Stephen Gottlieb

Stephen Gottlieb is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Lochie Daddo. He made his first screen appearance during the episode broadcast on 12 October 1992. Stephen is characterised as a compassionate record store manager. He was introduced into the series as a love interest of Phoebe Bright (Simone Robertson). Writers created a rushed romance between the pair. Phoebe was mourning her dead boyfriend Todd Landers (Kristian Schmid) and pregnant with his child. Despite this the characters were married and cohabiting after two months. Stephen and Phoebe's relationship dominated his main storylines. They included Phoebe's pregnancy dramas, her baby nearly dying and living in fear of their mentally ill lodger Russell Butler (Steven Whittaker).

Stephen's most prominent story was suffering paralysis after being caught up in a gas explosion. Stephen's rehabilitation is quick but provided more turmoil for him and Phoebe. Daddo soon decided to leave Neighbours because he was frustrated with his character's stories. He believed that Stephen was nothing more than Phoebe's love interest. His departure caused producers to write Robertson out of the show too. Their departure story depicts them moving away to open a record store with the compensation received from Stephen's accident.

On 11 October 1992, Shelli-Anne Couch from The Sydney Morning Herald revealed that Daddo had joined the cast of Neighbours as Stephen Gottlieb, "a record store manager with an enormous amount of compassion." Daddo was initially signed until December, with an option to extend his contract for another six months. Of his casting, Daddo stated "It's something new for me. I'm just starting out on the acting side of things and I don't think there is a better place to learn. Like everyone says, I'd love to go from here and make films. But I'm not sure. I want to stay in the acting side and just see where it takes me. I really don't know what will happen, where I'll be. I'm just enjoying what I'm doing now." The actor made his first appearance as Stephen during the episode broadcast on 12 October 1992.

"Stephen sees marriage as a very important institution, he was engaged to a girl two years ago who died. When he met Phoebe, he discovered she was the right person for him. She was a challenge because she kept turning him away, as she was still grieving for Todd. Stephen found something about this girl which he hadn't found before in someone else. It was instant attraction. He wants to spend the rest of his life with her."

— Lochie Daddo on Stephen and Phoebe's romance. (1992)

While he was at the graveyard visiting his dead fiancée, Stephen noticed a pregnant Phoebe Bright (Simone Robertson) by the graveside of her ex-boyfriend, Todd (Kristian Schmid). They confided in each other and Stephen made Phoebe realise that Todd's spirit would be with her where ever she goes, after learning that she wanted to have her baby by his grave. Daddo commented that their meeting "sort of turns into a little bit of a romance." Stephen later visits Phoebe and she tries to put him off by showing him her pet snake, Oscar, but he states that he has one of his own. Couch revealed that Daddo did his own research for the snake scenes by visiting an animal farm outside Melbourne. Of Phoebe's reaction to meeting Stephen, Robertson explained "It's a really weird way to meet the man of your dreams, but at least something is about to go right for Phoebe. The main thing for me is that I really get on well with Lochie. As for Stephen, he works in a record shop and is so different from Todd. He's older – 23 – and calmer."

After five weeks of dating, Stephen proposed to Phoebe. Robertson thought the proposal was too fast, especially as Phoebe was not interested in Stephen at first and was still hung up on Todd. Daddo found Stephen's eagerness to settle down with Phoebe strange. He told McGowan (TV Week) that Stephen views marriage as an "important institution" and Phoebe is "the right person" for him. Stephen also views Phoebe's reluctance to date him as a "challenge". Daddo believed Stephen had old-fashioned views about marriage and explained that Stephen was instantly attracted to her. A BBC Online writer explained that "Stephen's hippy upbringing made him yearn for a traditional life and he saw in Phoebe, pregnant as she was, a ready-made family."

While Phoebe accepted the proposal, Robertson believed that she was not in love with Stephen. She told an Inside Soap writer "She was definitely falling for him, but I don't think she really ever loved. Phoebe had a lot of respect for him because he persevered with her for so long! And I think because he was older she saw him as a bit of a father figure, and as her father had died I guess that was quite appealing." After succumbing to Stephen's "easy charm", Phoebe planned an early wedding. While Stephen was out on his stag night, Phoebe went into labour two months early. Stephen rushed back to their house and helped deliver Phoebe's daughter, Hope (Laura Pearson). Hope developed breathing problems and it was left to Stephen to break the news to Phoebe that she might die. Stephen became worried that if Hope died, Phoebe would not want to marry him and his feelings of unease grew when everyone began talking about Todd. Stephen and Phoebe marry eleven days after their cancelled ceremony. Benito (George Spartels) and Cathy Alessi (Elspeth Ballantyne) offer the pair their back garden as they lost the original venue. Writers created tense scenes for the nuptials with nurse Pam Willis (Sue Jones) interrupting their vows. Phoebe rushes into the Alessi house believing Hope is in peril. She is relieved when she learns Pam has discharged Hope home from hospital and the wedding resumes.