Aviva "Viv" Newton is a fictional character from the Australian television soap opera ''
Home and Away
''Home and Away'' (''H&A'') is an Australian television soap opera. It was created by Alan Bateman and commenced broadcast on the Seven Network on 17 January 1988. Bateman came up with the concept of the show during a trip to Kangaroo Point, N ...
'', played by
Mouche Phillips
Mouche Phillips (born 1973) is an Australian actress and theatre producer, best known for her television roles as Aviva "Viv" Newton in ''Home and Away'' (1989–90) and Eva Sykes in police procedural series '' Water Rats'' (2000–01).
Earl ...
. She made her first appearance during the episode broadcast on 5 July 1989. Phillips audition for the role and informed her she had been successful via an answering machine message. She began filming the same week but Phillips was immediately unhappy with her experience. Viv was written out of the series the following year and she made her final appearance during the episode broadcast on 25 May 1990. Phillips later revealed that she found the role to be unchallenging and the show's writing repetitive. Phillips reprised the role in 1991, for the UK theatre tour of '' Home and Away: The Musical''.
Casting
When Phillips auditioned for the role of Viv she was living with established cast member
Justine Clarke
Justine Clarke is an Australian actress, singer, author and television host.
Clarke has been acting since the age of seven and has appeared in some of Australia's best-known TV shows. She is best-known for her portrayal as Roo Stewart on the ...
, who plays
Roo Stewart
Ruth "Roo" Stewart (also Morgan) is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera ''Home and Away'', played by Justine Clarke from 1988 to 1989. The character made her first screen appearance during the episode broadcast on 20 January 19 ...
. The producers left a message on Phillips answering machine telling her she had the part. Phillips said that she began filming the same week that Clarke finished filming and felt like they were doing a swap. Phillips said that her first day of filming was "dreadful". She told ''
TV Week
''TV Week'' is a weekly Australian magazine that provides television program listings information and highlights, as well as television-related news.
Content ranges from previews for upcoming storylines of popular television programs, particu ...
'' that "I felt like I was just warming up in a scene and they'd say 'done!. Phillips told a writer from ''
Look-in
''Look-in'' was a children's magazine centred on ITV's television programmes in the United Kingdom, and subtitled "The Junior '' TVTimes''". It ran from 9 January 1971 to 12 March 1994.
Steven Matheson
Steven Matheson is a fictional character from the Australian Seven Network, Channel Seven soap opera ''Home and Away'', played by Adam Willits. Steven was created by Alan Bateman as one of the serial's original characters and he first appeared i ...
(
Adam Willits
Adam Charles Willits (born 18 February 1972) is an Australian former actor, best known for being an original cast member of the television soap opera ''Home and Away'' as foster child Steven Matheson from 1988 to 1991. In 1995, Willits returned ...
). In his book ''The who's who of soap operas''; Anthony Howard said that Steven did not have the same sex appeal as Matt, but he was more "loving and reliable" to Viv.
The character was written out of ''Home and Away'' during 1990. Phillips told Graeme Kay from ''BIG!'' that the role had taken up too much of her time and she preferred having a free schedule. Viv's final storyline featured her missing sister, Tammy Newton (Katy Edwards) returning unharmed. The pair then decide to move to the countryside with their mother. Phillips told Ian Brandes from ''
The People The People may refer to:
Legal jargon
* The People, term used to refer to the people in general, in legal documents
* "We the People of the United States", from the Preamble to the U. S. Constitution
* In philosophy, economics, and political scienc ...
'' that she only opted to appear in ''Home and Away'' because it would help her career. She lambasted the show's repetitive writing and storylines. She explained "it wasn't at all challenging. It's such throw away stuff. I'm not saying I didn't have to act in it but being an actor is all about doing different things." Phillips disliked her experience working on the show so intensely that she considered giving up acting.
Phillips reprised the role in the 1991 theatre production, '' Home and Away: The Musical''. The musical theatre show cost the production team £1.6 million to stage. It featured Phillips as Viv, Craig Thomson as
Martin Dibble
Martin Dibble is a fictional character from the Australian television soap opera ''Home and Away'', played by Craig Thomson. He made his first appearance during the episode broadcast on 17 January 1988, during the show's pilot episode. Martin is c ...
,
Julian McMahon
Julian Dana William McMahon (born 27 July 1968) is an Australian-American actor. He is the only son of Sir William McMahon, a former Prime Minister of Australia. He is best known for his roles as Ben Lucini in ''Home and Away'', Detective Joh ...
Sharyn Hodgson
Sharyn Hodgson (born 25 August 1968) is an Australian former actress, best known as an original character in TV serial ''Home and Away'' playing troubled teenager Carly Morris (later Luccini), she has subsequently returned to the role guest app ...
as
Carly Morris
Carly Lucini (also Morris) is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera ''Home and Away'', played by actress Sharyn Hodgson. She was one of the soap's original female protagonists, appearing as one of the Fletchers' foster children in ...
and Justine Clarke as Roo Stewart. It toured UK theatre venues during 1991. The tour lasted seventeen weeks and finished with a five day run in Leicester. Phillips and Clarke refused to appear in the show's finale because of contractual disputes with organisers. The show took place in De Montfort Hall, Leicester without the two actresses. Their absence caused attendees to lodge complaints to the
Leicester City Council
Leicester City Council is the local authority for the city of Leicester, in the ceremonial county of Leicestershire, England. Leicester has had a council from medieval times, which has been reformed on numerous occasions. Since 1997 the council ...
