In 1965, Jan Russ was a young Melbourne woman whose world fell apart overnight. Unmarried, pregnant and abandoned, she was pushed into a system that punished single mothers and stole their babies in the name of respectability. The loss of her daughter would shadow her life for decades – a wound carried quietly while the rest of the world saw her shine. And shine she did. Jan found refuge on the stage, touring Australia and New Zealand in the glory days of musical theatre before stepping into television work on both sides of the Tasman. Back in Melbourne, she moved behind the scenes at Crawford Productions and later joined Neighbours, where she became one of Australia’s most influential casting directors. Over 26 years, she discovered new talent – including future global stars Kylie Minogue and Margot Robbie – helping to define an era of Australian television. Away from the cameras, Jan waged another battle: the long, determined search for the daughter taken from her. Her advocacy along with other mothers helped pave the way for Australia’s National Apology for Forced Adoption in 2013 – a moment of long overdue recognition. From the quiet brutality of the 1960s to the bright lights of international fame as her son, Sam Hammington, becomes a household name in South Korea, Jan’s life continually expands in unexpected and joyful directions, even as old wounds linger. Her story is one of resilience, humour, heartbreak and extraordinary reinvention. What Will the Neighbours Think? is a candid, spirited memoir from a woman who built a remarkable life in spite of – and sometimes because of – the secrets she was told to keep.
