#debra phillips

Michelle Lim Davidson as Noelene Rickards in The Newsreader’s S03E03 💙👸🏻🌟

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The video Gypsy Taylor shared on her Instagram back in December is truly the gift that keeps on giving, as we got yet another angle of Noelene exerting the free-will and power that was always within her, and letting Lindsay have a moment of humiliation, for a change! 😉

Two posts ago, I mentioned that my family and I were moving house, and I am currently writing to you all from News At Six 1986’s brand new head office (my room)! We moved in on Saturday, but due to the multiple car trips to and from the places on Sunday, I have only been able to properly unpack since Monday.

I spent so much of January freaking out that everything wouldn’t fit, obsessively checking and double checking and triple checking measurements, but I am glad to report that everything has fit in, and I am mostly unpacked! It’s going to be a challenge getting used to having tiles as opposed to carpet. A rug is definitely in order!

I thought I would give you all a few Newsreader highlights that are scattered around my room. I was terrified packing Anna Torv’s signed script to me and Michelle Lim Davidson’s gorgeous personalised card away and popping them on the moving truck, but they have survived and have found their spots on my desk and bedside table again.

My special portrait of Helen Norville (made by Kylie Conning) has also been hung up too. It is now the very first thing you see when walking into my room, hanging on the little bit of wardrobe wall that is visible from the door. Thematically, I have also placed my rack of Australian news books right underneath, which includes my prized copies of ‘Australia Through Time’ and ‘Where Were You When’, highlighting the news stories and events that have mattered to Australians. I highly recommend both books.

Sam Reid as Dale Jennings in S03E01 ❤️🌟🤴🏼

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Dale wasn’t sure what Gold Logie winners past did after the night was over, but drinking alone in their hotel room probably wasn’t common practice.

Hearing a knock at the door, he checked through the peephole, and let a dark-haired man in. “A couple of people in the lobby, but no-one took any notice of me,” the man assured Dale. “Thanks,” Dale felt relieved, offering the man a drink.

The man was Nick, and Dale had been engaging in his services for a while. He apologised for the late notice and offered to pay Nick extra. “It’s fine,” Nick replied. Nick spotted Dale’s gleaming Logie on the coffee table. “Mind if I pick it up and look?” He asked Dale. “Sure,” Dale gave him his permission.

Nick carefully handled the coveted trophy. “It’s heavier than I thought,” he remarked, possibly in more ways than just one. “What’s it like, standing up there?” Nick asked Dale. Dale quietly considered his answer. In all honesty, Dale didn’t know how he felt about all this. “I felt nothing,” he confided to Nick.

A knock at the door startled them, and once Dale had ascertained it was Rob, he urged Nick to go hide in the bedroom. Rob, Dennis and Dennis’ girlfriend Debra piled on in drunkenly through the door. Debra was hoping to get a photo with the Logie, and her and Dennis were all giggly and touchy-feely. “Mate, Dennis is on fire, and he’s getting somewhere with this bird,” Rob whispered in Dale’s ear. “Is that right?” Dale said, a slight chuckle forming from his chest.

Rob and Noelene Rickards, snuggling up together at Dale’s birthday bash 💜🌟🎂

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Rob and Noelene pulled up out the front of Dale’s place.

“Breaking news just to hand…” the radio announcer said.

“Should we come up with some sort of signal if we want to bail early?” Rob asked Noelene, and she nodded.

On the radio, the announcer mentioned something about soldiers moving into Tiananmen Square, “dispersing the student protestors with gunfire.”

Before Noelene could hear the rest of it, Rob turned the car off.

“My God, he’s done it.” Rob looked out the windscreen. “Dennis, you sly dog.”

Their chief of staff was outside, walking with a pretty redheaded lady

“Turn it back on,” Noelene told Rob, urgently.

“Okay, alright,” he turned the car back on.

“To sport now, and Collingwood yesterday beat…”

Oh no, the story had finished. Fiddling frantically with the channels resulted in static.

“Is that… are they talking about China?” Noelene asked Rob.