. The council's city entertainments manager, David Lingham was angered by the events and opened a formal investigation demanding compensation to ticket holders.
Storylines
Viv meets Steven Matheson and Brian 'Dodge' Forbes (Kelly Dingwall) while they are in the city. Viv reveals she is running from her abusive father
John
John is a common English name and surname:
* John (given name)
* John (surname)
John may also refer to:
New Testament
Works
* Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John
* First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John
* Second E ...
( John Gregg), who is a reverend and Steven and Dodge take her back to Summer Bay.
Lance Smart
Lance Smart is a fictional character from the Australian Channel Seven soap opera ''Home and Away'', played by Peter Vroom. Vroom appeared from the pilot episode as one of the serial's original characters. Lance is characterised a "slow witted ...
Lyn Collingwood
Lyn Collingwood (born 6 September 1936 in Sydney), credited also as Lynn Collingwood, is an Australian actress, writer and historian.
Collingwood was born in Sydney, New South Wales, and started her early career as an English, drama and histor ...
) agree to cover for Viv and lie that she is a relative staying with them.
The truth is revealed and John turns up looking for Viv and charms everybody. John manipulates Viv by using her younger sister, Tammy in order to
guilt trip
Guilt tripping is a form of emotional blackmail that is often designed to manipulate other people by preying on their emotions and feelings of guilt or responsibility. This can be a form of toxic behavior that can have detrimental effects on a p ...
her into returning home and she does. Once home, John locks Viv in a cupboard under the stairs. Tammy rescues her and phones Steven. Steven and Bobby Simpson (
Nicolle Dickson
Nicolle Dickson (born 29 January 1969) is an Australian former actress, who was best known for playing the original character of teenage tearaway Bobby Simpson in soap opera ''Home and Away'' from 1988 to 1993. She left the acting profession ...
) arrive to rescue Viv and Tammy and lock John in the cupboard as a taste of his own medicine and flee back to the bay. Bobby asks her father
Donald Fisher
Donald George Fisher (September 3, 1928 – September 27, 2009) was an American billionaire businessman and philanthropist. He co-founded the Gap Inc. clothing stores with his wife Doris F. Fisher.
Early life and education
Fisher was born i ...
(
Norman Coburn
Norman Coburn (born 6 March 1937) is an Australian former actor, playwright and writer best known for his television serial and soap opera roles. He started his early career in theatre, film and television in the United Kingdom in the mid-1950s. ...
) to let Viv and Tammy stay. Once Donald learns of John's true nature, he contacts
Howard West
Howard West (September 24, 1931 – December 3, 2015) was an American talent agent and television producer best known for his work with long-term partner George Shapiro in producing and managing Jerry Seinfeld.
West and Shapiro, who were childhoo ...
(Richard Rowe), a representative of the Department of Child Services who offers Viv and Tammy the choice of going into a children's home or remaining with John under a supervision order. Tammy reluctantly agrees to return home while Viv remains with Donald and Bobby.
Viv finds herself the target of school bully Vicki Baxter (Nana Coburn) due to Donald being her headmaster as well as guardian. She then finds an ally in the newly arrived Emma Jackson (
Dannii Minogue
Dannii Minogue (; born 20 October 1971) is an Australian singer, television personality, and actress. As a child, she became known for her appearances on the television talent show ''Young Talent Time'' (1982–1988). She went on to play the r ...
) who leads her into trouble and encourages her to rebel. While wagging school one afternoon, Viv and Emma hitch a ride with two unknown men who attempt to rape them but are quickly saved by Steven and
Alf Stewart
Alfred James "Alf" Stewart is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera ''Home and Away'', played by Ray Meagher. Alf was created as one of the show's eighteen original characters. Meagher auditioned for the role of Tom Fletcher, befo ...
(
Ray Meagher
Raymond Francis Meagher (born 4 July 1944) is an Australian actor, who has appeared in Australian film and television since the mid-1970s. He is notable as the longest continuing performer in an Australian television role, portraying Alf Ste ...
). Viv and Steven begin dating but Viv is afraid Steven wants to go further. Vicki tries to drive a wedge between the two but is unsuccessful.
Viv soon discovers that Tammy has fled their father and is on her way to Summer Bay and spends several days looking for her. Tammy is found and the sisters are reunited. Helen Wakefield (Shayne Foote), a social worker is able to locate Viv and Tammy's mother, Angela (
Annie Byron
Annie Byron is an Australian film, stage, and television actress best known for '' Wolf Creek 2'', ''Fran'', '' Muriel's Wedding'', and '' Doing Time for Patsy Cline''.
Early life and education
Annie Byron was born in Inverell, New South ...
) and brings her to meet her estranged daughters. Viv and Tammy are shocked as John had told them Angela had died. Angela explains that she left when Tammy was a baby and has been working on a lavender farm in Queensland. After a nervous reunion, the Newtons prepare to leave the bay and Viv and Steven agree to keep in contact. Viv later writes Steven a letter breaking off their relationship.
Reception
Ian Brandes from ''The People'' opined that the role made Phillips career. He branded Viv a "teenage tearaway" type of character. A writer from '' Stockport Express Advertiser'' described the character as a "Summer Bay starlet" and remembered her as "Steven's long distance girlfriend, the one who was beaten up by her vicar dad."
Internet Movie Database
IMDb, historically known as the Internet Movie Database, is an online database of information related to films, television series, podcasts, home videos, video games, and streaming content online – including cast, production crew and biograp ...