Neighbours Spoilers – Darcy muscles in on Dr Karl’s job

Next week on Neighbours, as Darcy covers up Karl’s growing addiction, he begins muscling in on Karl’s job at Eirene Rising – is history repeating itself?

Darcy (Mark Raffety), Susan’s (Jackie Woodburne) nephew, made a shock return to Ramsay Street last week when he took up the lease at No. 22 after Terese (Rebekah Elmaloglou) moved into the Penthouse with Paul (Stefan Dennis).

After 20 years away, Darcy was keen to try and convince Susan and Karl (Alan Fletcher) that he was a changed man and had returned to right his wrongs.

Darcy certainly has a shady past, from trying to steal Karl’s doctor’s surgery to robbing the Kennedys when his poker playing got out of hand!

This week, we discover the real reason Darcy has returned to Ramsay Street – he wants to start a new integrated health centre in Erinsborough.

While having lunch with Susan and Karl, Darcy told them that he had started to look for investors for his new project.

When Darcy previously lived in Ramsay Street, he worked at Erinsborough Hospital and ended up back there in a non-medical role after his licence was taken away.

Darcy was keen to share with his aunt and uncle this week that he’s had his medical license reinstated and is keen to make a difference.

Following their lunch date, Susan and Karl arrange for Darcy to have a tour of their new workplace and he is very impressed with the set-up and facilities at Eirini Rising.

While there, Darcy hears that Vera (Sally-Anne Upton) is having serious stomach pains and becomes concerned about the cause of her issues.

Karl, who is Vera’s in-house doctor, is confident it’s linked to her history of indigestion. But Darcy won’t let it go, confident that it has to be more serious.

Vera’s gained herself a reputation for the exaggeration of her ailments and injuries over the years – is Darcy jumping to the wrong conclusion to try and show Karl up?

Darcy insists that Vera should go to the hospital and there it is revealed that her appendix is swollen!

Karl is horrified that he misdiagnosed Vera and didn’t take her pain more seriously. Darcy gently suggests that it could be due to his painkiller addiction impairing his judgement, and subsequently his duty of care.

Karl is offended by the suggestion as he believes he is doing everything he should be in his role as Eirini Rising’s in-house doctor.

Later, Susan steps in and also begins to question Karl’s decision, causing him to snap at his wife.

Susan has already noticed that Karl’s has been out of sorts lately and his reaction makes her suspicious that there’s he’s not sharing with her… is the truth about his addiction about to come out?

After taking out his anger at Susan, Karl starts to feel the heat from hiding his issues. Meanwhile, Susan continues to ponder what could be going on with Karl since the change in his mood after their return from Europe.

Susan and Karl spent months away in Italy, after Karl was forced to have emergency surgery on his leg after suffering a motorbike accident on his tour with Mike (Guy Pearce).

Terese is also concerned that Karl’s situation could have more repercussions for the residents at Eirini Rising, which has already suffered reputational damage after her own troubles led to a gas leak and the hospitalisation of charismatic resident Gino (Shane McNamara).

This week, Darcy found Karl taking painkillers above the recommended dose and realised that he has developed a problem.

Darcy offered to support Karl with a treatment plan to wean off the medication safely and Karl was left with no choice but to try and trust him, despite his shady past.

Next week, Darcy asks for debrief with Susan and Terese about what happened with Vera and it’s seems he’s ready to spill the beans on Karl’s secret.

However, Darcy doesn’t drop Karl in it, and instead provides a cover story for his uncle. He suggests that the situation happened because Karl returned to work too soon after his accident.

Luckily for Karl, the excuse seems to go down well with Susan and Terese, and Karl is left feeling relieved that they will be off his back for a while.

Karl and Susan want to show their gratitude for their nephew’s support and get ready to link him up with some possible investors for his health centre project.

Meanwhile, Karl’s reputation has been hampered by the Vera situation and the Eirene residents start cancelling their appointments with Dr K.

Unsurprisingly, Moira (Robyn Arthur) has led the way with the cancellations and makes no secret of how much she has been charmed by the new doctor in town.

Karl can’t help but feel jealous that Darcy is growing in popularity at Eirini Rising, while the residents shut him out. With their fraught past after Darcy tried to steal Karl’s surgery in the early 2000s, is history about to repeat itself?

Elsewhere, Darcy is feeling positive about an upcoming pitch for a potential investor in his health centre. However, it doesn’t go to plan and he is left feeling rejected.

Karl and Susan try to be supportive and Darcy uses it as an opportunity to make the proposal that he could job-share with Karl until he’s fully recovered.

Karl is not impressed that Darcy is trying to muscle in on his job and this leads him to re-evaluate Darcy’s motives for offering to help him with his addiction.

Worried that he’s being tricked by his supposedly reformed uncle, Karl gets rid of the medication Darcy prescribed him, along with his remaining painkillers.

Has Karl made a dangerous move by going cold turkey and tackling his addiction alone?

Neighbours airs Monday–Thursday on Network 10 and 10 Peach in Australia, and on Prime Video in the UK.

---

Here are the Neighbours spoilers for next week:

Monday 31st March (Episode 9216 / 313)

Karl is shocked by a mishap with a patient.

Cara realises she still has some reconcilitation to do.

Tuesday 1st April (Episode 9217 / 314)

Will Karl’s secret be exposed?

Krista fights for forgiveness.

Leo’s hopes falter with fate altering news.

Wednesday 2nd April (Episode 9218 / 315)

A shocking twist means Leo can’t catch a break.

Karl’s reputation hits a blow.

Terese’s grievances start to build.

Thursday 3rd April (Episode 9219 / 316)

Paul ensnares Cara.

Karl’s faith in a neighbour is shaken.

Harold is stunned by a revelation.

---