Were you a fan of Neighbours before you joined the cast?
Dan: I would have to say that I was, through my sister. My sister's quite obsessed with Neighbours and doesn't miss an episode. When we were younger we actually weren't allowed to watch it for some unknown reason. I lived with my sister for about six months before I moved down to Melbourne and she really does not miss an episode. If there was ever a trivia quiz about Neighbours she would probably win it.

What's the best thing about being on Neighbours?
Dan: I would have to say the kissing scenes are quite good. We've got quite an attractive female cast so it's great to be getting paid to come on set and kiss some attractive girls.

If you could make up the ultimate Neighbours character using past and present actors, which characters would you combine and why?
Dan: I would have to say Harold for his chin, that's a Neighbours icon. Joe Mangel's humour. Paul Robinson's ruthlessness. Jason's mullet. You can't go past the mullet, it was quality. Flick for her good looks. And Kylie's buttocks.

Who is the funniest in the crew?
Dan: Besides me, of course, I think they're all comedians. Caitlin, who plays Rachel on the show, is a very funny little girl. She spends her days pinching me on set. Ryan (Toadie) is actually a very hilarious young man but they're all quite funny in their own quirky, weird sort of way.

Who inspired you to become an actor?
Dan: I actually fell into acting. I was a contestant in Australian Idol 2004, ended up coming in the Top 12 and as a result they asked me if I was interested in joining the cast. Obviously I had to audition, but here I am twelve months later and loving it!

Ned is a real country boy, are you one yourself? Are you like Ned?
Dan: There are a lot of similarities between Ned and myself but I'm not a country boy. I'd say that I'm more of a bogan because I grew up in western Sydney which is very rich in bogan culture. I hope all of you guys out there know what a bogan is. I'm sure you will.

Has the storyline about Ned finding it hard to read been a challenge for you? And how have you coped with it?
Dan: It was quite difficult obviously because I can read and having to play someone that can't, it's a bit hard. But I guess it gives you a bit of insight into what it would be like for someone who couldn't read or was illiterate. It's a very difficult thing.

Was it actually you singing in the episodes for the play?
Dan: Yes it was me. We pre-recorded most of the singing in the episodes. When it's played back we have to mime to it which can be quite difficult because you've pretty much got to get it exactly the way you recorded it in studio. So sometimes it's very hard.

What's your favourite song released by an ex-Neighbours actor? Can you see yourself following in these footsteps?
Dan: Well it's very hard, very hard, to go past Stefan Dennis' "Don't It Make You Feel Good". And I would give you a rendition of that but at this very moment I've forgotten how it goes. The only song that's sticking in my head at the moment is (sings) "Don't it make you feel good? Does it make you feel good? Does it make you feel good? Feels alright."

Will you sing for me?
Dan: That song goes out to Donna from Wimbledon. And Donna, does that make you feel good? (laughs) Oh dear.

Who's your best friend out of the cast?
Dan: We all actually get along really well. I wouldn't say that there's anyone that would be my best friend but you know, we go down to the beach at weekends, we hang out, we go to clubs. It's a very family atmosphere. As the song goes... that's when good neighbours become good friends. And it's true. It's so true.

Tell us something about yourself we don't already know!
Dan: Well I gave that quite a lot of thought. I was going to say that I have a nipple ring but my guess is that most of you already know that seeing as there's been quite a few shirtless scenes in Neighbours. I used to have an eyebrow ring many years ago which got accidentally ripped out one morning when I was washing my face. It got caught in my ring and got totally ripped out. And yes, I've got the scar to prove it. It wasn't a very nice morning, that morning. And I was running late for work too. Very unfortunate.

What advice would you give to someone with a dream or ambition?
Dan: I would say always be prepared. Prepare as much as you can. Take a risk. Consider any opportunity that comes your way. And work hard. I think for me, I seized on the opportunity 1) to be a part of Australian Idol and 2) to be a part of the Neighbours cast which has just been phenomenal. It's been the most incredible ride. So yeah, consider any opportunity and be prepared to take the risk.

Did you enjoy your trip to the UK earlier in the year? What did you do?
Dan: I actually was in the UK at the end of the year in December. It was incredible. It was very cold. As you probably know, we're not really accustomed to weather that goes below zero so yes, very cold. But I visited family. I've got family that live up north in Runcorn which is, I believe, close to Liverpool and Manchester. What else did I do? I went and saw Ryan and Blair's (Stu) pantos. Ryan's panto was in Canterbury, Blair's was in Stafford. They were brilliant. And we spent New Year's Eve in Knutsford which was a very interesting time and I won't go into that. And I spent some time with friends.

So I had a very good time in the UK and got to see how big Neighbours is over there which was great. It's great to see that it's still going and that there are still fans out there. We love you all. And thanks for sending in those questions!