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We have Clive Gibbons as a recurring guest character. The lovely Jane Harris has made two guest appearances after almost thirty years. Even the legendary Jim Robinson made an appearance as a ghost! And now it's been confirmed that actress Shaunna O' Grady is to reprise her role as Dr. Beverly Marshall and is heading back to Erinsborough! It's always a pleasant surprise for Neighbours' fans who have been watching the show since the very beginning to see a familiar face. But it's hard to believe that many of the fans who regularly tune into the Australian soap now, probably weren't even born when these characters left Ramsay Street all those years ago! Talk about making one feel old! But if it means we got to live through Neighbours-mania, then no worries - we'll take old!!! O'Grady - the second actress to take on the role of Beverly after Lisa Armytage - is a reminder of when Neighbours was in it's heyday; on BBC1; and on twice a day so that schoolkids didn't feel as though they were missing out! At present, it's not known when Jim Robinson's ex-wife will be appearing on our screens, how long for, or what the storyline involving her return will be. Beverley went through a lot during her time on the show: a violent ex; stormy marriage to Jim; mugging and subsequent miscarriage, a blackmail attempt... so no doubt there'll still be plenty of drama awaiting Dr. Marshall. There are some very memorable characters who have left their mark on Ramsay Street long after they have moved on to pastures new. Here's ten characters we would love to see back in the Street again. 1. SCOTT AND CHARLENE It goes without saying that we would all absolutely, without a shadow of a doubt want the eternal king and queen of Ramsay Street to return, as the most famous cul-de-sac in the world has never been the same since Scott and Charlene left for a new life in Brisbane. Even though it was great meeting their kids, Daniel and Maddie, we would still love for Mr. and Mrs. Robinson to, at the very least, make a flying visit. There's a whole new, younger generation of Neighbours fans who'll never know just how iconic Scott and Charlene were, so perhaps it's time the characters came back but seeing as these are two roles that can NEVER be recast, it's fair to say that we'll never see Scott and Charlene back on the Street as I can't see Ms. Minogue or Mr. Donovan in any hurry to return to Erinsborough. In fact Jason Donovan once admitted on Loose Women that he'd never return. Go on, Jason - you know you want to! 2.THE ALESSI TWINS There have been four sets of twins who have appeared in the soap including the current set of twins, the Tanakas. But Caroline and Christina Alessi were probably the only twins on Ramsay Street to have been played by real-life twins. Gayle and Gillian Blakeney bring back memories of Neighbours and life in general in the early 90's. Twin-mania really took off as Gayle and Gillian seemed to be on every TV show and every magazine cover at the time - they even had a pop career! The twins had some very memorable storylines on the show including Christina's kidnapping and Caroline's dalliance with her brother-in-law, Paul. In fact as Paul is still in the show, writers could find a way to reunite Christina with her ex-husband. But the question is would Gayle and Gillian who have spent more than two decades living in California want to return to Ramsay Street to reprise their famous roles? 3. GAIL ROBINSON Well if we bring back the third Mrs. Robinson, how about we also bring back the second one, Gail? Gail, played by Fiona Corke, was a firm favourite with viewers and out of all of Paul's wives, probably the only one who could handle him and didn't put up with his nonsense - but in the end she got tired of Paul's workaholic ways and left him while pregnant with their triplets. Since then, Gail has made a couple of brief returns to Ramsay Street and we've even met the triplets, but it would be great if Gail made a more long-term return to Ramsay Street. Sure it'd probably put Therese's nose out of joint but someone needs to sort that Paul out! 4. SHANE RAMSAY It may be called Ramsay Street but... There are no more Ramsays left! So what better than to bring back one of the members of the original Ramsay family as well as one of the show's earliest characters, Shane Ramsay? It's unlikely that Peter O'Brien who played Shane would ever return to the soap, which is a Shane, sorry shame, because Shane did have some very good storylines including the Des-Daphne-Shane love triangle. Even though Des Clarke won her heart in the end, it was clear that Shane would always love Daphne and viewers couldn't help but feel a little broken hearted for him. 5. HENRY RAMSAY Who couldn't love Henry Ramsay? Before he appeared on screen, viewers were led to believe that Madge's