“Hey? I didn’t hear.” Rob replied, pointing in Dennis’ direction. “That’s the bird from the Logies.”

The words from the radio hung on Noelene’s mind.

Dale opened the door to the two couples, and Noelene handed him his present.

“Happy birthday, Dale!” She said cheerfully, kissing his cheek.

Dennis reintroduced Debra Phillips to Noelene and Rob, and Noelene smiled warmly.

After Dale invited them through, Noelene dashed over to him.

“Dale, would it be okay if I quickly called home just to check in? My mother’s looking after Hana.”

“Of course, yeah,” he agreed, and Noelene made a beeline for the phone.

Rob Rickards at Cheryl and Brian’s wedding 💜🌟💍

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On the morning of Cheryl and Brian’s wedding, Dale and Kay greeted Rob at his seat. “Hey Rob, is Noelene coming?” Kay queried. Rob hoped she would. “Uh, yeah. Later, hopefully. She’s been caught up all weekend,” he explained.

It certainly had been a trying time at Public Eye; Noelene’s workplace. “See what happened with Helen?” Rob asked those in his row. “Oh, yeah,” Dale replied softly. “Horrible,” Evelyn replied, catching Rob’s eye. It appeared the exposé about Helen’s institutionalisation history was on everyone’s minds. It was a disgraceful article, and Rob was feeling gutted for Helen.

“So, was Lindsay in on that? That story?” Rob questioned Dale. “Don’t know,” Dale answered. “He was quoted extensively,” Evelyn added. “Alright, Mum,” Kay attempted to hush her mother, however Evelyn seemed thrilled to dish the dirt on Lindsay.

Rob wanted to get to the bottom of all of this. “Yeah, but did he set it up?” “I’m not sure, Rob,” Dale told his colleague, understanding Rob’s feelings of frustration. “Well, in my experience with that man, it’s usually wise to assume the worst.” Evelyn shared, her years of experience with Lindsay and Geoff giving her a pretty well informed opinion of the man.

Gorgeous Noelene in S03E01, and a massive happy birthday to the beautiful Michelle Lim Davidson, on behalf of Newsreader fans everywhere! 💜🌟👸🏻🎂🎉

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The generosity, kindness and support Michelle has displayed to News At Six 1986 throughout its existence is so close to my heart, and I'll treasure the experiences, insight and warmth she has given me for many years to come! 💖💐

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Everyone at the News At Six table listened with bated breath as the singer Debra Phillips was about to announce the winner of the Most Popular Sports Coverage award. She mentioned the Australian Open Tennis and the One Day International Cricket, but to everyone’s delight, the Seoul Olympics coverage was the winner. Noelene beamed from ear to ear, and Rob could not have been more thrilled. That was them! They had won! All their hard work had been recognised, with a shiny silver trophy. Rob downed his drink and headed on stage to accept the award.

“Well, thank you! This was a huge team effort,” he told the audience. He thanked their boss, Richard Bertrand. He thanked the athletes and voters; the extraordinary Aussie legends that made this possible. He gestured in Noelene’s direction. “And my wife, Noelene.” As the spotlight dimmed, Noelene’s face fell. He had thanked her as his wife, but not as his producer.

At the doors of the Hyatt later on, Rob noticed that Noelene seemed a little down. “Did you not like my speech?” Noelene bit her lip. “You thanked the CEO in detail, and all the athletes. All I got was a quick thanks, as your wife.” Rob was confused by this response. “You are my wife.” Noelene gave him an incredulous look. “I worked 25 days straight producing that coverage. I gave you a Korean angle no one else had.” All she wanted was her due credit.

As Rob cited old mate telling him to wrap it up in his ear, Noelene sighed. “I know, I shouldn’t have brought it up.” Rob realised she was feeling guilty. “No, I’ll tell you what; at the end of the day you’re my wife, before you’re my producer. I don’t mean… well that didn’t come out right.” He noted the hurt on her face, and gave her a drunken hug in consolation. “I was just trying to… I love you Noels. I love you.”