Terry Inglis (also Robinson) is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours played by Maxine Klibingaitis. She made her first appearance on 11 June 1985. Terry is employed by Max Ramsay (Francis Bell) as his plumber's apprentice. Terry dates Shane Ramsay (Peter O'Brien) and Paul Robinson (Stefan Dennis), whom she later marries. Terry kills Charles Durham (Ross Thompson) and later shoots Paul when he goes to report her to the police. The character departed on 5 November 1985. She is arrested for Charles' murder off-screen, and she later commits suicide, becoming the only character from the serial to have died this way.
Development
Terry was described as a "boyish apprentice plumber" by Coral O'Connor of the Daily Mirror. She arrives in Erinsborough after getting a job with Max Ramsay (Francis Bell). The role led to a reunion between Klibingaitis and her Prisoner co-star Kylie Foster, who joined the Neighbours cast as teenager Wendy Gibson. Foster said the actors' only regret was that their characters did not like each other. Foster explained: "Terry is 21 and mature but doesn't act it and Wendy is struggling to be mature and can't understand why Terry doesn't take advantage of being older." She added that Wendy resents the attention Terry receives.
It is soon established that Terry was once married to a bank robber, Gordon Miller (Red Symons). She forms "some kind of attachment" to Shane Ramsay (Peter O'Brien). Terry starts dating Paul Robinson (Stefan Dennis), but their relationship does not begin well as she is still in love with Shane, who now dating her best friend Daphne Lawrence (Elaine Smith). The couple later get engaged. Terry decides to go ahead with the wedding to Paul, despite being confused about her feelings for Shane. A writer for TV Radio Extra observed Terry and Paul's wedding was "a more civilised affair" than Stephen Morrell and Jenny Turner's wedding in Sons and Daughters that aired in the same week, but it was "still not the kind of wedding day everyone dreams about". Paul is late and Terry spends the ceremony and the reception looking "cow-eyed" at Shane. At the time the episodes aired in September 1985, production on the serial had been "discontinued", but it continued screening in Adelaide until the end of the year. Terry later tries to trick Paul out of his money and she shoots him. Their relationship ended in "heartache, attempted murder and inevitable divorce." Terry is sent to prison and the BBC said Terry "suffered in the long run." Terry takes her own life off screen in 1986 and was the only character to have died this way.
Storylines
Maria Ramsay (Dasha Blahova) is charged with the task of hiring a plumber's assistant for her husband, Max, and Terry shows up for an interview. Terry is keen to prove that she can do the job as well as any man. Maria supports her and gives Terry the job. Max assumes that his wife had hired a man when he hears Terry's name and is shocked to find out that Terry is a woman. Max tells her that he will not hire her, but Terry tells him that she had completed three years at a Technical College. She then threatens Max with the Anti-Discrimination Board and Max gives her a trial run. Max deliberately sets out to make life as difficult as possible for Terry by giving her the hardest jobs, but Terry proves to be a great plumber. Max eventually admits that Terry is the best person for the job.
Terry falls for Max's son, Shane and they begin dating. Terry tells Shane that she was married to Gordon Miller, who caused a car accident that Shane was involved in. Gordon escapes from prison and holds Terry and Max hostage. However, Shane saves the day and Miller goes back to prison. Terry and Shane later split and Terry goes on a date with Shane's friend, Paul Robinson. Paul eventually proposes to Terry and they become engaged. Terry asks Paul's older sister, Julie (Vikki Blanche), to be her bridesmaid. Paul and Terry are married in the Robinson house within a month and Paul's father, Jim (Alan Dale), rents Number 30 for the couple.