son, who'd spent time in prison, was a bit of a bad apple but once he arrived, it was obvious that Henry's main fault was that he often acted before he got his brain into gear, and he definitely had a heart of gold. He loved his family and friends and would do anything for anyone. A practical joker whose hairbrained schemes often went wrong, Henry provided much of the show's lighthearted moments. Unfortunately his love life was a bit of a disaster zone - but that was until he captured the heart of his beloved Bronny. Ramsay Street was a much quieter place when Henry left to start a new life in New Zealand. When Brad Willis first appeared on the Street in the 90's, some viewers thought he'd been brought in as 'the new Henry' - but the truth is there's only ever been one Henry Ramsay... 6. THE WILLIS FAMILY It took a while to get used to the Kennedys when they were brought in to replace the Willis family. But now, while none of us can ever imagine Ramsay Street without Karl and Susan, it would still be fab to see the Willis family again. Despite having their ups and downs, they tried not to take life seriously and were an incredibly loving family. Neighbours may have brought back a new generation of Willises six years ago but we still love the nineties incarnation which consisted of Pam and Doug and their four kids, Adam, Gaby, Brad and Cody. Sadly Doug and Cody have been killed off but it would be awesome to see the remaining original Willis family make a comeback, including Gaby's son 'baby' Zac who would now be in his twenties. And seeing as Therese, Piper, and Ned still live on Ramsay Street, the possibility of a comeback isn't that unlikely. 7. GLEN DONNELLY Perhaps Paul Robinson has been so traumatized by the knowledge that he has a half-sibling, that he's done his best to permanently eradicate all thoughts of his dad's illegitimate son from his mind. When was the last time anyone heard Paul mention his half-brother Glen? True, the two hated each other so much that it's unlikely that they're on each other's Christmas card lists, but anyone who didn't watch Neighbours in the early nineties would be forgiven for not knowing that Scott isn't Paul's only brother. Glen's exit from the show was under very tragic circumstances as a fall from the Lassiter's roof meant that he was never going to be able to walk again. His bid to file a lawsuit against Paul turned very bitter and led to Paul having a nervous breakdown. In the end Glen felt that his only option was to leave Erinsborough with the help of a friend, leaving his fiancée Gaby Willis devastated. As Paul is still in the show, it would be brilliant if they brought Glen back to really shake things up for his dastardly half-brother. 8. DES CLARKE Ramsay Street hasn't been the same since 'Clarkey' left - the original occupant of what is now the Kennedy house. Des was in the show from the very first episode until the early nineties when he left with his young son Jamie to start a new life in Perth. Des managed to pack in a lot during his time on the show, including finding out he had a half-sister, being reunited with his long-lost father, and his very unlikely romance with Jane Harris. But the storyline we all remember Des for was the loss of his beloved wife Daphne after a fatal car accident. Who can forget Des's pain as he watched Madge and Harold marry while struggling to come to terms with Daphne's death? It was wonderful to see Paul Keane reprise his role as Des for the show's thirtieth anniversary episodes but the only downside is that it just wasn't long enough. Come back Clarkey! 9. SUSAN COLE We have Paul, and we also have the lovely Clive Gibbons, two characters from the early days of Neighbours. Now wouldn't it be great to throw Susan Cole into the mix? For those of you whose memories need refreshing, Susan was the former mistress of Madge Ramsay's ex-husband Fred, and the mother of his child, Sam - remember the baby Charlene claimed was hers but was in fact her half brother? Yep, it does sound very Bold and the Beautiful, but it was definitely Neighbours! Susan began a relationship with Paul Robinson (as every woman naturally does!) while sharing a house with Clive, not realizing that Clive was secretly in love with her. Dr. Gibbons did eventually get the girl but sadly for him the girl was still in love with Paul despite having agreed to marry Clive. Susan left Erinsborough having ended her engagement to a heartbroken Clive. It would be great for her to reappear on the Street and stir things up for Paul and Clive... but where would that leave Sheila? 10. MATT ROBINSON Reading this list of former Neighbours' characters who should grace the Street with their presence again, it's amazing how many of them are connected to Paul Robinson in some way. Not that that should be a surprise - after all he's been in the show longer than anyone else despite a long absence from the show in the nineties. So we'll throw in another Robinson - Matt Robinson, the son of Paul's cousin Hilary. Matt, played by Ashley Paske, was the street's resident heart-throb back then. Matt worked hard to forge a bond with his birth mother, Hilary, as well as to overcome his battle with dyslexia, but it was his breakup with Gemma Ramsay that led to him leaving Erinsborough for good. Hilary does make the odd appearance from time to time so it would be fantastic if we see Matt with her - even though viewers understand that mother and son have had a falling out. Who would you like to see make a dramatic return to Ramsay Street? Photos: YouTube Word cloud by Angel Noire

