Pepper Steiger

Pepper Steiger
Neighbours character
Portrayed by	Nicky Whelan
Introduced by	Ric Pellizzeri
Duration	2006–2007
First appearance	12 October 2006
Last appearance	1 November 2007
Classification	Former, regular
Profile
Date of birth	1979
Home	Cairns
Occupation	Teacher
Family Father Allan Steiger Mother Christine Rodd Stepmother Janelle Timmins Aunts Miriam

Heidi "Pepper" Steiger is a fictional character from the Australian Network Ten soap opera Neighbours, played by Nicky Whelan. The character was introduced into the serial as part of a group of four characters branded as "20 somethings". She made her debut in the episode airing on 12 October 2006. Pepper left the soap on 1 November 2007 after Whelan quit her contract. During her stint in the serial Pepper was involved in notable storylines including a same-sex kiss, a hostage situation and cervical dysplasia.

Character creation

Pepper was created in 2006 along with another three characters created at the same time as part of a new group of "20 somethings". Natalie Saleeba, Ben Lawson and Christian Clark were cast as Rosetta Cammeniti, Frazer Yeats and Will Griggs respectively, around the same time as Nicky Whelan was cast as Pepper. Their inclusion within the serial was part of the producers attempts to introduce more contemporary characters, despite not knowing each other they all share the same house upon their on-screen debuts, a first for the series. Pepper was scripted as having immediate family connections within the serial in the form of father and already established character Allan Steiger (Joe Clements) and mother Christine Rodd (Trudy Hellier). Whelan was about to start her career in Los Angeles when she received confirmation of the role, she decided to stay and play Pepper.

Character development

Before appearing on-screen Pepper was described as a "neurotic hypochondriac" Pepper has been portrayed as sometimes being a little kooky and clumsy. One of her characteristics shown regularly on-screen is her constant sneezing when she is nervous. The sneezing trait was already implemented to the character before Whelan was cast in the role. During an interview Whelan described Pepper's persona in depth, stating: "She's very similar to your early Goldie Hawn, who I love". further adding: "She's blonde, everyone thinks she a bimbo, but she's not. She's full of life and full of energy. She's one of those people who says way too much too soon. Then realises and thinks, 'S..., I shouldn't have said that'."

A storyline featuring Pepper is a kiss shared with Rosie in the heat of the moment, the characters were portrayed agreeing to forget it ever happened. Australian tabloids such as The Daily Telegraph, branded the kiss "a failed attempt to gain ratings" for the serial, also stating it aired practically unnoticed along with a number of would be controversial plots.

Storylines

Pepper managed to capture the attention of her male students, including Zeke Kinski (Matthew Werkmeister), with her attractive looks. Because of this, Zeke believed she was in love with him after she approached him one night while he was standing outside his house. She told him that she loved him and that she wanted to be with him, but it was later revealed that Pepper was sleepwalking at the time when Zeke announced at her engagement party that she was in love with him and that the engagement was a sham. It was revealed that Pepper had actually fallen for Frazer, who had eyes only for Rosie (who was actually at the time attracted to Will, Carmella's boyfriend). Eventually, Frazer and Pepper admitted they were not engaged after a hilarious episode when Will and Frazer went camping with Allan Steiger.

During her time on Ramsay Street, Pepper worked hard to get her mother and father, who were divorced, back together. She believed that they both still loved each other. At a dinner that she arranged, her father Allan proposed to her mother Chris, she declined and told Allan and Pepper that she had been in a relationship with a woman for a year. Pepper initially disapproved of her mother's sexuality and let it become a death sentence-like dilemma for her, but eventually came to accept it.

When Lolly Allen (Adelaide Kane) was being very disruptive in her class, Pepper asked to see her after class. Lolly wanted Pepper to see a giant bruise on her shoulder, and when Pepper saw it, Lolly ran for it. Pepper grabbed Lolly and demanded to know who hit her. Then Susan Kinski (Jackie Woodburne) saw her holding Lolly by her shirt, Lolly cried that Miss Steiger was hurting her. After hearing both sides of the story, Susan had no choice but to suspend Pepper until the Board of Education knew the truth – that Lolly's stepmother, Sandy (Catherine Hill) was her abuser and that Lolly was too afraid to admit it. Thanks to the help of Ringo Brown (Sam Clark), she later told everyone the truth. Pepper was allowed to take back her job, but she decided she wanted to take a break from teaching.

