Neighbours last year, actress Annie Jones – who played Jane Harris – acquired the infamous painting of her fictional grandmother and decided to put it up for auction in memory of her late mother.
Within the shows history, the unflattering portrait was crafted by Ramsay Street royalty Helen Daniels (Anne Haddy), having been commissioned by her neighbour, the formidable Mrs Nell Mangel (Vivean Gray).
In true Mrs Mangel style, she initially hated the interpretation, though eventually grew fond of it and displayed it in her home at No. 32.
The reverse side of the artwork features signatures from a number of the show’s stars, and includes a letter of provenance from series producer Andrew Thompson.
Ahead of the sale, Dr Kaele Stokes, executive director services, engagement and research for Dementia Australia, said: “For many Australians and fans around the world, Neighbours was a part of daily life for decades,”
“Now, fans can own an iconic piece of the show’s history while helping to support families impacted by dementia, which is the leading cause of death in Australia.
“Thank you to Neighbours actor Annie Jones who generously donated the piece to raise funds in honour of her Mum who lived with dementia.”
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Annie added: “Supporting people living with dementia, their families and carers is something I care deeply about. I also can’t wait to see the reactions from fans and see where this beloved painting ends up going.”
The actress, who played Jane across several stints between 1986 and 2023, has since taken to Instagram to express her surprise after the final bid was made at midnight.
A whopping $19,500 AUD (£10,340) has been raised for the charity.
“Wow!” she said, “Congratulations and thank you to the successful bidder. A wonderful result and one ‘Nan’ would be proud of.”
Next year marks 40 years since Helen painted Mrs Mangel, though the brief storyline has become synonymous with the much-missed serial drama. After Nell’s fictional family departed, the portrait ceased to be seen on our screens for decades.
That was, until, a nostalgia-filled episode aired in 2016, which saw Paul Robinson (Stefan Dennis) discover the artwork and receive an almighty blast from the past. It continued to crop up in the background of shots until Jane made a permanent return, and installed it in its original position.
In 2022, it fell to the floor after great grandson Byron (Joe Klocek) revealed he was working as an escort.
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Another former Neighbours star showing their support for the sale is Takaya Honda, who played David Tanaka for eight years. Honda is an ambassador for the charity, with his late mother Rhonda being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2014.
“This is an exciting collaboration and brings together two parts of my life, my role on Neighbours and my work as an ambassador for Dementia Australia which I’ve been doing since 2017,” Honda said.
The soap wrapped filming in July and a number of props and costumes were sold at the show’s studios in Nunawading, Victoria, while hundreds of others were donated to charity shops across the state. Neighbours also gave fans a chance to win bundles of memorabilia through Instagram competitions.
Neighbours is available to stream on Prime Video.
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