Janelle Steiger

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Janelle Steiger
First appearance November 11, 2004
Episode 4609
Last appearance July 13, 2007
Episode 5255
Cause/reason Married Allan Steiger before moving to Cairns, Queensland
Portrayed by Nell Feeney
Episode count 4609–4625; 4673–5255
Information
Nickname(s) The Bogan (by Mishka)
Gender Female
Age 42
Date of birth 22 March 1965
Occupation Hairdresser (2005–2006)
Shareholder in Lassiters (2006–2007)
Family Kevin Rebecchi (brother)
Spouse(s) Kim Timmins (dissolved, 1970s (exact year unknown)–2006)
Allan Steiger (2007–present)
Children Dwayne Timmins (son)
Brandon Timmins (son)
Dylan Timmins (son)
Scott "Stingray" Timmins (son) (deceased)
Janae Timmins (daughter)
Bree Timmins (adoptive daughter)
Anne Baxter (daughter)
Pepper Steiger (stepdaughter)
Relatives Kerry Mangel (granddaughter)Toadie Rebecchi (nephew)
Address Cairns

Janelle Beryl Steiger (née Rebecchi, previously Timmins) is a fictional character on the popular Australian soap opera Neighbours, portrayed by Nell Feeney. She first appeared briefly in 2004, returning on a more permanent basis in early 2005. She left the show in 2007, with her final scenes being broadcast in Australia in July 2007.

[edit] Character biography

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Janelle is originally from Colac, Victoria. She is mother to Dylan (played by Damien Bodie), Janae (Eliza Taylor-Cotter), Stingray (Ben Nicholas), Bree (Sianoa Smit-McPhee), Dwayne and Brandon Timmins (both never seen in the show, only referred to). She is ex-wife of Kim (Brett Swain) and sister of Big Kev. Janelle used to work as Lyn's (Janet Andrewartha) apprentice at A Good Hair Day. She is a bitter, lazy woman, seen by some viewers as a typical bogan. She is used frequently in comical storylines on the programme, her opening story line being where she tried to make money from exaggerating injuries. She was involved in a "love square", in which she, Lyn and Susan (Jackie Woodburne) all had a small fling with Bobby Hoyland (Andrew McFarlane), unaware of each others' involvement. She began writing a novel about her life in Ramsay Street, which Nina Tucker's (Delta Goodrem) former singing manager, Melody Jones, wanted to publish. Bree re-wrote most of the book, and this was meant to be kept a secret until it was revealed inadvertently when they were both in a mock episode of Rove Live. Lyn kicked her and her family out onto the streets to live in a caravan park, but let them back into her home when she felt sorry for them. Janelle recently found happiness again with the return of her husband, Kim Timmins (Brett Swain), after she struggled to provide for a family of six children on her own (3 of which are in Erinsborough, currently, and one deceased), when her husband left her. She and Kim have since had a second wedding, and Kim is now on the run from the law for funding the wedding, and other things, by selling counterfeit DVDs.

Janelle discovered that her daughter Bree was switched at birth. Since then, Bree has been trying to find her biological family. Bree became friends with one of her book fans, a blind girl called Anne who gave Janelle the creeps, but little did Janelle know that Anne was actually her biological daughter. When this was revealed, the two bonded, but then Anne's parents, who were in denial, took Anne away, and wouldn't let her have any contact with the Timmins'.

Janelle was briefly Lou Carpenter's (Tom Oliver) girlfriend. She broke up with him after realising she doesn't love him but she helped him win ex-girlfriend Mishka (Deborah Kennedy) back. Recently Kim sent the family a letter that gave Janelle some closure. She started dating Allan Steiger (Joe Clements).

When Kerry (Claudine Henningsen), Janelle's granddaughter, was diagnosed with leukemia, Janelle's son Stingray became her bone marrow donor. The operation was a success; however, Stingray later unexpectedly passed away at Janelle's '39th' birthday party from a fatal aneurysm. Janelle was devastated at the loss, and at the funeral, her other son Dylan also left, to go and sort his head out, making it a double blow.

Stingray's girlfriend at the time of his death was best friend Sky Mangel. She struggled to cope with the loss of another person in her life (her mother, uncle, aunt and cousin having died already) and started seeing a spiritualist, Terrence Chesterton. Amongst other things, Terrence told her that Stingray wanted his ashes scattered at the skate park, something Janelle was dead against. Sky stole the ashes, but Bree managed to get them back in time. When Janelle found out, she was furious, but Sky offered her a deal: Janelle should meet with Terrence, and if she was still against him then, Sky would no longer bother her. Janelle met with Terrence, where she too was taken in by him, despite warnings from her daughters.

Terrence was proved a fake however by Janelle's nephew Toadie, and Sky confronted him, hitting him with a heavy object in her anger. Terrence was knocked unconscious, and a scared Sky ran off. Terrence's accomplice, the fake doctor Charlotte Stone then found him and, angry at him for being found out, hit him again, this time killing him. Sky was blamed, although was eventually proved innocent by Boyd Hoyland. Janelle didn't like Boyd because he had cheated on her daughter, but after this she was forced to at least get along with him.

Janelle's finace Allan Steiger returned from the Solomon Islands, and a while later, her biological daughter Anne returned from Cairns. When Anne's adoptive father finally accepted that Bree was really his daughter, they came up with the plan for the Timmins' to move to Cairns, so that the two families could get to know each other. Janelle's three remaining sons all live up north, so she would also be closer to them.

The family had a farewell party in the street, where Steiger shocked Janelle by turning it into their wedding. He then gave her a wedding present - he'd arranged for Daryl Braithwaite to come, who Janelle loved. Janelle gave a farewell speech to the neighbours, where she spoke to each person who she'd been close to over her years on the street. To Harold Bishop and Lou Carpenter she said: 'Boys, it's been a pleasure sharing a fence with you'. To Susan Kinski, who she had disliked when she arrived and clashed with a lot, before they became friends, she said: "Suzie Q, you are my Yoda." To nephew Toadie, she said that he wasn't so bad after all, and a great lawyer. She also had general words of farewell: 'This is just a bunch of houses side by side, but it's so much more than that. It's special, and it's you guys that make it special, and gosh, I'm going to miss it'. These were great words, expressing how many fans feel about Ramsay Street.

Janelle made Janae stay behind, saying that she should make a go of things with Ned Parker, rather than leave (however after her relationship fell apart she also left). The family then flew off to Cairns in a helicopter, leaving the waving neighbours behind.

This exit saw the end of the Timmins family, who first arrived in 2005, and had a huge impact on the show. As Steiger said in his speech, many fans feel that the exit is 'the end of an era'.

[edit] Family tree

v • d • e
The Rebecchi family in Neighbours
v • d • e
The Timmins family in Neighbours