''Heartbreak High'' is an Australian

television Television (TV) is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. Additionally, the term can refer to a physical television set rather than the medium of transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertising, ...

programme created by Michael Jenkins and Ben Gannon that ran from 1994 to 1996 on

Network Ten Network 10 (commonly known as the 10 Network, Channel 10 or simply 10) is an Australian commercial television network. It is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Paramount Global's Paramount Networks UK & Australia, UK & Australia division and is o ...

and 1997 to 1999 on

ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Broadcasting * Aliw Broadcasting Corporation, Philippine broadcast company * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial American ...

, for seven series. It was also partially funded from 1996 by

BBC2 BBC Two is a British free-to-air public broadcast television channel owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's second flagship channel, and it covers a wide range of subject matter, incorporating genres such as comedy, drama and ...

, with some episodes airing in the UK ahead of their Australian release. The drama has been described as more gritty and fast-paced than many of its contemporaries, and follows the lives of students and staff at a multicultural

Sydney Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...

high school. The first five series were set at the fictional Hartley High and filmed in Maroubra Bay High School in

Maroubra, New South Wales Maroubra ( ) is a beachside suburb in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is 10 kilometres south-east of the Sydney central business district in the Local government in Australia, local government area ...

in the South-Eastern Suburbs. Series six and seven were set at the fictional Hartley Heights, and filmed in

Warriewood Warriewood is a suburb in northern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Warriewood is located 26 kilometres north of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Northern Beaches Council. Warriewood is pa ...

in the

Northern Beaches The Northern Beaches is a region within Northern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia, near the Pacific coast. This area extends south to the entrance of Port Jackson (Sydney Harbour), west to Middle Harbour and north to the ...

. The show is a spin-off of the 1993 Australian

feature film A feature film or feature-length film (often abbreviated to feature), also called a theatrical film, is a film (Film, motion picture, "movie" or simply “picture”) with a running time long enough to be considered the principal or sole present ...

'' The Heartbreak Kid'', which also featured

Alex Dimitriades Alex Dimitriades (; born 28 December 1973) is an Australian television, film and stage actor of Greek descent. He is perhaps best known for his roles as Nick Polides in the 1993 romantic comedy film '' The Heartbreak Kid'' and as Nick Poulos in ...

Nico Lathouris Nico Lathouris (born 1944) is an Australian actor and writer. He is best known for his roles as George Polides in the 1993 romantic comedy film '' The Heartbreak Kid'' and as George Poulos in the 1994 television teen drama spin-off '' Heartbrea ...

Doris Younane Doris Younane (born 25 February 1963) is an Australian stage and screen actress notable for her role in ''McLeod's Daughters'' where she played Moira Doyle. She is of Lebanese descent. Career Her roles include Titania in ''A Midsummer Nigh ...

Scott Major Scott Ian Major (born 4 July 1975) is an Australian actor and TV and film director, known for his roles as Peter Rivers in the 1994 television teen drama series ''Heartbreak High'' and Lucas Fitzgerald in soap opera ''Neighbours''. After leav ...

and Katherine Halliday as early versions of their ''Heartbreak High'' characters. In 2020,

Netflix Netflix is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service. The service primarily distributes original and acquired films and television shows from various genres, and it is available internationally in multiple lang ...

produced a

reboot In computing, rebooting is the process by which a running computer system is restarted, either intentionally or unintentionally. Reboots can be either a cold reboot (alternatively known as a hard reboot) in which the power to the system is physi ...

, created by Hannah Carroll Chapman, which aired in September 2022.

Series synopsis

''Heartbreak High'' had its origins in the 1987 stage play ''The Heartbreak Kid'', written by Richard Barrett and starring

Gia Carides Gia Carides (; born 7 June 1964) is an Australian actress. She portrayed Liz Holt in ''Strictly Ballroom'' (1992), Susy Connor in '' Brilliant Lies'' (1996), and Cousin Nikki in the ''My Big Fat Greek Wedding'' franchise (2002–2023). Early ...

and

Arky Michael Arky Michael is an Australian actor and writer, who is best known for his role as Fulvio Frangellomini in the television drama series ''Rafferty's Rules''. Early life Michael studied acting at National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) and gradu ...

. The play centred on Papa, a 22-year-old

Greek-Australian Greek Australians () are Australians of Greek ancestry. Greek Australians are one of the largest groups within the global Greek diaspora. As per the 2021 Australian census, 424,750 people stated that they had Greek ancestry (whether alone o ...

teacher at an inner city school, who has an affair with her student, Nicky, and explored the restrictiveness of Greek culture, as well as ethnic tensions within Australian society. The play was first performed by the

Griffin Theatre Company Griffin Theatre Company is an Australian theatre specialising in new works, based in Sydney. Founded in 1979, it is the resident theatre company at the Stables Theatre in Kings Cross. the artistic director is Declan Greene. Artistic directors ...

at the Stables Theatre in

Darlinghurst, New South Wales Darlinghurst is an inner-city suburb in the eastern suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Darlinghurst is located immediately east of the Sydney central business district (CBD) and Hyde Park, within the local government area of the Ci ...

, and adapted into the 1993 film '' The Heartbreak Kid'', directed by Michael Jenkins and filmed in the inner suburb of

Prahran, Victoria Prahran ( , also colloquially or ), is an inner suburb in Melbourne, Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia, 5 km south-east of Melbourne's Melbourne central business district, Central Business District, located within the City of Stonnin ...

. Jenkins and producer Ben Gannon developed ''Heartbreak High'' as a spin-off of the film, with several cast members reprising their roles, reimagined in a Sydney setting. The first series, which was initially centred on the Poulos family, consisted of 38 episodes and premiered on

on 27 February 1994. A second series of 14 episodes premiered on 21 May 1995, and began following a

floating timeline A floating timeline (also known as a sliding timescale) is a device used in fiction, particularly in long-running comics and animation, to explain why characters age little or not at all while the setting around them remains contemporary to the rea ...

, with the students established as being in their last school year and preparing for the HSC, but not sitting for their exams until the beginning of series five (after enduring several cast changes and with nearly two years passing in real time). A third series of 13 episodes premiered on 20 August 1995. The show was axed after two years on Network Ten, however 26 more episodes were subsequently produced with funding from

. They aired the first thirteen episodes in the UK from 26 March 1996 to 16 June 1996, then thirteen more episodes from 3 September 1996 to 3 December 1996. Network Ten eventually aired these episodes to meet their local drama quota in a late night timeslot from 5 August 1996 to 11 November 1996, splitting the 45-minute episodes into 23-minute parts, allowing two episodes to be aired weekly across four nights (Mondays to Thursdays). Although later (and international) airings of the episodes were screened in full, the show would continue to follow this soap opera formula in Australia when it was subsequently bought and revived by the

. Series five first aired on BBC2 in the UK from 10 December 1996 to 14 October 1997, and in Australia on the ABC from 3 February 1997 to 19 June 1997, a total of 39 episodes. This series had the most significant cast change, with the majority of remaining cast members being phased out of the show within the first six episodes, and the show shifting focus from the Bordino family onto the Scheppers family. A new school year begins from the eighth episode onwards and continues in a floating timeline, with students in their last school year but not sitting for their HSC exams until midway through series seven (with over two years passing in real time). Series six marked the debut of Hartley Heights, the student's new school location. The first 20 episodes of series six aired on the ABC from 23 June to 28 August 1997. After nearly a year of repeats, 20 more episodes aired from 1 July to 8 September 1998. The seventh and final series first aired on BBC2 in the UK from 8 December 1998 to 9 November 1999, and in Australia on the ABC from 15 July to 1 December 1999, for a total of 40 episodes. The show was eventually cancelled as selling another series to foreign TV stations proved increasingly difficult. BBC2 had no interest in buying an additional series, due to scheduling delays a backlog of episodes had built up, and the program was forced to wrap up production.

Cast and characters

Cast timeline

''Lighter colours denote recurring guest stars versus series regulars.''

