Lucy Robinson (Neighbours)

Lucy Robinson
Melissa Bell as Lucy Robinson (2013)
Neighbours character
Portrayed by	Kylie Flinker (1985–1987) Sasha Close (1987–1989) Melissa Bell (1991–2016)
Duration	1985–1989, 1991–1993, 1995, 2005, 2013–2016
First appearance	18 March 1985
Last appearance	26 September 2016
Created by	Reg Watson
Introduced by	Reg Watson (1985) Don Battye (1991) Ian Bradley (1993) Bill Searle (1995) Ric Pellizzeri (2005) Richard Jasek (2013)
Classification	Former; regular
Profile
Occupation	Student Model Businesswoman
Home	New York City
Family Robinson Father Jim Robinson Mother Anne Robinson Brothers Paul Robinson Scott Robinson Half-brothers Glen Donnelly Half-sisters Julie Martin Jill Ramsay Husband David Kazalian (1993–1995) Daughters Annie Robinson-Pappas Grandmothers Helen Daniels Bess Robinson Aunts Rosemary Daniels Nephews Daniel Robinson Andrew Robinson Nieces Amy Williams Kate Ramsay Sophie Ramsay Madison Robinson Other relatives Hilary Robinson Matt Robinson Gwen Simpson Laura Dennison Nikki Dennison Wayne Duncan Jimmy Williams

Lucy Robinson is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Melissa Bell. The character has previously been portrayed by Kylie Flinker and Sasha Close. She was created by producer Reg Watson as one of the serial's original characters. Lucy was a prominent figure during the early 90's of Neighbours, with Bell playing her on and off for five years. Portrayed originally as being clever, a recast was implemented to fit the character's transformation and she became the stereotype of a ditzy blonde female. She has been involved in storylines including battling a brain tumour, coping with blindness, incest, modelling and addictions to drugs, alcohol and spending. She has also been positively and negatively received by critics for her "busty blonde" image while played by Bell. After making a brief return on 6 May 2013, Lucy made subsequent return visits and is still appearing as of 2016.

Lucy was created by Reg Watson as a young child, to help the serial appeal to all ages. She was originally played by Kylie Flinker until 1987 when she quit in order to concentrate on her school work; the role was recast with Sasha Close playing her. Close said she was very lucky to get the part, with Lucy's storylining leading to departure for the character, Close agreed to film on a recurring basis until she was in her final year of school. In 1991 Lucy was recast once more after producers decided Lucy would feature in the show on a permanent basis, with Melissa Bell taking over. This allowed Lucy to become one of the show's central characters.

"I love my character Lucy. She's so strong and stands up for what she believes in. Some of the soap characters around are far too wimpy and not feisty enough."

Whilst Lucy was young she is described as being an innocent child who never does any wrong. A writer for the Neighbours Pocket Trivia Book noted that Lucy has her "fair share of adventures" while growing up on-screen. She is Jim Robinson's (Alan Dale) "spoiled little girl" and behaves "terrible" towards her father's girlfriend Zoe Davis (Ally Fowler) taping "ugly threats" from television shows and playing them over the phone to scare Zoe. She is also a "disobedient snooper" and causes trouble for Rosemary Daniels (Joy Chambers) by exposing letters sent from her ex-fiancée Gerard Singer (Bryan Marshall) and mother Helen Daniels' (Anne Haddy), confessing their love. But Lucy does have "a good side" to her curiosity; for instance she helps the police catch the culprit of a robbery that occurs at Clive Gibbons' (Geoff Paine) house. In her teenage years she was described as giving her father plenty of reasons to worry, going from dead-end job to the next and being incredibly flirtatious. During the character's return in 2005, whilst an interviewed by Digital Spy, Bell spoke about how Lucy has grown up and learned from her mistake, changing from a rebellious young woman into a clever business woman and stated: "I started in 1990 and I've come back many times, the last about eight years ago. Now I'd describe Lucy as a centered woman with her life together, very focused on her business. But she probably yearns for a family and for love. Just growing up does that to people. She's grown from her early twenties to her late twenties, and she's very different to when she was at earlier stages of her life." She also made light of the fact that Lucy has Robinson qualities and can be a bit ruthless at times. A Channel 5 writer described Lucy as a feisty character who is often embroiled in the dramas surrounding her corrupt brother, Paul (Stefan Dennis).