Christina Alessi

Christina Alessi
Neighbours character
Portrayed by Gayle Blakeney
Duration 1990–92
First appearance 18 January 1990
Last appearance 5 August 1992
Introduced by Don Battye
Classification Former; regular
Profile
Other names Christina Robinson
Occupation Lassiter's Gift Shop Manager (1990)
Home Sydney

Christina Alessi (previously Robinson) is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Gayle Blakeney. She made her first on-screen appearance on 18 January 1990, when she moved into Ramsay Street with her twin sister, Caroline. Christina marries Paul Robinson and gives birth to their son, Andrew. Christina departed on 5 August 1992 with Paul and Andrew, following Paul's relocation to Hawaii. Caroline, Christina's twin sister, was played by Gayle's real-life twin, Gillian Blakeney.

Characterisation

Out of the two sisters, Christina is described as being the quieter and more reserved one, a contrast to the confident Caroline.[1] Christina's ambition in life was to be a good wife and mother and she was described as being "homeloving and maternal".[2] She was also seen as the weaker sister by Caroline.[2]

Storylines

Christina and Caroline witnessed a murder and were placed under a witness protection programme, which saw them move in to 22 Ramsay Street.[1] They were advised to act as one person by the police and they chose the alias 'Linda Giles'. Caroline began working for Paul Robinson at The Robinson Corporation and proved to be good at the job, unlike Christina. During an occasion that Christina was posing as Linda, Paul discovered their secret when Caroline walked in on him and Christina. The police eventually caught the murderer after he appeared in Ramsay Street after tracking the twins down, and they were able to go back to being themselves. They then invited Paul to move in with them and he agreed. Both Christina and Caroline fell for Paul and decided to make a pact that neither one should have him. Christina got a job managing the gift shop at Lassiter's Hotel, surprising Paul and Caroline by her success.

Christina decided to pursue Paul after Caroline started dating Adam Willis and was delighted when Paul announced that he was in love. However, Paul was talking about Isabella Lopez, a woman who he had gotten engaged to while he was away on business. Christina was devastated and took an instant dislike to Isabella. After some digging, Christina exposed Isabella's intentions of getting Paul's money and gaining Australian citizenship. Christina believed that she and Paul were going to be together, but he announced he was finished with women for good. During a holiday with Paul, Adam and Rory Marsden, Christina began flirting with Rory to make Paul jealous. Her plan worked and Paul admitted to Christina that he loved her. They got engaged and shortly after, they married and held a reception on a cruise ship.[3] Christina believed she was pregnant and Paul was thrilled by the news and was looking forward to being a father again. However, Christina was told by a doctor that she was not pregnant and, feeling guilty about getting Paul's hopes up, she decided not to tell him and tried to sleep with Paul at every moment to get pregnant. She eventually fell pregnant and when she went into labour, Paul drove her to the hospital, but the car ran out of petrol and stopped. Paul eventually managed to persuade a van driver to take them to the hospital. Christina then gave birth to a son, Andrew.[4]

Paul suffered a nervous breakdown over financial problems with his business and he left Christina and Andrew for several weeks. When he returned, Christina was surprised to see Paul had brought his daughter Amy Williams with him. Christina and Amy didn't get on, but they made up just before Amy returned to her mother. Christina was shocked when her sister suddenly left Erinsborough and overheard Paul and his Grandmother Helen talking about Paul and Caroline's affair. Christina threw Paul out of their house and flew to see her sister, where they eventually made up and Christina returned to Erinsborough. She filed for divorce and full custody of Andrew, but Paul convinced Christina that he loved her and Christina gave him a second chance. They renewed their vows in a ceremony at No. 22 and left Ramsay Street for a new start running a hotel in Hawaii.[4]

When Andrew arrived in Erinsborough to see his father, he told Paul that after living in Scotland for eight years, he and Christina eventually settled down in Sydney.[5] When Andrew began acting up and defying Rebecca, Paul's latest wife, she called Christina and asked if Andrew could go back to Sydney. However, Christina told Rebecca that she didn't want her son to come home.

Reception

The BBC named Christina's most notable moment as being "When she took off with Andrew without Paul knowing."[6] An Inside Soap writer opined that Christina was not as smart as Caroline but the more "dim, slightly podgier twin".[7]

References

  1. 1 2 Cooper, Lorna (17 March 2010). "TV's Neighbours: where are they now? – Gayle and Gillian Blakeney". MSN TV. Microsoft. Retrieved 3 April 2010.
  2. 1 2 Monroe, Josephine (1996). Neighbours: the first 10 years. Michael Joseph LTD (Penguin Group). pp. 18 & 116. ISBN 0-7181-4212-8.
  3. ↑ "TV weddings – Paul and Christina". TV Week. Ninemsn. Archived from the original on 19 March 2012. Retrieved 3 April 2010.
  4. 1 2 "Paul Robinson". Neighbours.com. Australia: Network Ten. Retrieved 25 March 2010.
  5. ↑ "Andrew Robinson Bio". Neighbours.com. Network Ten. Retrieved 3 April 2010.
  6. ↑ "Character: Christina Alessi Robinson". BBC. Archived from the original on 11 April 2004. Retrieved 23 February 2011.
  7. ↑ "The love low-down". Inside Soap (Hachette Filipacchi UK) (17): 50. 30 April – 6 May 2005.
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