ImageSize =width:1250 height:1000 PlotArea =left:180 bottom:50 top:0 right:40 Alignbars =justify DateFormat =x.y Period =from:1 till:7.99 TimeAxis =orientation:horizontal format:x.y ScaleMajor =unit:year increment:1 start:1 ScaleMinor =unit:year increment:1 start:1 Colors= id:brown value:rgb(0.5, 0.25, 0) id:gray value:gray(0.8) LineData = at:1 color:gray layer:back width:0.1 at:2 color:gray layer:back width:0.1 at:3 color:gray layer:back width:0.1 at:4 color:gray layer:back width:0.1 at:5 color:gray layer:back width:0.1 at:6 color:gray layer:back width:0.1 at:7 color:gray layer:back width:0.1 BarData = bar:dimitriades text:"Alex Dimitriades as Nick" bar:lambert text:"Sarah Lambert as Christina" bar:halliday text:"Katherine Halliday as Rose" bar:coco text:"Salvatore Coco as Con" bar:roche text:"Emma Roche as Danielle" bar:page text:"Corey Page as Steve" bar:younane text:"Doris Younane as Yola" bar:major text:"Scott Major as Rivers" bar:tucker text:"Abi Tucker as Jodie" bar:gutierrez text:"Isabella Gutierrez as Chaka" bar:nguyen text:"Tai Nguyen as Jack" bar:martin text:"Tony Martin as Southgate" bar:baldwin text:"Hugh Baldwin as Graham" bar:orourke text:"Stephen O'Rourke as Deloraine" bar:adele text:"Jan Adele as Ruby" bar:varrenti text:"Elly Varrenti as Irini" bar:lathouris text:"Nico Lathouris as George" bar:caldis text:"Despina Caldis as Effie" bar:toppano text:"Peta Toppano as Stella" bar:nicodemou text:"Ada Nicodemou as Katerina" bar:gouskos text:"Barbara Gouskos as Helen" bar:kants text:"Ivar Kants as Roberto" bar:wilson text:"Kym Wilson as Sam" bar:brunning text:"Alexandra Brunning as Lucy" bar:poletto text:"Vince Poletto as Matt" bar:hornstra text:"Inge Hornstra as Allie" bar:bliss text:"Ian Bliss as Andrew" bar:pollard text:"Jon Pollard as Bolton" bar:gordon text:"Deni Gordon as Ronnie" bar:craig text:"Diane Craig as Dyson" bar:reid text:"Rupert Reid as Declan" bar:jakszewicz text:"Tara Jakszewicz as Stassy" bar:baker text:"Simon Baker-Denny as Tom" bar:goldspink text:"Sebastian Goldspink as Charlie" bar:smart text:"Rebecca Smart as Melanie" bar:hunt text:"Rel Hunt as Ryan" bar:cox text:"Lara Cox as Anita" bar:bursill text:"Tina Bursill as Hilary" bar:mulvey text:"Callan Mulvey as Drazic" bar:sumner text:"Peter Sumner as Les" bar:liu text:"Nina Liu as Mai" bar:beaupert text:"Fleur Beaupert as Nikki" bar:taylor text:"Jeremy Lindsay Taylor as Kurt" bar:moor text:"Andrea Moor as Di Barnett" bar:miragliotta text:"Frederick Miragliotta as Albers" bar:roy text:"Nathalie Roy as Sarah" bar:hudson text:"Elaine Hudson as Kath" bar:gamma text:"Mario Gamma as D'Espo" bar:bracks text:"Marcel Bracks as Lee" bar:seres text:"Morna Seres as Jill" bar:walton text:"John Walton as Nat" bar:winchester text:"Putu Winchester as Dennis" bar:roc text:"Tasneem Roc as Thania" bar:nacson text:"Bianca Nacson as Gemma" bar:jacobz text:"Luke Jacobz as Zac" bar:carapetis text:"Elena Carapetis as Jackie" bar:gregg text:"John Cregg as Carson" bar:raco text:"Danny Raco as Marco" bar:hicks text:"Katherine Hicks as Tess" bar:owentaylor text:"Mark Owen-Taylor as Tim" PlotData = width:10 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from shift:(10,-4) bar:Dimitriades from:1 till:2 color:magenta bar:Lambert from:1 till:1.65 color:orange bar:Halliday from:1 till:2.79 color:purple bar:Coco from:1 till:4.23 color:magenta bar:Coco from:5.07 till:5.07 color:pink bar:Roche from:1 till:5 color:orange bar:Page from:1 till:4 color:purple bar:Younane from:1 till:3 color:magenta bar:Major from:1 till:4 color:orange bar:Tucker from:1 till:4 color:purple bar:Gutierrez from:1 till:1.37 color:magenta bar:Nguyen from:1 till:1.65 color:orange bar:Nguyen from:1.97 till:2.79 color:lightorange bar:Martin from:1 till:3 color:purple bar:Baldwin from:1 till:1.65 color:magenta bar:Baldwin from:3 till:3 color:pink bar:Baldwin from:4.23 till:4.23 color:pink bar:Orourke from:1 till:4.15 color:orange bar:Adele from:1 till:1.65 color:purple bar:Varrenti from:1 till:1.21 color:magenta bar:Lathouris from:1 till:1.76 color:orange bar:Lathouris from:1.79 till:1.79 color:lightorange bar:Caldis from:1 till:4 color:purple bar:Toppano from:1.24 till:1.74 color:magenta bar:Nicodemou from:1.42 till:1.74 color:orange bar:nicodemou from:3.15 till:6 color:orange bar:Gouskos from:1.21 till:1.21 color:lavender bar:Gouskos from:1.66 till:1.66 color:lavender bar:Gouskos from:1.76 till:5.13 color:purple bar:Kants from:1.66 till:1.66 color:pink bar:Kants from:1.71 till:1.71 color:pink bar:Kants from:1.76 till:5.13 color:magenta bar:Wilson from:1.76 till:1.76 color:lightorange bar:Wilson from:1.79 till:1.92 color:orange bar:Wilson from:1.95 till:1.95 color:lightorange bar:wilson from:3 till:4 color:orange bar:Brunning from:1.79 till:1.92 color:lavender bar:Brunning from:1.95 till:2.93 color:purple bar:Poletto from:2 till:5.15 color:magenta bar:hornstra from:3.23 till:4.85 color:orange bar:bliss from:3.31 till:4.50 color:purple bar:pollard from:1 till:3.46 color:pink bar:pollard from:4 till:5.10 color:magenta bar:gordon from:4.08 till:6 color:orange bar:craig from:4.15 till:4.15 color:lavender bar:craig from:4.19 till:5.03 color:purple bar:reid from:4.27 till:5.36 color:magenta bar:jakszewicz from:4.31 till:5.15 color:orange bar:baker from:4.58 till:4.85 color:purple bar:goldspink from:4.62 till:6 color:magenta bar:smart from:5.10 till:6.15 color:orange bar:hunt from:5.18 till:7.40 color:purple bar:cox from:5.18 till:7.55 color:magenta bar:cox from:7.83 till:7.99 color:magenta bar:bursill from:5.18 till:6.08 color:orange bar:mulvey from:5.21 till:7.99 color:purple bar:sumner from:5.21 till:6.10 color:magenta bar:liu from:5.33 till:5.33 color:lightorange bar:liu from:5.36 till:6.55 color:orange bar:beaupert from:6 till:6.98 color:purple bar:taylor from:6 till:7.40 color:magenta bar:moor from:6 till:7.40 color:orange bar:miragliotta from:6.08 till:6.08 color:lavender bar:miragliotta from:6.10 till:6.55 color:purple bar:roy from:6.23 till:6.50 color:magenta bar:roy from:6.58 till:7.40 color:magenta bar:hudson from:6.23 till:6.50 color:orange bar:gamma from:6.18 till:6.18 color:lavender bar:gamma from:6.53 till:7.10 color:purple bar:gamma from:7.33 till:7.93 color:lavender bar:bracks from:6.58 till:7.75 color:magenta bar:seres from:6.58 till:7.75 color:orange bar:walton from:6.58 till:7.38 color:purple bar:winchester from:6 till:6.98 color:pink bar:winchester from:6.99 till:7.99 color:magenta bar:roc from:7.13 till:7.99 color:orange bar:nacson from:7.40 till:7.99 color:purple bar:jacobz from:7.43 till:7.99 color:magenta bar:carapetis from:7.43 till:7.99 color:orange bar:gregg from:7.43 till:7.99 color:purple bar:raco from:7.53 till:7.99 color:magenta bar:hicks from:7.77 till:7.99 color:orange bar:owentaylor from:7.77 till:7.99 color:purple

Network Ten years (1994–96)

