Hot on the heels of announcing the return of Charlie Hoyland played by newcomer Xander McGuire, Neighbours’ producers are investing in another up and coming young talent, Lilly Van der Meer.

Certainly one to watch in 2016, the stunning 16-year-old from the Gold Coast in Queensland, joins a long list of superstars to launch their careers as teenagers on the global soap including Margot Robbie who coincidently grew up in the same hood as Lilly – what better omen?

“It’s part of the Neighbours legacy to nurture and develop amazing new talent from all over Australia and I’ve no doubt that Lilly is definitely a star of the future,” said Neighbours’ Series Producer Jason Herbison.

Her character, Xanthe Canning has a formidable pedigree, the granddaughter of Sheila Canning, played by one of Australia’s most respected performers Colette Mann, half-sister of Ramsay Street hunk Chris Milligan and the daughter of one of the family’s more recent members to join the series Gary played by Damien Richardson who also returns in the new year.

“There are times the Cannings could be mistaken as a colourful mob family but it all comes from the right place,” joked Colette.  “Lilly’s world has certainly been opened up since joining the and we’re loving having her here. She was already a Canning after just a couple of weeks, we had converted her.”

Lilly debuts on Neighbours on January 22.