Clive Gibbons is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Geoff Paine. Paine was spotted by the Reg Grundy Organisation and offered the role of Clive. He made his first screen appearance during the episode broadcast on 21 January 1986. Clive's storylines included running a gorillagram agency, setting up a gardening business, saving Lucy Robinson's life and falling in love with Susan Cole. Paine decided not to renew his contract, as he feared being typecast and felt the role was no longer believable. He departed Neighbours on 27 February 1987, but made a brief return in 1989. Paine reprised the role 28 years later, and Clive returned on a semi-regular basis from 9 March 2017. He was reintroduced as the chief operating officer of Erinsborough Hospital. Paine felt that Clive had matured during his time away from Erinsborough, but said his "cheeky side" would still appear every so often. He was restored to the series' main cast in July 2020 and appeared in the final episode of Neighbours on 28 July 2022. Casting Neighbours marks Paine's first professional acting role. The Grundy Organisation discovered him while he was performing in a college production at the Victoria Arts Centre, and they asked him to come in for a screen test, before offering him the role of Clive. Paine almost turned down the role as he looked down on acting in a soap. He said "I suppose at the time I was a bit too idealistic about the world of acting. Playing a messenger in a gorilla suit might not be King Lear, but at least it pays the rent." Paine later explained that he was reluctant to take the role because of credibility with soap operas. But he was encouraged to take the opportunity and do what he could with the part. He also knew that his experience on Neighbours would be invaluable due to its fast production and high publicity. Development Characterisation Stephen Cook of TV Week wrote that Clive was unusual, as his life was not beset with romances and traumas that were typically associated with other TV bachelor characters. He called him "a thoroughly 'normal' guy, a young man having a good time and trying to find his niche in life." Paine asked producers not to give his character a romantic storyline straight off, so he would have a chance to enter the series