Original cast members

as Nick Poulos (series 1, episodes 1–38) :A popular and athletic 17-year-old

student at Hartley High. He is the central character of the show's first series, which chronicles his relationship struggles with Jodie Cooper, including his family's concerns when the two start having sex, the death of his mother in a car crash, and Jodie's infidelity while she is away on tour in Melbourne. Midway through the series, he cheats on Jodie with Danielle, briefly alienating themselves from their friend group, however their relationship fizzles out, and he and Jodie get back together. After moving in with his aunt and uncle when his father leaves for Greece, Nick recklessly pursues a boxing career, eventually dying in the ring from a brain aneurysm in episode 38. :The character is based on Nick Polides from the 1993 film '' The Heartbreak Kid'', also played by Dimitriades, and Nicky Polidis from the 1987 play of the same name, originally played by Tony Poli. Dimitriades left ''Heartbreak High'' over a pay dispute with

. The writers wanted Nick to exit the show quietly by returning to Greece, however, the network threatened to pull the show off air if the character wasn't killed off in a dramatic fight sequence. Dimitriades later appears in an

easter egg Easter eggs, also called Paschal eggs, are eggs that are decorated for the Christian holiday of Easter, which celebrates the resurrection of Jesus. As such, Easter eggs are commonly used during the season of Eastertide (Easter season). The ...

in episode 206, when his photograph is shown in a portfolio to Drazic and Marco. *

Sarah Lambert Sarah Lambert is an Australian writer, Television director, director and Television producer, producer, working primarily in television. Early life Lambert grew up with two older brothers, Tony and Andrew, and an older sister, actress Anne-Lou ...

as Christina Milano (series 1, episodes 1–26) :The new English and History teacher at Hartley. Christina is 22-years-old,

Italian-Australian Italian Australians () are Australian-born citizens who are fully or partially of Italy, Italian descent, whose ancestors were Italians who emigrated to Australia during the Italian diaspora, or Italian-born people in Australia. Italian Aus ...

and engaged to businessman Marco Rossi. Early into the series, she moves out of her parents into an apartment with Yola, and ends her engagement to Marco. She briefly dates drama teacher Phil North, before meeting Mack Winston, a philanthropist known for his work with underprivileged children in

Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania, between the Indian Ocean, Indian and Pacific Ocean, Pacific oceans. Comprising over List of islands of Indonesia, 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, ...

. In episode 26, she leaves Hartley to move away with him. : The character is partially based on Christina Papadopoulos from ''The Heartbreak Kid'', played by

Claudia Karvan Claudia Karvan (born 19 May 1972) is an Australian actress and producer. As a child actor, she first appeared in the film '' Molly'' (1983) and followed with an adolescent role in ''High Tide'' (1987). She portrayed a teacher in '' The Heartb ...

, and Papa from the 1987 stage play, originally played by

, however, the romance with Nick was dropped for this adaptation. * Katherine Halliday as Rosette "Rose" Malouf (series 1–2, episodes 1–49) :A Lebanese-Australian student, aspiring lawyer and editor of the school newspaper. Midway through the first series, she develops a crush on her drama teacher Phil North, before becoming romantically involved with

Vietnamese Vietnamese may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Vietnam, a country in Southeast Asia * Vietnamese people, or Kinh people, a Southeast Asian ethnic group native to Vietnam ** Overseas Vietnamese, Vietnamese people living outside Vietna ...

student Jack. Her father Frank disapproves of their relationship, and briefly kicks her out of the house when she falls pregnant with Jack's baby. Towards the end of the first series, Rose gives birth prematurely at school to a daughter, Tess. In series two, Rose briefly dates Con, before accepting Jack's marriage proposal and transferring to his school in episode 49. :Halliday previously appeared as Maria in ''The Heartbreak Kid''. *

Salvatore Coco Salvatore Coco (born 22 April 1975) is an Australian film and television actor of Italian descent. Early life Coco was born in Sydney and is of Sicilian (from Italy) descent. He performed with the Australian Theatre for Young People, where h ...

as Costa "Con" Bordino (series 1–4, episodes 1–71, guest star in series 5, episode 94) :Nick's cousin and best friend. Born to a Greek mother and Italian father, Con is a popular and charismatic student, usually seen driving a convertible or on his mobile phone making business deals. He becomes Jodie's manager, and early episodes of the series focus on his struggles to kickstart her music career. Later, he becomes co-owner and manager of The Shark Pool, the group's primary hangout, and hires many of his school friends to work for him. Con initially harbours a crush on Chaka, before dating Greta Stewart, an older television executive, and having a fling with Lucy's mother Jacqui. In subsequent seasons, he becomes romantically involved with Rose and Katerina. Con leaves Hartley for a student exchange program in

Santa Monica, California Santa Monica (; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Santa Mónica'') is a city in Los Angeles County, California, Los Angeles County, situated along Santa Monica Bay on California's South Coast (California), South Coast. Santa Monica's 2020 United Sta ...

in episode 71. He returns in episode 94, revealing that he has dropped out of school to enter the real estate business, and married Stephanie, the daughter of his American boss. : Con is based on the character of the same name from ''The Heartbreak Kid'', played by Fonda Goniadis, and the 1987 stage play, originally played by

. * Emma Roche as Danielle Miller (series 1–4, episodes 1–91) : The only girl on Hartley's soccer team and Rose's best friend. She has been in a relationship with Steve for 18 months, they break up midway through the first series after she cheats on him with Nick. Her family life is the focus of several episodes, including when her 15-year-old sister gets pregnant and has to have an abortion, and her mother's brief relationship with Southgate after divorcing her father. In series three, she and Steve eventually reconcile, and she is devastated by his accidental death in series four. Danielle develops an addiction to amphetamines, and is briefly expelled from the school before breaking the habit. She then becomes romantically involved with Declan. Danielle develops a passion for journalism after taking Vic Morris' media class, and in several episodes considers leaving school to pursue a career as a television reporter. She eventually leaves Hartley in episode 91, just weeks before her HSC exams, to accept a job at a community television station in Wollongong. *

Corey Page Corey Page (born 27 March 1971) is an Australian film and television actor. He had a leading role in the television series ''Heartbreak High'' in Australia. Additionally, he was a series regular in the US television series '' The City'' from ...

as Steve Wiley (series 1–3, episodes 1–65) :A rugby player on Southgate's team and Danielle's boyfriend, who he breaks up with midway through the first series. When he is abandoned by his parents during their divorce, Steve discovers he's adopted, and after a brief period of homelessness, moves into the warehouse with Jodie and Rivers. Later, he begins dating Lucy, a wealthy student from another school, before reconciling with Danielle. After taking Vic Morris' media class, Steve develops an interest in photography. While taking photographs at the beach, Steve accidentally falls off a cliff and dies. His body is found by police in episode 66, devastating his friends. :Steve is based on the sole

Anglo-Australian English Australians, also known as Anglo-Australians, are Australians whose ancestry originates wholly or partly in England. In the 2021 census, 8,385,928 people, or 33% of the Australian population, stated that they had English ancestry (wh ...

character of the same name in the 1987 stage play ''The Heartbreak Kid'', originally played by Franco Serafin. Page left ''Heartbreak High'' to pursue his acting career in Los Angeles after it was axed by

. He was unavailable to film his final scenes when the show was picked up by BBC2, so his character is killed offscreen. *

as Yola Fatoush (series 1–2, episodes 1–52) :Hartley's guidance counsellor and substitute English and History teacher. Yola is 30-years-old and Lebanese-Australian, portrayed as being very modern and open-minded, easily assimilated into Australian culture. She shares Christina and Graham's progressive views, which occasionally puts them at odds with the more conservative Southgate. Early into the series, Christina moves into her apartment, and the two briefly fall out when Yola becomes involved with Marty, a married man. In series two, Yola becomes romantically involved with Senior Constable Joe Lawrence, eventually falling pregnant to him. Later, she is devastated when he is shot to death, bringing her closer to Southgate. In episode 52, Southgate offers her a position at a school in rural Yanderra, and the two are seen kissing as they drive away from Hartley. : Younane previously appeared as Evdokia in ''The Heartbreak Kid''. *

as Peter Rivers (series 1–3, episodes 1–65) :The troubled bad boy of Hartley. Rivers is initially portrayed as a racist and sexist bully, constantly antagonising the other students with his best friend Bolton. He endured a rough childhood and is often in trouble with the law, his mother is an alcoholic, and his father and brother are career criminals currently in prison. He grows closer to the group and shows a softer side when he begins dating Chaka, and then Katerina, and moves into the warehouse with Steve and Jodie. Later, he becomes romantically involved with English teacher Sam, and runs away with her up north in episode 65. : The character is based on John Rivers from ''The Heartbreak Kid'', also played by Scott Major, who is also mentioned but not seen in the 1987 stage play of the same name. Major reprises his role in the 2022 reboot, where his character is the father of Darren Rivers. *