Who can believe it!!! It's now twenty five years since the best group in the world, New Kids On The Block, burst back onto the pop scene to launch their long-awaited, highly-anticipated comeback after a three year hiatus. They released their fifth album Face The Music on the 25th January 1994. It was widely hailed as their comeback album and it was hoped to be the one to put them back right at the top of the pop block. But for many years, Face The Music was considered the 'lost album.' Why? Because it was the least talked about album; the one that sold possibly the fewest number of copies; and the album from which the group rarely performed any of the tracks. Furthermore it's an album which a lot of die-hard fans have claimed they didn't even know was released (?) or waited years after it was first released to purchase - which might explain why it only sold around 27, 000 copies in its first week. All this is incredibly ironic considering Face The Music was expected to do extremely well, and that it was probably one of their strongest albums both musically and lyrically which showcased their talent as well as a new sound for the band. Many fans who bought the album would argue that it's their best - but then, wouldn't every Blockhead say that about every New Kids' album? Face The Music: The making of the album In 1993 after two years out of the public eye, New Kids On The Block went back into the studio and started working on their fourth studio album. Jonathan Knight and his brother Jordan, Donnie Wahlberg, Danny Wood, and Joe McIntyre all had strong ideas about the direction in which they wanted the group to be heading. The New Kids wanted a harder, slicker image, and wanted to appeal to a more mature crowd. They abbreviated their name to NKOTB which Donnie explained in an interview on Capital Radio in London with Clive Warren in January of 1994 while the New Kids were promoting Face The Music: "It was the only way we could hold on to what we had and go somewhere new. We're not kids anymore necessarily, we're not new anymore by any means..." Keen to put out a more mature sound and influenced by nineties new jack swing which was becoming increasingly popular, the New Kids really pushed for creative control and input and were determined that on this album, fans were going to get the real sound of the New Kids. However the group's founder and producer Maurice Starr, who was instrumental in their success the first time round, felt that they should stick to the same tried-and-tested formula that made them household names. Rejecting most of the material that NKOTB wanted to record, Starr insisted they use his own compositions which didn't go down too well with the boys and in a move that shocked fans, they decided to part ways with the producer who helped put them, well, on the block. As Danny Wood explained in the same interview: "Maurice Starr was an older man who was into an old style of music... we'd go into the studio, put down a couple of tracks and then get into the car and put on some KRS-1 or Public Enemy..." What - no Stylistics??? No Frank Sinatra??? FACE THE MUSIC: The return After a few false starts and recording hitches, the New Kids returned in January 1994. And not with the whimper that some people had anticipated but with a bang. A very loud, almighty bang - and Blockheads had a reason to smile again! The boys did press conferences, magazine interviews, TV appearances, radio interviews phone-ins... you name it they did it, all in a bid to get their album out there. Face The Music was their first album without Starr at the helm, and the New Kids had written and produced most of this album with the help of renowned producer and RnB artist, Guy and Blackstreet's legendary Teddy Riley who'd worked with Michael Jackson, SWV, and Bobby Brown among many of hip-hop and RnB's big names. Great things were expected from this album. THE TRACKS Face The Music featured fourteen tracks which ranged from up-tempo hip-hop ballards, showcasing Donnie's rapping abilities, to more soulful ballads that had "Jordan singing his butt off" (Joey's words!) There was also a reworking of If You Go Away, and rap duo Nice n' Smooth featured on Dirty Dawg. 1. Intro: Face the Music This intro is just a minute or so long. Its features the guys talking about the past, contemplating the future, and philosophizing against a slamming hip hop background. Great intro that sets the tone for what's to come. 2. You Got the Flavor The first song on the album and how awesome was this! You couldn't help but jam when this was on, and from the first time you hear You Got The Flavor, you just know that NKOTB had indeed produced an amazing album. A slick hip-hop tune that won't leave your head for days. And Jordan's vocals sound deliciously smooth on this track. A great start to the album. 