Antonio "Tony" Romeo, played by
Nick Carrafa, made his first appearance on 25 November 1987. Carrafa previously made a guest appearance in a 1985 episode, as
Danny Ramsay's (David Clencie) biological father
Tim Duncan in a flashback sequence. Carrafa told Coral O'Connor from the
Daily Mirror that he hoped viewers would not recognise him as Tim because "it was a very small part." Carrafa joined
Neighbours shortly after he finished filming his role in the film
Hungry Heart. Tony was Carrafa's first on-going role in a television series. He was also the first regular male ethnic character on the show. Carrafa did not think the writers would consciously treat him as "the only Italian in the show". Tony is introduced as the new manager of the local garage taking over from
Greg Cooper (
Alan Fletcher). Tony is portrayed as a "sex mad mechanic" and Carrafa disliked this characteristic. He explained to O'Connor that "Tony is a headstrong bully and a womaniser. He tries to have an affair with every girl he meets." Tony is also a love rival of
Henry Ramsay (
Craig McLachlan) who fight over
Sally Wells (Rowena Mohr). Henry is dating Sally and is angry when he witnesses Tony flirting with Sally. Carrafa told Mark Foster from ''Neighbours Who's Who'' that "Henry comes over claiming that Sally is his girl and Tony and Henry have a fist-fight in front of Lassiters. Tony finds out Henry and Sally aren't a 'unit' and he decides to ask her out. So he's still in there with a chance." To celebrate the 20th anniversary of Neighbours, the BBC asked readers to nominate their twenty favourite obscure characters. Tony came in sixth place and a reader said "Ro-may-oh". I can't remember anything else about the man apart from his name, and the way he pronounced it". Coral O'Connor from
Daily Mirror branded Tony "a real randy romeo", "tough mechanic" and a "womanising bully". Tony arrives in Erinsborough after many years away and asks
Jim Robinson (
Alan Dale) for a job at his garage after hearing from his friend Greg about the place. He quickly offends Jim's daughter in-law
Charlene (
Kylie Minogue) by flirting with her then flirts with Sally who is dating Charlene's brother, Henry. Henry, annoyed, confronts Tony but is pushed into Lassiter's pond after Tony quickly subdues him with Karate moves. In spite of this, Tony and Henry become good friends. In order to avoid an arranged marriage, his mother
Elinora (Kate Jason) has organised for him, Tony writes a letter saying he has met someone else and persuades
Jane Harris (
Annie Jones) to take a photo with him in order to get his family off his back. However, problems multiply when Elinora flies to Erinsborough to meet Jane. The lie further snowballs when Jane opts out of Tony's scheme and he tells Elinora that Jane is bed-ridden with chicken pox and that Sally is Jane's sister. Eventually the truth is revealed and after a reading of tea leaves by
Nell Mangel (
Vivean Gray) which reveals that Tony's marriage to Angela, his intended bride, would be a disaster, Elinora leaves, giving him her blessing. Tony invites Sally to move in but it is a disaster as Tony is untidy and refuses to do any housework. They ask their landlord
Mr. Phillips (Earl Francis) to do some alterations and he agrees but at a price; a rent hike. They involve several of their friends in a painting party which is successful. Tony continues to pursue Jane but she is still wrestling with her feelings for
Mike Young (
Guy Pearce) and continues to try to win her over. Tony then becomes depressed when he sees he is getting nowhere with Jane and decides to leave Erinsborough before quitting the garage. Before his departure, he learns of his father suffering a potentially fatal stroke and decides to join him in
Perth. ==Others==