Abi Tucker Abigail Anne "Abi" Tucker (born 22 January 1973) is an Australian singer-songwriter and actress. She has had roles in television series-telemovies in ''Heartbreak High'' (1994-1995), '' Water Rats'' (1999), '' Wildside'' (1999), ''The Secret L ...

as Jodie Cooper (series 1–3, episodes 1–65) :A new student at Hartley, and an aspiring singer. She is estranged from her divorced parents, and lives in an apartment with her sister Karen, before moving into the warehouse with Steve and Rivers. The first series chronicles her struggles to kick-start her music career, as well as her on-again, off-again relationship with Nick, which finally ends when he refuses to give up boxing. She is then briefly engaged to his cousin Rocco, who gets her a gig singing backup for a band about to go on tour. However, at the airport heading for America, she has second thoughts, and rushes back to Nick only to watch him die in the ring. In series two and three, she becomes romantically involved with Matt Logan, before forming a connection with Tim Beckett, a washed up singer and struggling alcoholic, who helps her secure a record deal. She leaves Hartley to pursue her career, however returns one last time in episode 65 to help save the school from closure. :While she is not seen again after series three, Jodie's songs can be heard occasionally in the background throughout series four to seven. * Isabella Gutierrez as Chaka Cardenes (series 1, episodes 1–14) :A student from

El Salvador El Salvador, officially the Republic of El Salvador, is a country in Central America. It is bordered on the northeast by Honduras, on the northwest by Guatemala, and on the south by the Pacific Ocean. El Salvador's capital and largest city is S ...

whose mother and siblings immigrated to Australia during the

Salvadoran civil war The Salvadoran Civil War () was a twelve-year civil war in El Salvador that was fought between the government of El Salvador, backed by the United States, and the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (FMLN), a coalition of left-wing guer ...

. Her father is a teacher, who was suspected of being part of her country's resistance movement, and taken away by armed forces. Early into the series, Chaka's mother leaves her alone to search for their father, and she struggles to take care of her younger siblings. Her father is eventually found alive. During the series, Chaka begins dating Rivers, however they break up in episode 14 when she moves to Darwin with her now reunited family. : A minor character called Soula, played by Chaka Johnson, appears in a similar role in ''The Heartbreak Kid''. Gutierrez reprises her role in the 2022 reboot. *

Tai Nguyen Tai Nguyen (born 25 February 1975) is a Vietnamese Australians, Vietnamese-Australian actor. Nguyen began his acting career and best known for his role as Jack Tran Nguyen on the 1994 Australian teen drama series ''Heartbreak High''. Early li ...

as Jack Tran (series 1, episodes 1–26, guest star in series 1–2, episodes 37–49) :A student from

Vietnam Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV), is a country at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of about and a population of over 100 million, making it the world's List of countries and depende ...

and an aspiring doctor. He is new to Hartley and initially becomes the target of racial abuse and harassment from Rivers and Bolton, however quickly befriends Nick and the other students. He becomes romantically involved with Rose, however they break up when his high grades earn him a place at a selective school in episode 22. He returns in a recurring role towards the end of the first series, and in series two, when Rose gives birth to their daughter, Tess. They eventually marry in a traditional Vietnamese wedding in episode 49. : A minor character called Tran, played by

Bao Quach Bao Quach (born September 4, 1979) is an American featherweight professional mixed martial artist who has fought for Bellator, Affliction, M-1 Global, EliteXC, Strikeforce, World Extreme Cagefighting, King of the Cage, and Shooto promotions. ...

, appears in a similar role in ''The Heartbreak Kid''. * Tony Martin as Bill Southgate (series 1–2, episodes 1–52) :Science teacher and rugby coach at Hartley, and briefly the school's acting principal. He is generally unpopular with the students due to his favouritism towards the rugby players, and his conservative views often put him at odds with the other teachers. He is married to a woman named Marnie, with whom he shares a daughter, Natalie. She files for divorce early into the series. In series two, he briefly dates Danielle's mother Suzie before forming a connection with Yola after her boyfriend's death. In episode 52, he accepts an offer to become principal at a school in rural Yanderra and asks Yola to come with him. They are seen kissing as they drive away from Hartley. :The character is based on Brian Southgate in ''The Heartbreak Kid'', played by

William McInnes Darryl William McInnes (born 10 September 1963) is an Australian film and television actor and writer. He is best known for his roles as Senior Constable Nick Schultz in ''Blue Heelers'', as Max Connors in '' SeaChange'', and more recently as ...

, and in the 1987 stage play, originally played by Arky Michael. *

Hugh Baldwin Hugh Baldwin is an Australian actor. For his performance in ''Heartbreak High'' he was nominated for the 1994 AFI Award for Best Lead Actor in a Television Drama. Baldwin trained with NIDA, appearing in the 1992 graduating class producti ...

as Graham Brown (series 1, episodes 1–26, guest star in series 3–4, episodes 53, 71) :The maths and music teacher at Hartley. He is openly gay. His sexuality becomes a focal point early into the series, when he is falsely accused of touching a young male student inappropriately. While Jodie and the other students rally behind him, he considers leaving when he is harassed by Rivers and Bolton and later gay-bashed by a homophobic parent. When the student admits his father was forcing him to lie about their encounter, Graham is vindicated and remains at Hartley. Graham is not seen after episode 26 except in guest appearances in episodes 53 and 71, where he is seen in the teacher's lounge at Hartley as though he had never left. The students are instead taught Maths in Year 12 by Athol Pike. :Graham is based on the character of the same name in ''The Heartbreak Kid'', played by Jasper Bagg, and Graham Russell from the 1987 stage play, originally played by Franco Serafin. Unlike his television counterpart, he claims to be a "happily married man" in the play, although some dialogue hints at his homosexuality. * Stephen O'Rourke as Jim Deloraine (series 1–4, episodes 1–69) :Principal at Hartley High. He was previously married with no children, his wife Barbara died prior to the events of the show. Deloraine acts as a mediator throughout the series, trying to find common ground between Southgate and the other teachers when they are at odds, and attempting to balance the school budget with the demands of the students. In series two, his nephew Matt arrives at Hartley and moves in with him, later setting him up on a blind date with a woman named Patricia. When Hartley High is threatened with closure at the end of series three, Deloraine suffers a mild heart attack. After a second heart attack in episode 69, Deloraine takes an early retirement and is replaced by June Dyson. : An unnamed principal appears in a similar role in ''The Heartbreak Kid'', played by Robin Cuming, and in the 1987 stage play, played by Franco Serafin. * Jan Adele as Ruby St. John (series 1, episodes 1–26) :The owner and manager of Ruby's, a local milk bar and pool hall where the students spend most of their time after school. Ruby has no major storylines of her own and is mostly portrayed as a background extra, her most notable moment is when she beats local bully Sime in a game of pool, forcing him to pay for the students' soccer uniforms. Later, she hires Jodie to work for her as a waitress. She is not seen after episode 26, with The Shark Pool replacing Ruby's as the student's primary hangout. * Elly Varrenti as Irini Poulos (series 1, episodes 1–8) :Nick's mother. She is a housewife who acts as a mediator whenever Nick and his father are at odds. Irini gets into a car crash on her way home from the soccer game early into the series, ultimately dying from her injuries in hospital in episode 8. Her death devastates the Poulos family. :The character is based on Nicky's mother from the 1987 stage play, originally played by Gia Carides, who, along with his father, is featured in two scenes in the play, mostly speaking in Greek and obsessed with the

lotto Lotto may refer to: * Lotto, original, 15th century name of the Italian lottery * Lotto America, one of many U.S. lottery games called Lotto * Lotto (Milan Metro), a railway station in Milan, Italy * Lotto carpet, a carpet having a lacy arabesq ...

