▁to ▁the ▁show . ▁Hall ▁admitted ▁that ▁he ▁was ▁initially ▁had ▁doub ts ▁about ▁joining ▁the ▁cast ▁full ▁time , ▁as ▁he ▁had ▁been ▁offered ▁some ▁other ▁acting ▁jobs , ▁but ▁he ▁found ▁himself ▁enjo ying ▁the ▁role ▁and ▁considered ▁comm itting ▁to ▁a ▁longer ▁st int . ▁ ▁Development ▁ ▁Character isation ▁ ▁Hall ▁explained ▁that ▁in ▁Ned ' s ▁fict ional ▁back story , ▁he ▁was ▁left ▁with ▁Beth ▁after ▁her ▁marriage ▁to ▁Brad ▁ended ▁and ▁they ▁moved ▁to ▁Sydney . ▁Some ▁time ▁later , ▁Beth ▁sent ▁Ned ▁to ▁live ▁with ▁his ▁grand par ents ▁Pam ▁( S ue ▁Jones ) ▁and ▁Doug ▁Will is ▁( T er ence ▁Don ovan ) ▁in ▁Dar win . ▁Hall ▁also ▁said ▁that ▁Ned ▁has ▁" a ▁bit ▁of ▁history " ▁with ▁Doug ▁due ▁to ▁a ▁recent ▁event . ▁Hall ▁liked ▁that ▁Ned ▁is ▁a ▁t atto o ▁artist , ▁de em ing ▁the ▁job ▁" co ol ". ▁He ▁also ▁believed ▁that ▁there ▁had ▁been ▁very ▁few ▁t atto o ▁artists ▁in ▁the ▁show ' s ▁history . ▁Hall ▁commented ▁that ▁Ned ' s ▁occupation ▁would ▁lead ▁to ▁some ▁" m isch ief ". ▁ ▁A head ▁of ▁his ▁arrival ▁on - screen , ▁Hall ▁described ▁Ned ▁as ▁being ▁a ▁" very ▁complex " ▁and ▁" qu ite ▁manip ulative " ▁character ▁because ▁" he ▁has ▁had ▁a ▁bit ▁to ▁deal ▁with ". ▁Hall ▁said ▁his ▁favour ite ▁aspect ▁of ▁Ned ' s ▁person ality ▁was ▁that ▁he ▁" p ref ers ▁actions