Matt Robinson (Neighbours)

A team of seven scriptwriters headed by Ray Kolle were responsible for the creation of Matt. They met in an office on the Pacific Highway and discussed what Matt's personality and stories should be.[1] Popular cast member Jason Donovan who played Scott Robinson had recently departed the series. Producers wanted Matthew, or Matt as they decided to nickname him, to fill that role.[1] Matt was also created at a time the show was planning new characters to revamp the show. At that time, Callan stated the show had a hard working cast and "we have to challenge them by introducing new characters who test them in different relationships."[6]

They already had Paske cast in the role. Barbara Toner from Radio Times noted that Paske had the good looks to fill Neighbours' quota of young male acting talent.[1] The character was originally credited as Matt Williams, but Kolle wanted Matt introduced into the show's established Robinson family. The writers had already conjured up the idea that Matt would be the long-lost son of Hilary Robinson (Anne Scott-Pendlebury).[1] Toner interviewed Kolle during the creation process and he explained that he wanted Matt to be different to the other teenagers previously featured in the series. Kolle did not want Matt to be portrayed as bad-tempered and unfriendly, but more disinclined to follow the crowd. He explained that "he's more remote - a little bit remote from the other kids, a bit cool, a bit disinclined to be involved."[1] Kolle added that they were optimistic about the character's reception and wanted him to be likeable.[1]

Another idea successfully pitched by the creative team was Matt having learning difficulties. With that they had to consider how it would contrast with Hilary's character. She was clever and writers did not make his difficulties too severe, but wanted them to be significant enough for Hilary to not be accepting of him.[1] The learning difficulties Matt faced were portrayed as dyslexia.[7] When the story aired on-screen it featured him struggling with his school work and needing special assistance to help his studies.[8] His stories also had to fit the show's "moral code" they had developed for the broadcast time slot. The writers knew Matt would be a biker and questioned whether it would be appropriate for him to wear leathers. They also debated how he would discover Hilary was his mother and how his relationship with his adoptive parents would be.[1]

Prior to the characters first appearance he was compared to Scott Robinson, who leaves the series a few episodes prior to Matt's arrival. While producers were keen to fill the void left by the character's departure, Paske thought the comparisons were unfair.[1][2] He told Sean Whittington from Sunday Mail TV Plus that "he played a totally different character and we're totally different in real life. I suppose it's just natural for people to make comparisons like that."[2] He added that "generally he's a nice ordinary sort of teenager."[2] Paske told Ian Morrison in Neighbours: The Official Annual that "maybe Matt is a bit too like Ashley Paske"[9] In another interview, Paske said Matt was nothing like his previous roles, adding "Matt's not going to be such a goody."[3] Matt is characterised as a troubled teenager and has issues with his parents. Paske told Darren Devlyn from TV Week that Matt is hard to categorise, adding "he's not good or bad but has a lot of personal problems."[10] Paske did not think that Matt was very interesting after playing him for one year. He told Jane Noone from TV Guide that "Matt's a bit dry and dull in some ways."[11]

Matt's wardrobe consisted of over-sized clothing, which Paske believed was a result of time restrictions that meant a lack of character wardrobe fittings.[12] Paske told Caroline Westbrook from TV Hits that he would often arrive on-set in clothes that fit him. However, when he went to the wardrobe department to change into Matt's attire, the jeans, shirts and jackets were always too big.[12] Paske also disliked scenes in which Matt was wearing swimming attire because he felt over weight while on the show. He told Westbrook that on one occasion he received a letter asking him to lose weight and another expressing their dislike of his hair style. Paske said that Matt sported a hair cut similar to that of the footballer Paul Gascoigne because of changes made by the show's production team.[12]