3. Dirty Dawg That song that created all the controversy and made everyone sit up and notice that the New Kids were back on the block. But it also proved  that haters are always going to hate and people are always going to take offence when none was meant - even when you produce a bitchin' track with a cool rap verse skillfully delivered by rap duo Nice n Smooth. 4. Girls Dirty Dawg saw the New Kids accused of hating on women, but with Girls, the boys are singing about how much they adore the fairer sex. This chilled up tempo song has something of a Summertime vibe to it, with Donnie showcasing his rapping abilities. A great sing-along-in-the car song. 5. If You Go Away An oldie but a goodie from 1991 with a slightly different arrangement. Great for taking the old fans down memory lane and brilliant for introducing the new fans to their old stuff. 6. Keep on Smilin' No doubt Blockheads couldn't wait to watch the movie Free Willy when they heard that Keep On Smilin' was on the soundtrack. Great melody, upbeat with a feel-good factor. 7. Never Let You Go The second release from the album after Dirty Dawg. Soulful, heartfelt, and ballad-y, featuring a rap from Donnie, and Jordan saying the words every Blockhead longed to hear! Yes, we really felt as though he was singing it to us and us alone! 8. Keepin' My Fingers Crossed NKOTB were always about  'positivity' and this song contains a moral message about guns, gangs and and making wise decisions, as well as the need for a better way of life. Great gospel-esque beginning of this track before it gives way to new jack swing beats. Awesome track and definitely a fan favourite. 9. Mrs. Right Joe McIntyre  has the vocals in this sweet song about looking for the right person. "Are you really Mrs. Right?" sings Joey. "Yes, I am," shriek back five million Blockheads! 10. Since You Walked into My Life Jordan and Joey share the vocals in this beautiful and meaningful ballad. The boys vocals complement each others, with Jordan's sounding incredibly rich and velvety - like the best chocolate shake you ever tasted! 11. Let's Play House A great song with a cool hip-hop vibe that gets you dancing, with Jordan tantalizingly asking us,  'Can you imagine what we can do alone, turn off the phone, I'll teach you passion, come inside your happy home'. Jordan, you don't have to tell us twice! 12. I Can't Believe It's Over If ever there was an ultimate break-up song, this would be it.  You can hear the emotion in Jordan's powerful voice and those of you who love his falsetto vocals won't be disappointed! 13. I'll Still Be Loving You An awesome song and strong vocals from the youngest New Kid as Joey takes the lead again. 14. I'll Be Waitin' This time it's Danny Wood who takes the lead vocals in the last track of the album. Photos by Angel Noire GIF: Wix

Nostalgia: A yearning for the past in an often idealized form; the state of being homesick; a wistful longing to return to a past period or irrecoverable condition… the dictionary definitions of nostalgia don’t sound very appealing: who wants to be some wishy washy person who lives in the past? And quite often a wishy washy person who lives in a past which never really existed except in the imaginations of certain people. We all remember rolling our eyes at stories told by our parents and grandparents of a time when “you could leave your doors and windows open when you went to work and came home to find a banquet waiting for you.” Of course if you tried that today you’d be lucky to still find a carton of milk in your refrigerator - providing they hadn’t made off with your refrigerator in the first place! I like to think of myself as a thoroughly modern missy who moves with the times and rolls with the changes but come on - who doesn’t get a little sentimental and wistful at times? Who doesn’t come over all warm and fuzzy when they catch a re-run of a TV show they used to watch with their mum after school? Who doesn’t feel gooey when they bite into a cookie that tastes just like the ones Grandma used to make? I know I bubble over with excitement when I come across my teen crushes, whose posters used to adorn my walls, and my friends and I are always laughing