, which they eventually win. There is no equivalent in the 1993 film adaptation, with Nick's mother having died prior to the events of the film. *

as George Poulos (series 1, episodes 1–29, guest star in episode 30) :Nick's father. He is a factory worker who immigrated to Australia from Greece, and was a famous soccer player in his home country. After his wife dies, he becomes romantically involved with his housekeeper Stella. George gets a job offer to help run an import/export business in Athens and moves back to Greece in episode 30. :The character is based on George Polides from ''The Heartbreak Kid'', also played by Lathouris, and Nicky's father from the 1987 stage play, originally played by Arky Michael. Unlike his television counterpart, he mostly speaks in Greek and has a strong accent. Lathouris also served behind-the-scenes as the show's

dramaturge A dramaturge or dramaturg (from Ancient Greek δραματουργός – dramatourgós) is a literary adviser or editor in a theatre, opera, or film company who researches, selects, adapts, edits, and interprets scripts, libretti, texts, and pr ...

until series six. * Despina Caldis as Effie Poulos (series 1–3, episodes 1–65) :Nick's 12-year-old sister. She is in Year 6 at a Catholic primary school. When her father announces that the family will be moving to Greece, Effie runs off to live on the streets of Kings Cross and has to be rescued. George agrees to let her and Nick stay in Australia, and they move in with their aunt and uncle. During the series, she begins dating Bart, a nerdy student, and in series two, the two begin Year 7 at Hartley High. Effie disappears without explanation in episode 66 and is never mentioned again, presumably returning to live with her father in Greece. :The character is based on Effie Polides from ''The Heartbreak Kid'', played by Jenny Anthanasopoulos. Con's ten-year old sister, originally played by Gia Carides, appears in a similar role in the 1987 stage play.

Series 1 additions

Peta Toppano Peita Margaret Toppano (born 1951) known as Peta Toppano is a British-born Australian actress, singer and dancer. She is most widely known for her roles in television soap opera's including '' The Young Doctors'' as Dr. Gail Henderson, ''Prisone ...

as Stella Ioannou (series 1, episodes 9–28) : A housekeeper who is hired by Helen to assist the Poulos family after Irini's death. Stella is estranged from her husband Dimitri and daughter Katerina, and quickly becomes a maternal figure to Effie and Nick. She eventually falls in love with George, before leaving for Greece in episode 28 to run her mother's dance school. *

Ada Nicodemou Ada Nicodemou (Greek: Άντα Νικοδήμου) (born 14 May 1977) is an Australian actress of Greek Cypriot descent. She began her acting career in 1994 in TV serial '' Heartbreak High'' as Katerina Ioannou. She also starred in '' Police Re ...

as Katerina Ioannou (series 1, 3–5, episodes 16–28, 54–130) :Stella's troublemaking daughter. She arrives from Greece shortly after Chaka's departure and moves herself into the Poulos home. She begins dating Rivers after enrolling at Hartley, infuriating her mother. Their relationship becomes strained when he starts pressuring her into sex, and she finally dumps him when she walks in on him kissing Danielle. Katerina leaves with her mother in episode 28, but returns in series three, where she attempts to blackmail Rivers into rekindling their relationship. She moves in with the Bordinos, eventually falling in love with Con and losing her virginity to him. When he leaves for America in series four, she takes over as manager of the Shark Pool. Later, she meets Charlie over the internet, but rejects him for being a nerd when he comes to Hartley. They eventually hook up after Matt gives him a make-over. Katerina fails her HSC exams and decides to repeat the year in series five, moving in with Charlie at the warehouse. They break up when Katerina flirts with other men, and she has brief romances with her married dance instructor Blair, and Ryan, before realising she still has feelings for Charlie. In episode 130, Katerina decides to pursue her dancing career at the performing arts school

WAAPA The Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) at Edith Cowan University (ECU) is a performing arts school in Perth, Western Australia. Established in 1980, it is notable for being the most comprehensive performing arts school in Aust ...

and leaves with Charlie for

Perth Perth () is the list of Australian capital cities, capital city of Western Australia. It is the list of cities in Australia by population, fourth-most-populous city in Australia, with a population of over 2.3 million within Greater Perth . The ...

. * Barbara Gouskos as Helen Bordino (series 1–5, episodes 29–96, guest star in episodes 8, 25) :Con's mother and Irini's sister, who first appears after Irini's death. She is Greek and has been married to Roberto since they were 20 years old, they also have an older son, Rocco, who lives mostly in America. She runs her own catering business. Effie and Nick move in with the Bordinos when George leaves for Greece, and throughout the series, their home becomes a refuge for characters who have nowhere else to go, such as Katerina and Matt. In episode 96, Helen and Roberto leave Australia for an extended vacation through Greece, Italy and America, and rent out their home to Katerina's aunt Magda. *

Ivar Kants Ivar Kants (born 19 July 1949), commonly credited as Ivor Kants or Ivar Kanz, is an Australian actor of Latvian descent who has played numerous roles in film, television and theatre. Early life Ivar Kants was born on July 19, 1949, in Adela ...

as Roberto Bordino (series 1–5, episodes 29–96, guest star in episodes 25, 27) :Con's father. He is Italian and owns a construction company. He has a difficult relationship with his oldest son, Rocco, and often has to bail him out of his poor business decisions. Roberto is co-owner and primary investor of the Shark Pool, and becomes more hands-on as a manager in series four after Con leaves for America. In episode 96, he and Helen leave for a European vacation, and he unknowingly sells the Shark Pool to Leo Fine, a local gangster who has had several run ins with Roberto and Rocco in the past. :Francesco Caudullo appears as Roberto in episode 8. *

Kym Wilson Kym Wilson (born 1 April 1973) is an Australian actress and former television host. Career As a girl, Wilson studied drama and dance at Cheshire Dance Academy in North Narrabeen, Sydney in the early 80s. Wilson made her television debut pla ...

as Sam Robinson (series 1 & 3, episodes 30–35, 53–65, guest star in episodes 29, 36) :The new English and History teacher, who replaces Christina. She is only a few years older than her students, and shares Rivers' passion for motorcycles. Although he comes on too strong and sexually aggressive at first, Sam eventually falls for Rivers, and is forced to quit when their relationship is exposed. Deloraine does not report Sam to the authorities, and she remains in the school system when a position opens up at Hartley upon Yola and Southgate's departures. She returns to teach in series three, refusing Rivers' advances and promising Deloraine that it won't happen again. She instead enters a relationship with the new Science teacher Andrew Bell, despite her initial disgust for his conservative views. When he proposes, Sam's feelings for Rivers resurface, and the two are caught having sex in the school's

darkroom A darkroom is used to process photographic film, make Photographic printing, prints and carry out other associated tasks. It is a room that can be made completely dark to allow the processing of light-sensitive photographic materials, including ...

. With her future at Hartley over, Sam and Rivers run off together "up north" for a new life together in episode 65. * Alexandra Brunning as Lucy Weston (series 1–2, episodes 36–51, guest star in episodes 30–35) :A wealthy girl from another school. She begins dating Steve after she hires Helen to cater a dinner party for her mother Jacqui's obnoxious friends, and helps him in finding his birth parents. In series two, she has a HIV scare upon learning of her ex-boyfriend Andrew's drug history, but ultimately she and Steve test negative. Later, Steve helps her break up her mother's relationship with celebrity philanthropist Jerry Shapiro, after he makes inappropriate advances towards her. In episode 51, Lucy gets accepted into a 6-month exchange program in Japan and ends her relationship with Steve. : Brunning previously appeared in episode 18 as Elvie, a Hartley student who shows an interest in Steve.

Series 2 additions

* Vince Poletto as Matt Logan (series 2–5, episodes 39–97) :Deloraine's nephew, a rebellious surfer who starts at Hartley shortly after Nick's death. Although academically gifted, he is estranged from his family and is repeating his HSC year, having been kicked out of his previous three schools for behavioural issues. In series two, he pursues Jodie, who is still grieving Nick. She is later forced to admit her feelings for Matt when her sister Karen takes an interest in him, and the two start a relationship. They break up midway through series three, and Matt becomes romantically involved with Steve's sister Allie, eventually moving into the warehouse with her. In series four, he is caught cheating on her with Stassy, and moves in with the Bordinos. In episode 97, he passes his HSC exams, and decides to take the year off to travel Australia with Stassy before starting his engineering course at uni.

