August 22nd 2024.
In the latest episode of the Australian soap Neighbours, viewers were in for a wild ride as one character met their untimely end at the jaws of a crocodile. Yes, you read that right. The dramatic climax of the much-publicized "Death in the Outback" week saw the charming but conniving conman Heath Royce become a meal for a hungry 'gaitor.
But animal attacks in Soapland are not as uncommon as one might think. In fact, there is quite a history of characters facing off with deadly creatures. Let's take a look at some of the most memorable instances.
Back in 2023, Emmerdale played out a classic soap "whodunnit?" when Lydia Dingle's evil rapist Craig Reed was killed. Both Sam and Cain Dingle were suspects, having kidnapped and beaten Craig for what he did to Lydia. However, it was later revealed that the culprit was none other than Kim Tate's horse, Ice. It seemed the horse shared its owner's murderous tendencies, as it kicked Craig and left him critically injured. Cain and Kim left him to die, and then set Ice loose to make it seem like the horse had run away.
In a surprising turn of events, a fluffy community storyline about a new bike lane in Neighbours led to a snake attack in 2016. Mayor Sonya Rebecchi found herself with a mysterious enemy after unveiling plans for the route, and they sought revenge by releasing a poisonous snake on Ramsay Street. The snake ended up targeting teen Xanthe Canning and attacking a pregnant Elly Conway, who tragically suffered a miscarriage.
Emmerdale marked its 50th anniversary in 2022 with a stampede of cows raging through the village. The cows had escaped from Moira Dingle's farm during a storm and ended up charging at Sam Dingle and Nate Robinson. Sam was impaled on an upturned spike while trying to escape, and viewers praised the dramatic performance of the bovine actors.
In Home & Away, 90s icon Selina Cook had a near-death experience after an encounter with a bee. The pesky critter flew into an open can of fizzy drink, and Selina unknowingly took a sip and swallowed it. Her boyfriend, Curtis Reed, desperately tried to save her as she went into anaphylactic shock. Miraculously, Selina survived and tearfully recalled seeing her previously miscarried baby being taken care of during her near-death experience.
Radio 4 soap The Archers tackled the rising issue of dog attacks in the UK in a recent storyline. The Bull co-manager Kenton Archer was mauled by a dangerous dog after confronting a group in the pub's car park.
And in upcoming Emmerdale episodes, newcomer John Sugden seeks revenge on Mackenzie Boyd for destroying his van by unleashing a bull on him at the farm. Mack must face off with the raging animal, and it's clear he won't come out unscathed.
But perhaps the craziest animal storyline in soap history comes from the US daytime soap Days of Our Lives. In 2004, 'Tony DiMera' was attacked by a circus tiger just as he was about to reveal the identity of a serial killer. But it turns out that 'Tony' was actually being impersonated by another character, André DiMera, who had previously returned from the dead multiple times.
Oh, the mind of a soap storyliner. If you have any soap or TV stories, videos, or pictures, we'd love to hear from you. Leave a comment below and stay updated on all things soaps on our homepage.
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