A short time later, Pepper had an affair with conniving business man Paul Robinson (Stefan Dennis), and came clean to Rosie, who was also interested in him. Rosie accepted her apology, but accused Paul of mistreating Pepper. Pepper and Rosie then shared a passionate kiss one day when Pepper was having a breakdown. Unbeknownst to them, Ringo was watching and before long all of Erinsborough knew, and assumed that Pepper and Rosie were a couple. Meanwhile, Pepper and Rosie agreed to leave their friendship as it is and forget the kiss, unaware that the whole town suspected that they were gay. They eventually moved past that stage. Pepper was stalked, and was being sent presents and received anonymous phone calls, with the only sound being children playing in a playground. Pepper almost immediately suspected that the perpetrator was Kevin Casey (Zen Ledden), who had impregnated Pepper at age seventeen. Pepper had later miscarried.

Pepper decided she needed to track Kevin down, and went to see his mother, Mary Casey (Rowena Wallace). A seemingly-innocent Mary claimed not to have any idea what Kevin was up to. However, it soon became clear that Kevin was not Pepper's stalker; it was Mary. The deranged woman had even set up a nursery for the deceased child in her house. On a later visit, Mary spiked a piece of cake and gave it to Pepper. After her visit, she went to Janae Hoyland's (Eliza Taylor-Cotter) annulment party, where she fainted. Rosie called an ambulance, and it was assumed that someone had spiked her drink; however, Pepper was convinced that it was something she had eaten earlier that was spiked. Pepper visited Mary a third time, still oblivious to the fact that Mary was her stalker, only to be knocked unconscious by Mary and tied up in the nursery.

Mary kept Pepper locked up for a long time, determined that Pepper would pay for taking her grandchild away, believing Pepper had had an abortion. Mary used Pepper's phone to text Rosie saying that Pepper was going away for a bit to clear her head, to cover up her absence. Mary locked her son Kevin in with Pepper too, determined that they would get back together, so that they could 'be a family again'. Pepper and Kevin played along, pretending to get back together so that Mary would let her guard down, and let them out. However, she still wouldn't let them go, so, becoming desperate, they lit a fire in the room, so that Mary would have to open the door. Mary was devastated that the nursery was being destroyed, and opened the door, wanting to save everything. Kevin ran out, where he fainted, and the door shut behind him, locking again, with the key still in Mary's hands. Pepper tried to get Mary to open the door so they could get out, but Mary was too distraught. Eventually, however, they did get out, and the police arrested Mary.

On her return to Ramsay Street, Pepper told no one what had happened to her, although Frazer became suspicious that something was up when she was continually jumpy and terrified of being alone. Eventually, she had to tell them about it when she discovered that Sky was sharing a cell with Mary. Sky had been allowed to have daughter Kerry with her in jail, but knowing Mary's obsession with babies, Pepper felt sure Mary would try something, and told Harold.

Since then, Pepper has met Adam Rhodes (Benjamin Hart), an English builder who was renovating the Scarlet Bar (now Charlie's). At first, she stated her dislike of him, but a mutual attraction was between the pair. Adam caught her attention, and they went out on a date.. She really enjoyed herself, and they started to date properly. But her dad, Alan, thought Adam seemed suspicious and was worried about Pepper. When Pepper discovered there were things Adam wouldn't tell her, she jumped to the conclusion that Adam was a criminal. She told him that he had told her off for lying and concealing thing and such things, but he was doing the same, and she deserved better. Adam couldn't bring himself to tell her the truth, and she left. He decided to leave Erinsborough, and wrote Pepper a note telling her. She stormed around to his house, before he had had time to leave, and eventually he told her that he used to be a policeman, but his partner had died had he blamed himself. He left Erinsborough still, despite Pepper begging him to stay, telling him that she would help him through it.

Soon afterwards, her father told her that he was moving to Cairns with his fiance Janelle Timmins and her children Anne Baxter, Bree Timmins and Janae Timmins. Pepper decided to stay behind. At the farewell party for the family, Steiger married Janelle in a surprise ceremony, and Pepper was happy for him, unlike when he first started dating Janelle. Pepper had a better surprise at the party though, when Adam turned up, telling her that if she wanted he would stay, and they could work through it together. Pepper was involved in the bus crash that took place on the way home from Frazer and Rosie's wedding, although managed to escape from the blaze that followed with minor injuries. Pepper was diagnosed with type 2 cervical dysplasia. The abnormal cells were removed but she was told regular checks would be made to make sure it didn't become more serious. Pepper left Ramsay Street on 1 November 2007 to go to a new job near her father. Adam decided to accompany her at the last minute. Pepper had an emotional goodbye to best friend Rosie.

Reception

In 2008, Whelan was nominated for "Best Newcomer" and "Sexiest Female" at the Digital Spy Soap Awards. Natalie Craig writing for the The Sydney Morning Herald said Neighbours' naming schemes were "as ludicrous as ever", highlighting the name "Pepper Steiger".