Series 3 additions

Inge Hornstra Inge Hornstra (born 21 May 1974) is an Holland-born Australian stage and television actress. She is best known for her roles on ''Heartbreak High'' and ''McLeod's Daughters''. Early life Hornstra was born in 1974 in Netherlands and moved to A ...

as Allie Matts (series 3–4, episodes 55–87) :Steve's 16-year-old half-sister, whom his mother Lorraine kept secret from him. After reuniting with Steve, she transfers from St Catherine's School for Girls to Hartley High, skipping ahead a year due to her high grades. Later, she becomes romantically involved with Matt and moves into the warehouse. They break up in series four after he cheats on her, and Allie grows closer to new teacher Tom Summers, who helps publish her

young adult In medicine and the social sciences, a young adult is generally a person in the years following adolescence, sometimes with some overlap. Definitions and opinions on what qualifies as a young adult vary, with works such as Erik Erikson's stages ...

novel ''Clouds in the Water''. She eventually discovers that she is pregnant with Tom's baby, and he is fired from the school for sexual misconduct. Allie leaves for London in episode 87 after winning a six-month literary fellowship. *

Ian Bliss Ian Bliss (born 30 June 1966) is an Australian film, television, and stage character actor, he has appeared in numerous Australian television dramas including ''Heartbreak High'', '' Wentworth'' and as several characters in the '' Underbelly uni ...

as Andrew Bell (series 3–4, episodes 56–78) :The new Science teacher, replacing Southgate. He is an academic with little-to-no experience teaching high school students, and often clashes with Sam over his teaching methods. Despite their initial misgivings, they move in together when Sam needs a roommate, and eventually become romantically involved. Later, he proposes, but calls the engagement off when he catches her having sex with Rivers in the school darkroom. In episode 78, he is visited by ex-girlfriend Dana, who offers him a job on a research team in Antarctica, which he accepts.

Series 4 additions

* Jon Pollard as Alan Bolton (series 4–5, episodes 66–95, guest star in series 1–3, episodes 1–58) :A skater and class clown, known for his wild hair styles, piercings and

punk-rock Punk rock (also known as simply punk) is a rock music genre that emerged in the mid-1970s. Rooted in 1950s rock and roll and 1960s garage rock, punk bands rejected the corporate nature of mainstream 1970s rock music. They typically produced sh ...

fashion. He initially appears in a recurring role as Rivers' best friend, a racist bully constantly antagonising the other students. After Rivers' departure, he is promoted to main cast and given more character development, falling in love with Linda Tam, a Chinese-Australian student from a rival school, and forming a strong bond with new principal Dyson and her disabled son Gary. Later, he falls for Stassy, believing they are soulmates, but she pursues Matt instead. Weeks after his HSC exams, Bolton organises a massive beach party called "Bolton's Beach Bash" in lieu of the school formal and accepts a job offer from an events company in Canberra in episode 95. According to the ''Where Are They Now?'' section on the official website run by

, Bolton and Stassy finally hooked up and moved to Melbourne together, where they run a market stall selling her designs. * Deni Gordon as Ronnie Brooks (series 4–5, episodes 67–130) :The new English and History teacher, replacing Sam. She is a 40-year-old

African-American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from any of the Black racial groups of Africa. ...

woman from Harlem, New York, and is unmarried with no children. She is transferred to another school upon the closure of Hartley High in episode 130. *

Diane Craig Diane Mary Craig (born 1949), sometimes credited as Di Craig, is a Northern Irish-born Australian actress best known for her performances in film and television. Early life Craig was born in County Down, Northern Ireland in 1949. Her family rel ...

as June Dyson (series 4–5, episodes 69–92) :The new school principal, replacing Deloraine. She has a son, Gary, who is in a wheelchair as a result of a drunk driving crash. Although she is initially disliked by the students for her strict disciplinary measures, they eventually warm to her, especially Bolton. Weeks before the HSC exams, Dyson leaves for Brisbane in episode 92, to take care of her son when he accepts a job offer there. *

Rupert Reid Rupert Reid is an Australian actor. He is best known for his roles as Declan Costello on the Australian television series ''Heartbreak High'' (1996–1997), and Constable Jack Lawson on the Australian police drama series ''Blue Heelers'' (1999 ...

as Declan Costello (series 4–5, episodes 72–104) :A new student who arrives at Hartley shortly after Con's departure. He is a juvenile delinquent struggling with a gambling problem, who is repeating his HSC year by court order after an aggravated assault charge. His mother Maria suffers from multiple sclerosis. He is a singer, guitarist and former member of the band Rapscallion with his ex-girlfriend Lara, and is hired by Katerina to perform at the Shark Pool. He becomes romantically involved with Danielle, and also briefly dates Melanie in a scheme to investigate her father's purchase of the Shark Pool. In series five, he misses several HSC exams due to his mother's health problems, and is forced to repeat the year. He quits school after an argument with Bailey and takes an internship at a hospital under Ryan's mother Hilary. To his surprise, he finally finds his passion and leaves for Bathurst in episode 104 after getting accepted into a nursing program. * Tara Jakszewicz as Anastasia "Stassy" Sumich (series 4–5, episodes 73–97) :A student from

Yugoslavia , common_name = Yugoslavia , life_span = 1918–19921941–1945: World War II in Yugoslavia#Axis invasion and dismemberment of Yugoslavia, Axis occupation , p1 = Kingdom of SerbiaSerbia , flag_p ...

whose family immigrated to Australia during the

Bosnian War The Bosnian War ( / Рат у Босни и Херцеговини) was an international armed conflict that took place in Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bosnia and Herzegovina between 1992 and 1995. Following several earlier violent incid ...

. She was raised in a strict and traditional household, her trucker father prevents her from socialising with the other students, and she secretly changes clothes at school behind his back. Her unique fashion style, makeup and taste in food quickly make her school outcast, as well as her tendency to manipulate the truth. She finally leaves home after her father refuses to let her work on a fashion project with Allie after school. She moves into the warehouse, and works part-time as a model to pay the rent. Later, convinced of her own psychic abilities, Stassy and Bolton turn to

mysticism Mysticism is popularly known as becoming one with God or the Absolute (philosophy), Absolute, but may refer to any kind of Religious ecstasy, ecstasy or altered state of consciousness which is given a religious or Spirituality, spiritual meani ...

and believe they are soulmates, but she friend-zones him to start a relationship with Matt instead. In episode 97, she fails her HSC but decides to go travelling with Matt instead of returning to school. :Jakszewicz previously appeared in episode 35 as Tanya, a Hartley student involved with Lucy's drug-addled ex-boyfriend. * Simon Baker-Denny as Tom Summers (series 4, episodes 80–87) :The new Science teacher, replacing Andrew. He is the son of superintendent Don Summers, and has been kicked out of previous schools for inappropriate relationships with students. He is in a long-distance relationship with Vicki Hodge, an editor at a publishing company, and encourages Allie to write a young-adult novel. He and Allie have an affair, but he abandons her after getting her pregnant. He is fired by Dyson in episode 87 when Allie exposes their relationship. * Sebastian Goldspink as Charlie Byrd (series 4–5, episodes 81–130) :Katerina's love interest, who transfers to Hartley after they start dating over the internet. He is an aspiring computer scientist and stereotypical

nerd A nerd is a person seen as overly intellectual, obsessive, introverted, or lacking social skills. Such a person may spend inordinate amounts of time on unpopular, little known, or non-mainstream activities, which are generally either highly t ...

, who Katerina rejects immediately when they meet in person. They finally hook up after Matt gives him a makeover. During the series, he struggles with his parents' divorce, briefly joins a cult and develops an addiction to

caffeine Caffeine is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant of the methylxanthine chemical classification, class and is the most commonly consumed Psychoactive drug, psychoactive substance globally. It is mainly used for its eugeroic (wakefulness pr ...

pills. Disappointed by his HSC results, he decides to repeat the year. He and Katerina break up midway through series five, and he becomes romantically involved with Aurora, Anita and Melanie. However, Katerina still has feelings for Charlie, and they leave for

together after Hartley High closes in episode 130.

