MELKSHAM News reporter, Ben Fenlon, has been crowned the UK’s biggest Neighbours superfan after beating his idol and Neighbours legend, Stefan Dennis aka Paul Robinson, in a head-to-head quiz on national radio.
Appearing this week on BBC Radio 2’s ‘Happy Birthday Neighbours’ hosted by Scott Mills – which marked 35 years of the Aussie soap on UK screens – Ben also saw off competition from fellow Neighbours superfan and friend, Ben Bone, who went up against Neighbours actor, Geoff Paine, who plays Clive Gibbons in the show.
But with 30 points, it was Melksham News’ Ben who was crowned the overall winner.
The two Bens – who created their own YouTube channel, ‘NeighBens’, during lockdown – thought they were going head-to-head for the superfan title, but were surprised live on air with the news that they would be competing against the Neighbours actors instead.
“It was a complete surprise to go up against Stefan Dennis in the quiz,” said the Melksham News reporter. “They say that you should never meet your idols, but Stefan was an absolute dream, and so friendly – but I’m not sure what the rule is about beating your idol in a quiz!
“It was a nerve-wrecking experience, but I did what had to be done to snatch the crown – as Ramsay Street’s dastardly villain Paul Robinson would say, all’s fair in love, war and Neighbours quizzes!”
The Neighbours anniversary special – which is now available to listen to on the BBC Sounds website – also featured appearances from other legendary actors from the show’s history, including Kylie Minogue, Jason Donovan, Anne Charleston and Ian Smith – aka Charlene, Scott, Madge and Harold – who were reunited for the first time in over 30 years.
“If someone had told me when I was a kid – and an even more crazed Neighbours fan – that I would be featured in a radio show alongside Kylie and Jason I would have told them to ‘rack off’!”
Listen to ‘Happy Birthday Neighbours’ hosted by Scott Mills on the BBC Sounds website: www.bbc.co.uk/sounds. And if you are an out and proud, or secret, Neighbours fan, check out the NeighBens YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/c/neighbens
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