Introduction: A soap villain, a household name
For nearly four decades, Stefan Dennis has been one of the most recognisable faces on television. As Paul Robinson in Neighbours, he has schemed, seduced, conned and charmed his way into global living rooms, cementing himself as the archetypal soap villain. Now, in 2025, as Neighbours approaches its final episode and Dennis prepares to swap the streets of Erinsborough for the glitterball of Strictly Come Dancing, the timing feels poignant.
This is the story of a man who became inseparable from a character, who survived the highs and lows of soap opera, who dabbled in pop music, trod the boards of the British stage, and who, at 66, is proving that reinvention is still possible.
Early life in Victoria
Stefan Dennis was born on 30 October 1958 in Tawonga, Victoria, a small rural community. His early years were marked by both hardship and resilience. When he was twelve, tragedy struck: his older brother, John, was killed by a drunk driver. Dennis has spoken in interviews about how this event shaped his sense of determination and discipline.
As a teenager, Dennis showed an interest in both performance and practical work. He left school early to pursue an apprenticeship as a chef, completing a five-year training programme. Cooking could have been his career path — and indeed, the discipline of kitchen work served him well later in acting. But theatre had its pull.
At Southport State High School, he appeared in productions such as Oliver! and quickly developed a taste for performing. Amateur theatre groups in Queensland gave him further training. By the early 1980s, he had shifted fully towards acting, moving to Melbourne to chase professional work.
Neighbours and the making of Paul Robinson
When Neighbours launched in 1985, Dennis was among the original cast. His character, Paul Robinson, was originally written as a relatively straightforward young man, the son of Jim Robinson. But writers quickly saw potential.
Paul evolved into something darker: ruthless in business, manipulative in relationships, a man who could charm and betray in the same breath. Dennis leaned into the role with relish, mastering the art of playing the villain while keeping viewers hooked.
• In the 1980s, Paul was involved in corporate takeovers and romantic scandals.
• By the 1990s, he was the show’s Machiavelli: buying hotels, betraying friends, manipulating family.
• Over the years he survived car crashes, explosions, heart attacks, amputations, countless marriages and affairs.
Paul Robinson became the Neighbours villain. Every soap needs one, and Stefan Dennis played him with such conviction that the line between actor and character blurred. Fans loved to hate him; some adored him outright.
Leaving and returning
Dennis first left Neighbours in 1992, pursuing other opportunities. He returned briefly in 1993, before spending much of the 1990s and early 2000s working in the UK.
Work in Britain
• He appeared in Dream Team, River City and other dramas.
• He worked in theatre, including West End musicals.
• He even turned to music. In 1989, he released the single “Don’t It Make You Feel Good”, which reached No.16 on the UK Singles Chart. Another single, “This Love Affair”, followed, though with less success.
Dennis’s pop career was short-lived, but the single remains a nostalgic staple of 1980s soap-star pop crossover.
The return to Ramsay Street
In 2004, he returned to Neighbours permanently. By then, Paul Robinson had aged into an elder statesman villain — still ruthless, but now also patriarchal, manipulative on a grander scale. His return gave the soap a boost, anchoring it with continuity and drama.
The man behind the villain
Off screen, Stefan Dennis is markedly different from his alter ego. Colleagues describe him as warm, professional, and humorous. He has been married since 2000 to actress Gail Easdale, with whom he has three children.
Family is important to him; he has said that one reason he continued with Neighbours for so long was its stability. Unlike many actors chasing Hollywood, Dennis embraced consistency. Ramsay Street was his workplace, his stage, his legacy.
Neighbours’ final chapter
Neighbours has had a turbulent broadcast history. It was famously axed by the BBC in 2008, picked up by Channel 5, then cancelled in 2022, only to be revived by Amazon Freevee. The revived version brought back fan favourites, including Dennis.
Yet in 2025, the show is drawing to a final close. After 40 years, Neighbours will broadcast its last episode in December. Appropriately, Dennis will reportedly deliver the final line of the series, bookending his journey from the show’s first episode in 1985.
For many viewers in the UK, where Neighbours was a lunchtime and teatime staple for decades, Paul Robinson is as iconic as any British soap character. His exit will mark the end of an era.