ABC years (1997–99)

Series 5 additions

Rebecca Smart Rebecca Elizabeth Smart (born 30 January 1976) is an Australian actor, known for her role in the 1987 television film '' The Shiralee''. Early life and education Smart was born in Tamworth, New South Wales on 30 January 1976. She was educated ...

as Melanie Black (series 5–6, episodes 95–136) :Student, romantically involved with Charlie, leaves for Tasmania with her dying boyfriend Andrew in episode 136. *

Rel Hunt Aurel Mitterdorfer, professionally known as Rel Hunt, is an Australian actor, best known for his role as Ryan Scheppers in the television series ''Heartbreak High''. Early life Hunt was born 'Aurel Mitteldorfer', in Sydney, Australia on August ...

as Ryan Scheppers (series 5–7, episodes 98–186) :Student, Anita's older brother, romantically involved with Mai, Nikki and Sarah, graduates high school in episode 186. *

Lara Cox Lara Jane Cox (born 1978) is an Australian actress, known for a variety of roles. Cox played the role of Anita Scheppers in ''Heartbreak High'', Doctor Denman in ''H2O: Just Add Water'', and has appeared in ''Voodoo Lagoon'' and ''Kangaroo Ja ...

as Anita Scheppers (series 5–7, episodes 98–192, 203–210) :Student, Ryan's younger sister, romantically involved with Drazic, Charlie and Kurt. Cox reprises her role in the second series of the 2022 reboot. *

Tina Bursill Tina Bursill (born 24 July 1951) is an Australian actress. She played Louise Carter on the television series '' Skyways'' (1979–1981) and Sonia Stevens on ''Prisoner'' (1983–1984). She played Meryl Knight in the Nine Network drama series ' ...

as Hilary Scheppers (series 5–6, episodes 98–133) :Ryan and Anita's mother, nurse, moves to Melbourne to pursue a job offer in episode 133. *

Callan Mulvey Callan Mulvey (born 23 February 1975) is an Australian actor. He gained widespread recognition for his performances as Mark Moran on the Australian drama '' Underbelly'', Sergeant Brendan 'Josh' Joshua in '' Rush'', and as Bogdan Drazic in the ...

as Bogdan Drazic (series 5–7, episodes 99–210) :Student, skater,

Yugoslavian Australian Yugoslav or Yugoslavian may refer to: * Yugoslavia, or any of the three historic states carrying that name: ** Kingdom of Yugoslavia, a European monarchy which existed 1918–1945 (officially called "Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes" 1918–1 ...

, romantically involved with Anita, Mai and Jet. *

Peter Sumner Peter Malcolm Sumner-Potts (29 January 1942 – 22 November 2016), professionally known as Peter Sumner, was an Australian actor, director, and writer. He had a long career in theatre, television, and film. Career His credits include parts in s ...

as Les Bailey (series 5–6, episodes 99–134) :School principal, later a science and maths teacher at Hartley Heights, quits after a sexual harassment complaint in episode 134. *

Nina Liu Nina Liu (born 15 June 1977) is an Australian actress of Chinese descent. She played Chloe in the television series ''The Secret Life of Us''. Early life and education Liu studied acting at Western Australian Academy Of Performing Arts (WAAPA) ...

as Mai Hem (series 5–6, episodes 104–152) :Student, performance artist and activist,

Chinese Australian Chinese Australians () are Australians of Chinese origin. Chinese Australians are one of the largest groups within the global Chinese diaspora, and are the largest Asian Australian community. Per capita, Australia has more people of Chine ...

, romantically involved with Ryan and Drazic, leaves to pursue a music video directing career in episode 152.

Series 6 additions

* Fleur Beaupert as Nikki Ruark (series 6, episodes 131–169) :Student, aspiring singer, romantically involved with Kurt and Ryan, leaves to recover from a nervous breakdown in episode 169. *

Jeremy Lindsay Taylor Jeremy Lindsay Taylor (born Sydney, 19 September 1973) is an Australian actor. Education He finished his education at Newington College in 1991 and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree, with a major in drama and sociology, from the Univers ...

as Kurt Peterson (series 6–7, episodes 131–186) :Student, school jock, aspiring marine biologist, romantically involved with Nikki, Anita and Thania, graduates high school in episode 186. :Taylor reprises his role in the 2022 reboot. *

Andrea Moor Andrea Moor is an actor based in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. She is known for with roles in theatre, film and television. She is also a stage director and coordinator of actor training at QUT (Queensland University of Technology). Early c ...

as Di Barnett (series 6–7, episodes 131–186) :School principal, gets a job at a bigger school in episode 186. * Frederick Miragliotta as Gerrard Albers (series 6, episodes 133–152) :Humanities teacher, Spanish, leaves to become an artistic director of a regional theatre company in episode 152. * Nathalie Roy as Sarah Livingston (series 6–7, episodes 139–150, 153–186) :student, Christian, romantically involved with Ryan, graduates high school in episode 186. * Elaine Hudson as Kath Livingston (series 6, episodes 139–150) :Sarah's mother, housekeeper to the Scheppers family, leaves for the country in episode 150. * Mario Gamma as Peter D'Esposito (series 6–7, episodes 151–174, guest star in episodes 137, 183–206) :Drazic's friend, owner of the Shark Pool, later works at school canteen. * Marcel Bracks as Lee Delaine (series 6–7, episodes 153–200) :Student, school outcast, leaves for a fresh start at another school in episode 200. * Morna Seres as Jill Delaine (series 6–7, episodes 153–200) :Lee's mother, leaves with Lee in episode 200. * John Walton as Nat Delaine (series 6–7, episodes 153–185) :Lee's father, Humanities teacher at Hartley, leaves in episode 185. * Putu Winchester as Dennis Klinsmann (series 6–7, episodes 170–210, guest star in episodes 131–169) :Student, class clown.

Series 7 additions

Tasneem Roc Tasneem Roc (born 11 December 1978) is an Australian actress of film and television. Early life and education Tasneem Roc was born in Sydney. Roc's mother, writer Margaret Roc, is from Scotland and her father, John Roc, is a Karen from Bur ...

as Thania Saya (series 7, episodes 175–210) :Student, artist, romantically involved with Kurt and Marco. * Bianca Nacson as Gemma Whitley (series 7, episodes 186–210) :Student, romantically involved with Zac, expelled in episode 209. *

Luke Jacobz Luke Jacobz (born Luke Jacob Ashwood; 14 February 1981) is an Australian actor and television presenter. He is best known for his roles as Zac Croft in ''Heartbreak High'', Patrick Brewer in '' McLeod's Daughters'', Angelo Rosetta in ''Home an ...

as Zac Croft (series 7, episodes 187–210) :Student, romantically involved with Gemma, Clare (an exchange student from London) and Tess. *

Elena Carapetis Elena Carapetis is an Australian actress and writer based in Adelaide, South Australia. She is best known for her role as Jackie Kassis in ''Heartbreak High'', as well as numerous other television series and theatre roles. As a writer, her play ...

as Jackie Kassis (series 7, episodes 187–210) :Science teacher. * John Gregg as Alan Carson (series 7, episodes 187–210) :School principal, English and history teacher. *

Danny Raco Danny Raco (born 24 December 1979) is an Italian Australian actor and director, known for his television work on Home and Away and Blue Heelers.. Raco was born in Rome, Italy. Career He got his start playing Marco Vialli on the teenage soap op ...

as Marco Vialli (series 7, episodes 191–210) :Student, Italian-Australian, romantically involved with Thania. *

Katherine Hicks Katherine Hicks is an Australian actress. She is known for her roles as Heidi Wilson on '' Rescue: Special Ops'' and Sam MacKenzie on ''Winners & Losers''. Early life Hicks was born in Melbourne, Victoria, and grew up on a farm in Byron Bay, N ...

as Tess Mason (series 7, episodes 201–210) :Student, goth girl, romantically involved with Zac. * Mark Owen-Taylor as Tim Mason (series 7, episodes 201–210) :Tess's father.

Episodes

Reception

Mike Boone, in an article from

Calgary Herald The ''Calgary Herald'' is a daily newspaper published in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Publication began in 1883 as ''The Calgary Herald, Mining and Ranche Advocate, and General Advertiser''. It is owned by the Postmedia Network. History ''The C ...

, compared the series to

Beverly Hills, 90210 ''Beverly Hills, 90210'' (often referred to as ''90210'') is an American teen drama television series created by Darren Star and produced by Aaron Spelling via his production company Spelling Television. The series ran for 10 seasons on Fo ...

, stating "its characters could pass for Californians in their appearance and demeanor". Debi Enker from

The Age ''The Age'' is a daily newspaper in Melbourne, Australia, that has been published since 1854. Owned and published by Nine Entertainment, ''The Age'' primarily serves Victoria (Australia), Victoria, but copies also sell in Tasmania, the Austral ...

praised the show, writing "perhaps the most notable divergence from the bulk of local drama is the series' multi-cultural core", along with saying that the series has a "clear choice of grit over glamour ... The glossy vacuity and cosmetic hip of 'Beverly Hills 90210' ... have been firmly rejected."

Distribution

International versions

''Heartbreak High'' was broadcast in over 70 countries and dubbed into a number of different languages, most of which gave it a new name. The show aired in its original form in

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

on Showcase, in Ireland on

RTÉ2 RTÉ2 (formerly branded as RTÉ 2 from 1978–88, Network 2 from 1988–97, N2 from 1997–2004 and RTÉ Two from 2004–14) is an Irish free-to-air television channel operated by public service broadcaster RTÉ. It was launched on 2 Novemb ...

