Rift with on-screen wife led to Neighbors star's sacking

MELBOURNE - Former Neighbours star Shane Connor was sacked from the show because of complaints from his on-screen wife, a court was told today.

Mr Connor performed for four years on the TV soap as Joe Scully, and is suing the show's producer Grundy Television for wrongful termination of his contract and is seeking about A$200,000 ($216,637).

The show's original casting director Jan Russ today told the court she had been told that complaints from Mr Connor's on-screen wife Janet Andrewartha led to his dismissal.

This was revealed to her by the show's legal adviser Steven Rosser during a conversation in September this year, she told the court.

"He said that they needed to do something because of Janet, Janet Andrewartha's complaints," Ms Russ told the court.

She denied that her recollection was wrong when told by Grundy Television lawyer Herman Borenstein, SC, that Mr Rosser would give evidence to the court that his version of the conversation was different.

Neighbours producer Peter Dodds told the court Ms Andrewatha was one of several cast and crew who had complained about Mr Connor's behaviour from July 2002.

He said there were complaints about his lateness, absenteeism, professionalism and he was aggressive and argumentative with cast and crew members.

He said the problem culminated in April 24, 2003 when Mr Connor was sent home from the set on suspicion he was under the influence of drugs.

"We felt he was presenting a possible health problem to the cast and crew, a danger to himself and other crew members whilst he remained at work," Mr Dodds said of that day.

He said Mr Connor was dismissed in September that year after crew members complained about his behaviour and five months after he had received a written final warning.

Mr Connor, who performed on the show between July 1999 and September 2003, has told the court that he developed an amphetamine problem in 2001 after the death of his brother.

He used the drug intermittently in the evenings and had sometimes turned up to work with a drug hangover, the court has been told.

He admitted his amphetamine use to cast members in May 2003 after overcoming his drug habit, the court has heard.

He was sacked several months later and Grundy Television alleges Mr Connor disrupted production through lateness, absenteeism, and verbally abused cast and crew.

- AAP