Dennis: Kylie can't leave Charlene

Neighbours star Stefan Dennis has confessed that he used to be a "bit angry" with Kylie Minogue for distancing herself from her soap roots.

The 54-year-old, who plays Ramsay Street's bad boy Paul Robinson, claimed that the Australian star wanted to forget her famous role as Charlene Robinson when she left the show to pursue her singing career in 1988.

"I can understand why, because she was trying to forge a career in a new direction. But she will never get rid of Charlene from Neighbours," he told Australia's Herald Sun.

"I'm sorry to say, Kylie. You will never get rid of that. I used to get a little bit angry with her, because she would not be where she is today if it weren't for her start on this show. It's a bit of give and take. Don't ever bite the hand that feeds."

Stefan said that he "would never say anything bad about Kylie because I love her dearly" and because she has now "turned around" on her snub of the Australian soap.

The actor also revealed that attitudes towards former soap stars have changed over the years and that they are now respected.

"True thespians used to tell me, 'Bless you, one day you'll get a real acting job, young man'. Now, those same actors and their counterparts would crawl over broken glass to be on Neighbours, because it has credibility and respect," he said.