Neighbours

Ned Parker is one of the most affable, self-deprecating and happy blokes to be found anywhere in Australia. A simple country boy with simple country views, he came to Erinsborough in search of excitement, and a stab at a musical career. He never got to perform the lead role in the musical that Gino wrote for him but, along with Karl Kennedy, he formed one of Erinsborough’s most successful bands: the ever popular Oodles O’ Noodles.

Strangely, for a man who would rather stick pins in his eyes that deal with complex emotional issues, the Parker family chose Ned as their representative to keep an eye on Stu in the aftermath of his wedding to Sindi and her consequent hospitalisation for mental instability.

Fears that Ned was not the right man for the job grew when Stu raced into a gas-filled building to save Rachel and Zeke Kinski, suggesting he had something of a death-wish. As Toadie tore his hair out in frustration, Ned proved smarter than he looked. Taking Stu on a fishing trip and initiating a childhood swimming challenge, Stu nearly drowned and was forced to find inner reserves of strength and will to live. Stu returned to Ramsay Street a changed man and he gave his brother full credit.

While Ned may be more clued up on the male psyche than he would have others believe, he is clueless when it comes to women. Thanks to his innocent inability to keep his clothes on, he gets a lot of female attention but from Elle’s advances to kinky Katya Kinski, Ned has no idea when someone is flirting, rather than simply being polite.

At least Izzy left no room for doubt. When Elle threatened to move to Tasmania over a fight with Paul about his disapproval of new boyfriend Ned, Izzy stepped in to split them up the only way she knew how… but seducing Ned herself. Naïve Ned fell head over heels, although didn’t stop him having a jealous fist-fight with Stu when he came home to find ex-girlfriend Elle on the rebound and in the arms of his older brother.

Ned turned nasty when Izzy came clean about their affair and explained she had just been using him. Still seeking gainful employment after struggling with his illiteracy, he found the perfect job to suit his new attitude. He started working as a parking inspector and took great delight in giving Paul as many tickets as possible.

His battles with Paul continued when Paul took advantage of Ned’s gambling problem. Setting him up to accumulate a massive poker debt, Paul then blackmailed Ned into carrying out several unpleasant tasks, including splitting up Elle and Dylan and breaking into the Timmins' house. Wracked with guilt, and on the verge of being caught for putting a security guard in a coma, Ned decided to escape Erinsborough for a while.

When he returned he faced a series of life-altering changes. Desperate to make things up to the Timmins family, he offered his services as a slave and became Janae’s whipping boy at the garage. As she worked through the end of her relationship with Boyd, Ned offered to coach her in boxing and the bond between the two of them grew.

Their budding relationship was thrown into chaos by the surprise arrival of Ned’s high school girlfriend Kirsten. Kirsten explained that she was going through a rough patch and needed Ned to look after her eight year old son Mickey for a while. The twist? Mickey’s father was none other than Ned himself.

Suddenly inheriting a world of responsibility he knew nothing about, Ned struggled to connect with the cheeky little boy. Janae was a tower of strength and, with four brothers of her own, was more than a little useful at deciphering the behaviour of the troubled kid. The three of them formed an unconventional family unit and when Kirsten revealed she had no plans to come back for Mickey, Janae invited them both to move into Number 26.

It wasn’t long before the rest of Ned’s family followed. When his older brother Steve moved down from Sydney with his wife and adopted children, Ned and Janae warmly welcomed them into their home. Mickey thrived on being a part of such a big family and their support was invaluable when Kirsten returned and Ned found himself caught in a bitter custody battle.

Although Ned managed to come to an agreement with Kirsten about what was best for Mickey, his relationship with Janae suffered irreparable damage. Constantly suspicious about his relationship with his ex, Janae’s jealousy reared out of control and she ended up cheating on him with Darren Stark. Realising that her personal issues were affecting little Mickey, Janae decided she had to leave for a while and sort herself out.

Ned was heartbroken as he waved goodbye to the love of his life. However, the happy-go-lucky chap threw himself back into his family and community and he busied himself building billy carts with Mickey, playing footy for the Dingoes and volunteering for Dan Fitzgerald’s SES unit. Is life as a single father the future for Ned Parker?