The show's script writers created a detailed backstory for the character in which he was adopted by the Williams family. He enjoyed a good childhood and loved his parents.[13] Matt discovered he was adopted when he needed his birth certificate to apply for his motorcycle driving license. This forced his parents to tell him the truth about his adoption.[8] Matt had the need to seek-out his birth parents, which led him to Ramsay Street.[13] Paske's first scenes aired in May 1989.[14] He is new to Erinsborough and does not know the local residents. Having moved from interstate to accept the role, Paske believed this helped him to better play Matt as they were going through similar experiences.[10] Matt's arrival in the show causes other character's to question his motives for being in Erinsborough.[2] Paske told Whittington that "Matt is from Adelaide and his parents are having a few marital problems. Paske added that "a few people question his arrival" and Matt soon gets into an argument with another character.[2] The character Matt upsets is his neighbour, Mike Young (Guy Pearce) and it forms one of his first stories. When Matt uses Mike's bike without consent, it brings about the confrontation. Paske told Devlyn that Matt "doesn't exactly get off on the right foot because he later finds out that Mike is his maths teacher."[10]

Callan told Cockburn (Evening Times) that when Matt arrives in Erinsborough, he would be hiding a "dark secret". Matt shocks the residents with the announcement that he is the son of Hilary.[6] Matt is disappointed when Hilary rejects him because she fears being shamed for having an illegitimate child resulting from a short lived romance when she was twenty.[13][8] He did not give up his quest to acquaint himself with the Robinson family and forced Hilary to reveal his true identity. With the truth revealed Matt and Hilary forge a steady relationship.[13]

Writers developed a couple of romance storylines for the character. In March 1990, Paske stated the character best suited to Matt romantically would have been Bronwyn Davies (Rachel Friend).[11] But writers portrayed him having an unrequited love for Brownyn's sister, Sharon Davies (Jessica Muschamp).[13] His next story was a short-lived relationship with Lee Maloney (Maree Ackehurst).[15] In November 1989, Paske was "anxiously awaiting" Matt's first relationship story with Lee. He told Devlyn TV Week that viewers would have to wait until the episodes aired, but was "excited" about the story.[16] The couple soon became serious about their relationship following Lee leaving home due to her difficult relationship with her parents. Writers soon had them living in a flat together, but Lee ultimately decided that she was too young to settle down and they broke up.[8]

Writers later developed a romance with Gemma Ramsay (Beth Buchanan). Once Gemma had finished her exams Matt was the reason she chose to remain in Erinsborough.[17] The pair were involved in a motorbike crash story in which Gemma nearly had to have her leg amputated.[18] This pitched Matt and Gemma's disapproving father Tom Ramsay (Gary Files) against each other. In her book The Neighbours Programme Guide, author Josephine Monroe wrote that Tom "took every opportunity to attack Matt for being irresponsible and unsuitable for his beloved daughter."[19] Writers created more problems for Matt an Gemma when they introduced her ex-boyfriend Aidan Devlin (Blake Collins) into the show. Their relationship is fraught because Gemma is "confused" by Aidan's arrival and Matt is upset with the situation.[12] These dilemmas lead to the breakdown of their relationship and Gemma tries to move on.[18]

On 8 December 1990, it was announced that Paske had decided to leave Neighbours and would not renew his contract once it expired in January 1991.[20] He told Chrissie Camo from TV Week that it was not a hard decision to make. He explained "it's just time to move on. It gets to the point you don't feel right anymore, you don't feel happy anymore."[20] He added that he was called "brave" because he was leaving financial and job security, but Paske, then aged twenty wanted to pursue other projects. Paske also believed Neighbours did not make him internationally famous and wealthy like his other co-stars.[20] He also revealed that he was unhappy with Matt's character development following him leaving school and moving in with Gemma. Paske believed scriptwriters were struggling to create new stories and told Camp that "he's a bit in no mans land and I think there's been a problem in dealing with him as such. He can't just muck around with the other kids anymore."[20]

Paske did not want a vapid exit story for Matt and wished producers had killed the character off. Paske wanted a "spectacular" departure scene and liked the idea of filming his death. Paske's ideas were not developed, as Camp correctly reported that Matt's departure story would depict him moving back to Adelaide.[20] Matt's departure was broadcast in March 1991 and was devised around his break-up with Gemma. His final scenes see him accuse Gemma of having sex with Aidan. She denies this and eventually believes her. Matt decides he cannot trust Gemma and decides to leave Erinsborough.[19] Paske had left the series to pursue acting work in the United Kingdom. In 1997, Paske was interviewed on Lizzy Gardiner’s Story of the Fame Game about his career. Paske told Gardiner that he did not regret his involvement in Neighbours, but thought that being typecast affected him securing further acting work in Australia.[21]