Strictly Come Dancing 2025
If Neighbours is ending, Dennis isn’t fading quietly. He has signed on as a contestant in Strictly Come Dancing 2025. At 66, he will be one of the oldest celebrities to don the sequins, following in the footsteps of soap stars from Britain and Australia alike.
Reaction
The announcement was met with enthusiasm — and curiosity. Could Paul Robinson cha-cha? Could Stefan Dennis master a paso doble? Fans are eager to see how the soap villain fares on a glittering dancefloor.
Controversy
There was, however, a wobble. Ahead of Strictly, Dennis made a quip referencing “heroin” and “acid”. Though clearly intended as a joke, it was criticised as insensitive, especially given Strictly’s own internal rumblings about alleged drug use among pros. The BBC and Dennis downplayed the issue, but tabloids seized on it.
Still, Dennis is determined to focus on the dancing. For him, Strictly is not just entertainment, but a chance to reintroduce himself to British audiences outside Ramsay Street.
Why Stefan Dennis endures
Several factors explain Dennis’s longevity and continued relevance:
1. Consistency: Few actors have stayed with a single role for as long. His portrayal of Paul Robinson across decades has given him global recognition.
2. Complex villains: Paul Robinson isn’t a pantomime baddie; he’s layered, flawed, occasionally sympathetic. Dennis gave him nuance.
3. Cross-media presence: From pop charts to theatre to soaps, Dennis has tried multiple lanes.
4. British connection: Unlike some Australian stars who vanish into Hollywood, Dennis invested time in Britain — his music career, UK stage work, and now Strictly.
5. Cultural icon: For viewers of a certain age, Neighbours was daily ritual. Paul Robinson is etched into their cultural memory.
Challenges and criticisms
• Typecasting: Dennis has spoken openly about how hard it is to escape Paul Robinson. For casting directors, he is forever the soap villain.
• Neighbours’ rollercoaster: The multiple cancellations and revivals created uncertainty, though Dennis always returned loyally.
• Strictly risks: Dance shows can be ruthless. Public judgement, press scrutiny, and the possibility of early elimination all loom.
Legacy and what comes next
As Neighbours bows out, Stefan Dennis enters a new phase. Strictly Come Dancing could be a springboard into stage tours, reality television, or even memoir writing. He has the charisma, the villainous charm, and the cultural nostalgia to stay relevant.
His legacy is already secure. Alongside Alan Fletcher (Karl Kennedy) and Jackie Woodburne (Susan Kennedy), Dennis is part of the holy trinity of Neighbours stalwarts. His portrayal of Paul Robinson will stand as one of soap opera’s most memorable characters, in the same league as EastEnders’s Dirty Den or Coronation Street’s Ken Barlow.
Timeline of career milestones
• 1958: Born in Tawonga, Victoria, Australia.
• 1985: Debuts as Paul Robinson in Neighbours.
• 1989: Releases single Don’t It Make You Feel Good (UK No.16).
• 1992: Leaves Neighbours.
• 1993–2003: Works in UK TV and theatre, including Dream Team and River City.
• 2004: Returns to Neighbours.
• 2022: Neighbours briefly ends; revived in 2023.
• 2025: Show to end permanently. Dennis delivers final line. Signs up for Strictly Come Dancing 2025.
FAQs (SEO-friendly)
Q: Who plays Paul Robinson in Neighbours?
A: Stefan Dennis.
Q: How old is Stefan Dennis?
A: 66 (born 30 October 1958).
Q: Is Stefan Dennis married?
A: Yes, to actress Gail Easdale since 2000. They have three children.
Q: Did Stefan Dennis have a music career?
A: Yes. His single Don’t It Make You Feel Good reached No.16 in the UK charts in 1989.
Q: Will Stefan Dennis be on Strictly Come Dancing?
A: Yes, he is confirmed as a contestant for the 2025 series.
Conclusion: Paul Robinson’s last word
Stefan Dennis’s career is one of endurance. For 40 years, he has kept Paul Robinson alive — evolving from young man to patriarchal villain, always fascinating, always essential to Neighbours. With the soap ending, his pivot to Strictly feels symbolic: a man leaving one stage, stepping onto another.
Whether he foxtrots to victory or bows out early, Dennis has already proven his staying power. He is more than Paul Robinson, though it is Paul who made him a household name. And as the final credits roll on Ramsay Street, it is fitting that Stefan Dennis will deliver the last line — the final word of a saga that has defined his life, and ours.
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