to the conclusion that Ned was gay. Stuart was shocked when Ned admitted that he was. However, he later tells Elle that he isn't and that he only told Toadie and Stuart he was, so he could audition for a musical in secret. Ned is given a role in Gino Esposito's (Shane McNamara) musical, but he struggles with the script. He finally admits to Elle that he is having trouble reading and they begin a relationship. Isabelle seduces Ned and he tells her that she has to leave Paul Robinson (Stefan Dennis) and be with him. Isabelle later admits to Paul that she slept with Ned. Ned teams up with Karl Kennedy (Alan Fletcher) to form a children's band called "Oodles 'O' Noodles". They later split when Ned meets Justine Spensley (Alexis Porter) and she forces Karl to quit the group. However, Carmella Cammeniti (Natalie Blair) exposes Justine's plan and Ned and Karl reform the band. Ned then began a relationship with Carmella, but she ended it when she realised that they were spending too much time together. Ned then grew close to Katya Kinski (Dichen Lachman), and a jealous Carmella unsuccessfully tried to win him back. Ned ended his relationship with Katya when she was blackmailed into several crimes, even assaulting Ned when he caught her stealing a car. Ned moved in with Stephanie Scully (Carla Bonner) when he was forced out of his home by his new housemates. Ned got into gambling and Paul lured Ned into a life of crime and his plan to destroy the Timmins family to help repay his debts. Ned later asks Elle to run away with him, but she returns to her father and Ned leaves by himself. On his return, Ned apologised to the Timmins family and began working at the garage with Janae Timmins (Eliza Taylor-Cotter). Ned's high school girlfriend, Kirsten Gannon (Nikola Dubois) appears at his doorstep and informs him that he has an eight-year-old son, Mickey (Fletcher O'Leary). Kirsten leaves Mickey with Ned and he enlists Janae to help him raise his son. Janae later asks Ned to move in with her and they begin a relationship. Ned's older brother Steve and his family arrive in Ramsay Street and when Steve tells Ned that their new home has been flooded, Janae invites them to move in. Kirsten returns and Ned tells her that he will fight for main