Drew Kirk

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Drew Kirk
Neighbours character
Portrayed by Dan Paris
Duration 1998–2002, 2005
First appearance 27 March 1998
Last appearance 16 December 2005
Introduced by Stanley Walsh (1998)
Ric Pellizerri (2005)
Classification Former, regular
Profile
Occupation Carpenter's Mechanics employee and owner (1998–2002)
Bouncer (2002)

Andrew "Drew" Kirk is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Dan Paris. He made his first on-screen appearance on 27 March 1998. Drew departed on 13 September 2002. In 2005, Drew returned to the show as a vision when his widow Libby's best friend, Stephanie Scully, began dreaming about him.

Casting

Shortly after Paris made the decision to move into acting, he began asking his agent to send him to castings.[1] The first acting job Paris went for was Neighbours and he got the role of Andrew "Drew" Kirk.[1][2] Paris made his television soap opera debut as Drew in March 1998.[2]

In late June 2002, Jason Herbison of Inside Soap reported Paris had filmed his final scenes for Neighbours.[3] Herbison stated that Drew was to be killed off in a cliffhanger episode, after Paris decided to exit the show to pursue "fresh challenges".[3] Of his decision to leave, Paris explained "I've taken the character as far as he can go, and personally, I've learned about as much as I can. I'm now in the frame of mind to do other things."[3]

Development

Drew is a country boy who works on a farm in Oakey. He comes to Erinsborough to stay with his aunt Janet (Roberta Connelly) and is later hired by Lou Carpenter (Tom Oliver) to work at Carpenter Mechanics, replacing Ben Atkins (Brett Cousins).[4] James Joyce of the Newcastle Herald said Drew was a "suitably spunky rival for established stud Ben, who thinks his boss has shafted him as he recovers from his car accident."[2] A writer for the BBC said Drew initially had a hard time adjusting to city life and working for Lou was not an easy task.[5] Illawarra Mercury writer, Denise Everton, described Drew as "eternally nice, naive and gorgeous."[6]

Drew develops a crush on Libby Kennedy (Kym Valentine), but he decides to take his time courting her. Drew and Libby eventually begin a relationship on a trip to Drew's home town of Oakey.[4]

Storylines

Drew comes to Erinsborough to stay with his aunt and he gets a job working for Lou Carpenter (Tom Oliver) at Carpenter Mechanics, replacing Ben Atkins. When Drew mentions that he is keen on growing his own stuff, and that rural people prefer plants to alcohol, Lou becomes suspicious and immediately suspects Drew of growing marijuana. However, he discovers Drew is only growing tomato plants.

Lou and Drew soon become close friends. His interest in Libby Kennedy is apparent to several people before Drew realises it, and it was some time before he make a move on Libby. Their relationship ends after Libby is critically injured in a motorcycle accident, believing she would never be able to have children. They get back together and ultimately have son Ben, although both mother and baby came close to death.

While Drew and Libby are in Oakey, Drew falls from his horse. He later dies in hospital from internal injuries and Libby is devastated.[4] During Drew's funeral, Libby places a flower on his coffin and begins to sing "Wild Mountain Thyme", while remembering Drew singing it to her at their wedding the previous year.

Drew briefly returns as a vision to Stephanie Scully (Carla Bonner) in her dreams to warn her that her cancer had returned.[4]

Reception

Viewers voted Drew the second "Best male under 30" and the second "Sexiest Male" in the 1999 Neighbours.com Awards.[7] In June 2002, Drew came fourth in a poll run by Newsround to find viewer's favourite Neighbours character. He received 11.57% of the vote.[8] The BBC said Drew's most notable moments were "Finally marrying Libby. The birth of his son Ben. Rescuing Lolly from a fire. Being killed."[9] Virgin Media included Drew in their feature on "Soap's most tragic deaths", they said "Even if you didn't shed a tear when Neighbours hottie Drew died after falling off his horse in his hometown of Oakey, nothing could have stopped the emotions when his wife Libby sang at his funeral a few days later."[10]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Dan Paris (Drew Kirk) Interview". Neighbours.com.au. March 2000. Archived from the original on 6 February 2003. Retrieved 2 September 2011. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Joyce, James (26 March 1998). "New hunk Paris wades into the soap dish". Newcastle Herald (Fairfax Media). p. 17. Retrieved 27 August 2011. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Herbison, Jason (22 June–5 July 2002). "Goodbye Ramsat Street". Inside Soap (Attic Futura (UK) Ltd) (208): 9. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Richards, Holly (16 August 2010). "Neighbours: Where are they now?". The West Australian (West Australian Newspapers Limited). Retrieved 10 December 2010. 
  5. ↑ "Character: Drew Kirk". BBC. Archived from the original on 8 December 2003. Retrieved 27 August 2011. 
  6. ↑ Everton, Denise (3 April 1998). "The journey of Paris". Illawarra Mercury (Fairfax Media). p. 3. Retrieved 27 August 2011. 
  7. ↑ "Awards 1999". Neighbours.com. Archived from the original on 7 December 2002. Retrieved 2 September 2011. 
  8. ↑ "Fave Neighbours character". Newsround (BBC). 13 June 2002. Retrieved 28 November 2010. 
  9. ↑ "Character: Drew Kirk". BBC. Archived from the original on 8 December 2003. Retrieved 27 August 2011. 
  10. ↑ "Soap's most tragic deaths – Drew is thrown off his horse". Virgin Media. Retrieved 17 December 2010. 

External links

Neighbours characters
 
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