about stories from our school days - which admittedly are a lot more in the distant past than we’d like to admit! Anything that reminds us of our childhood, teenage years and early adulthood immediately transports us to a time when things were simpler, less stressful, and way more fun - or so we like to think anyway! But whatever the past may or may not have been, anything that makes you happy and lighthearted cannot be a bad thing. That’s why I don’t regard nostalgia as sentimental hogwash but yummy and warming comfort food to enliven an often tired and weary soul. And when you think that the word is derived from the Greek nostos meaning to return home, you realize how apt it is. Especially for me; a Brit chick who now lives the States, I have a yearning not just for times gone by but for all things British that remind me of the place in which I grew up. Don’t get me wrong - I like the here and now; I like where I am at this stage in my life. But if there was a time machine which could transport you back to a simpler time for an hour or so, then I'm so in that thing! The past is great but the best in life is yet to come… Have fun reminiscing! Photos:YouTube, Pixabay and Angel's own Word cloud by Angel Noire

Oh my gosh! I'm delighted, elated, excited, jubilated (if that's even a word!) you name it, I'm thrilled to little pie-crust crumbs that the new-look, revamped Nostalgia Pie is finally here. That's right - this blog has gone all Hollywood and undergone a facelift! A lot of caffeine, sleepless nights, and tears have gone into this blog (well OK, I lied about the tears part!) so I hope you really enjoy it. So welcome to the new and improved Nostalgia Pie and welcome to the first ever Angel's Slice Of The Pie, a new feature that sees me ramble on about one thing or another, because if there's one thing I'm good at it's rambling - and I don't mean the walking-over-the-hills variety! For those of you who are new to Nostalgia Pie, a big hi there and hello! You've just entered the portal to the seventies, eighties and nineties - with a bit of sixties and noughties thrown in. I hope you enjoy it and choose to stick around. For those who have previously followed my blog, a big, fat welcome back hug to you! It's great to see you again and I really hope you like the new look blog. The old Nostalgia Pie was becoming a bit, well, stale. As stale as a sausage roll that hadn't been sold over the weekend at a well-known British bakery chain store (and I know this because I've bought a sausage roll that hadn't been sold over the weekend at a well-known British bakery chain store!) So a revamp was in order and here it is! Many of the same features are still here plus some new ones too. But best of all there is also a forum where all us nostalgia addicts can congregate, share memories, think back to yesterday and get all nostalgic and sentimental. So please subscribe - and enjoy! So what's in Nostalgia Pie this week? NEIGHBOURS' BEVERLY RETURNS Neighbours fans will delight in knowing that Dr. Beverly Marshall will be donning her white coat and stethoscope in Erinsborough once again, twenty nine years after walking out of Ramsay Street. Will Paul be pleased to see his former stepmother again? I don't know about Paul, but I know I can't wait! I love it when a character from back-in-the-day makes a return to a show. APPLE PIE AND CUSTARD We're getting all sentimental over apple pie and custard. I don't know who doesn't like apple pie. It's like someone not liking chocolate - is that even possible??? Apple pie is so delicious, and so well-known that many countries around the world have their own version of this great dessert. When you think that many desserts today have to have bold, unusual, elaborate flavours, go through a million stages in the recipe process, and be shaped like a mermaid sitting atop a swan, it's amazing that humble, little old apple pie still manages to beat them all hands down! And let's not forget - today marks twenty five whopping years since New Kids On The Block (or NKOTB as they then wanted to be known as) brought out what is most definitely their most controversial album, Face The Music. I bought the album as soon as it came out and I LOVED it! Face The Music really was phenomenal. From the moment I played it, it was never off my CD player. I played it first thing in the morning when I woke up and last thing at night just before I turned out the lights in my wall-to-wall New Kids-postered room! That time was a period filled with worry, uncertainty and all the other usual teenage angsty-type things - but Face The Music reminds me that there were still some truly awesome things about that time. And twenty five years later, Face The Music still sounds fab! Goodness, CD player - I'm really showing my age! Happy reminiscing Photos: YouTube, Pixabay, and Angel's own Blog graphics: Angel Noire