, in the United Kingdom on

Children's BBC BBC Children's and Education is the BBC division responsible for media content for children in the UK. Since the launch of specially dedicated television channels in 2002, the services have been marketed under two brands. CBBC (short for Chil ...

Trouble Trouble may refer to: Film and television * ''Trouble'' (1922 film), an American silent comedy-drama film directed by Albert Austin * ''Trouble'' (1933 film), a British comedy film * ''Trouble'' (1977 film), a Soviet drama film * ''Trouble'' ...

and

TCC TCC may refer to: Companies * Taiwan Cement Corporation * The Clearing Corporation *Trammell Crow Company * Travancore Cochin Chemicals, Kochi, Kerala, India Organizations *Tanana Chiefs Conference *Theory of Cryptography Conference * Technol ...

, and in the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

Encore WAM Starz Encore is an American premium television channel owned by Starz Inc., a subsidiary of Starz Entertainment Corp. (a namesake of the network) and headquartered at the Meridian International Business Center complex in Meridian, Colorado, U ...

. Broadcast on children's channels in the UK were heavily edited for content. From 2009 to 2010,

ABC3 ABC Entertains is an Australian free-to-air television channel owned by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. It was launched on 4 December 2009 as a children's channel called ABC3. It was rebranded on 19 September 2016 to ABC ME. It rebra ...

repeated the series in Australia. On 27 November 2020, all seven seasons of the show were released worldwide on streaming platform

, with the exception of France, Belgium and French speaking territories, where it is available on myTF1.

Home releases

The first 26 episodes of the first season were released in Australia as a DVD box set by Umbrella Entertainment on 5 October 2011. This DVD set is region free, featuring original 4:3 Full Frame and 2.0 English Dolby Digital Sound. The last 13 episodes of the first season, along with every episode of the second season were released as a second DVD box set on 7 March 2012. The season three DVD box set was released by Umbrella Entertainment on 6 June 2012. According to Umbrella Entertainment's Facebook page, subsequent seasons of the show were never released due to music licensing issues. The dubbed German version of the show's first season was also released in two DVD sets in Germany, with no English audio track.

Novelisations

The original stage play has been published and reprinted in conjunction with the show, along with a number of show guides and tie-in novelisations. * ''The Heartbreak Kid'' (1988) by Richard Barrett * ''Heartbreak High: Rap Pack'' (1994) by Meredith Costain * ''Heartbreak High: Offside'' (1994) by Meredith Costain * ''The Official Heartbreak High Book'' (1995) * ''Heartbreak High - The Inside Story'' (2021) by Ian Golden and Helen Heath * ''Heartbreak High: Love/Hate'' (1998) by Jacquie Kent * ''Heartbreak High: Making Up/Breaking Up'' (1998) by Jacquie Kent * ''Heartbreak High: Secrets & Lies'' (1998) by Jacquie Kent * ''Heartbreak High: Tough Call'' (1998) by Jacquie Kent

Soundtracks

''Heartbreak High: The Album'' was released in 1994, featuring music from

Kulcha Kulcha is a Persian term for a disc-shaped loaf of leavened bread. In India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; ...

, Motiv8,

Culture Shock Culture shock is an experience a person may have when one moves to a cultural environment which is different from one's own; it is also the personal disorientation a person may feel when experiencing an unfamiliar way of life due to immigration ...

Chocolate Starfish Chocolate Starfish is an Australian rock band formed in 1992 and disbanded in 1998. Their self-titled debut album, issued in April 1994, peaked at No. 2 on the ARIA Albums Chart. It was followed in October 1995 by their second album, ' ...

The Sharp The Sharp is a Melbourne four-piece pop, rockabilly band which formed in 1991 with Allan Catlin on double bass and lead vocals, Piet Collins on drums and Charlie Rooke on guitar and lead vocals. They issued two studio albums, '' This Is the Shar ...

, Electric Hippies, Renegade Funktrain,

Hunters & Collectors Hunters & Collectors are an Australian rock band from Melbourne, formed in 1981. Fronted by founding member, singer-songwriter and guitarist Mark Seymour, the band's other mainstays are John Archer on bass guitar and Doug Falconer on drums an ...

, The Poor,

The Screaming Jets The Screaming Jets are an Australian hard rock band formed in Newcastle, New South Wales from the band Aspect formed in high school by Grant, Dave, Frank Manitta and Grant Wiltshire (deceased) in 1984 which Paul Woseen was also a later member o ...

Baby Animals Baby Animals is an Australian hard rock band active from October 1989 to 1996 and reformed in 2007. The original line-up was Frank Celenza on drums; Suze DeMarchi on lead vocals and guitar; Dave Leslie on guitar and backing vocals; and Eddie ...

Connie Mitchell Connie Thembi Mitchell (born ), also known as Miss Connie, is a South African-born Australian singer. In 1995 she was a founding member of Primary. Briefly, in 2004, she was vocalist for Machine Gun Fellatio under the pseudonym Feyonce. Since ...

, Sisters Underground, 3 the Hard Way,

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and

Hoodoo Gurus Hoodoo Gurus are an Australian rock band formed in Sydney in 1981 by Dave Faulkner (songwriter, lead singer and guitarist) and later joined by Richard Grossman (bass), Mark Kingsmill (drums), and Brad Shepherd (guitar, vocals, harmonica). Th ...

. ''Heartbreak High: Music from the ABC TV Series'' was released in 1997, featuring

Human Nature Human nature comprises the fundamental dispositions and characteristics—including ways of Thought, thinking, feeling, and agency (philosophy), acting—that humans are said to have nature (philosophy), naturally. The term is often used to denote ...

My Friend the Chocolate Cake My Friend the Chocolate Cake are an Australian chamber pop group formed in 1989 by mainstays David Bridie on vocals and keyboards and Helen Mountfort on cello and backing vocals (both ex- Not Drowning, Waving). They have released seven studio ...

Christine Anu Maia Christine Anu (born on 15 March 1970) is an Australian singer-songwriter and actress of Torres Strait Islander origin. She gained popularity with the cover song release of the Warumpi Band's song " My Island Home" in 1995. Anu has been no ...

, Swoop,

Custard Custard is a variety of culinary preparations based on sweetened milk, cheese, or cream cooked with Eggs as food, egg or egg yolk to thicken it, and sometimes also flour, corn starch, or gelatin. Depending on the recipe, custard may vary in con ...

Def FX Def FX was an Australian band founded in 1990 by keyboardist Sean Lowry. Members included Fiona Horne on lead vocals, Blake Gardiner on guitar and Martyn Basha on bass. They released four albums between 1992 and 1996 before disbanding in April ...

, Past to Present,

The Badloves The Badloves are an Australian R&B, soul band that formed as DC3 in 1990 by founding mainstay member Michael Spiby on guitar and lead vocals. They changed their name after a year. Their debut studio album, '' Get on Board'', was issued in Jul ...

, The Paradise Motel and

Wicked Beat Sound System Wicked Beat Sound System is a Sydney based group whose sound is best described as a mixture of electronica, dub and soul. The group formed in 1992, following a series of live "jams" instigated by DJ Dave Carnovale (Crucial D) in collaboration ...

References

External links

Heartbreak High main site

IMDB pageScott Major's official website"''Heartbreak High'' search"
{{Webarchive, url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211124064101/http://colsearch.nfsa.gov.au/nfsa/search/summary/summary.w3p;page=0;query=Heartbreak%20High;resCount=10 , date=24 November 2021 at the

National Film and Sound Archive The National Film and Sound Archive of Australia (NFSA), known as ScreenSound Australia from 1999 to 2004, is Australia's audiovisual archive, responsible for developing, preserving, maintaining, promoting, and providing access to a national c ...

Heartbreak High Polish unofficial forum''Heartbreak High'' - Ep 210
at

Australian Screen Online The National Film and Sound Archive of Australia (NFSA), known as ScreenSound Australia from 1999 to 2004, is Australia's audiovisual archive, responsible for developing, preserving, maintaining, promoting, and providing access to a national c ...

Australian television soap operas Network 10 original programming Australian Broadcasting Corporation original programming Live action television shows based on films 1990s teen drama television series Australian high school television series 1990s Australian drama television series Australian television spinoffs Television shows set in New South Wales 1994 Australian television series debuts 1999 Australian television series endings Australian English-language television shows Maroubra, New South Wales Australian television series about teenagers Australian teen drama television series