Soap star Ryan Moloney opens up on being written out of Neighbours after 29 years
Soap star Ryan Moloney has opened up about being written out of Neighbours after three decades on the show.
The 44-year-old actor has played Ramsay Street resident Toadie Rebecchi on the Australian soap since 1995 and stunned fans in June when he announced he was leaving.
“It was not that I decided now was the time, I had that decision made for me,” he told the Standard.
Far from being bitter about being axed after so long on the show, he says he is actually “grateful”.
He explained: “Neighbours is one of those jobs that… it’s a really good job but I kind of want to do something else. I’m actually really grateful that they made that decision for me because I don’t know that I would ever say no to a contract.”
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His exit storyline is set to be a good one too and will take place during Neighbours’ Death in the Outback week, which drops on streamer Amazon Freevee August 19 – 22.
His character along with Melanie (Lucinda Cowden) and Holly Hoyland (Lucinda Armstrong Hall) will find themselves in a major predicament in the harsh and unforgiving Australian bush leading to the true colours of another character, Heath Royce (Ethan Panizza) being exposed.
Show bosses are staying tight-lipped on whether Toadie will be killed off, however have stated Moloney will “remain in the Neighbours family” as he transitions to a behind-the-scenes role as a director.
Neighbours TV Series
Reflecting on his impressive tenure, Moloney said: “I think in terms of the last 30 years, I’m really glad that this story has come along because in Neighbours the characters tend to have rather large things happen to them and then they just kind of move on and forget about them, whereas in this case it’s very much that his past has actually come back and haunted him and he can’t actually move on from his past and it just messes with him, you know, severely and he just loses control – loses control of his mind.
“I think we got the opportunity to kind of play with mental health issues and take him into a realm that we don’t actually explore and hopefully I’ve done it justice and kind of go places where I’ve never been before and hopefully it all comes to fruition and people actually enjoy it.”
Neighbours releases new episodes from Mondays to Thursdays for free on Amazon Freevee in the UK and US. In Australia, the show airs from Mondays to Thursdays at 4pm on Channel 10, with a 6.30pm repeat screening on 10 Peach Comedy.
His exit storyline is set to be a good one too and will take place during Neighbours’ Death in the Outback week, which drops on streamer Amazon Freevee August 19 – 22.
His character along with Melanie (Lucinda Cowden) and Holly Hoyland (Lucinda Armstrong Hall) will find themselves in a major predicament in the harsh and unforgiving Australian bush leading to the true colours of another character, Heath Royce (Ethan Panizza) being exposed.
Show bosses are staying tight-lipped on whether Toadie will be killed off, however have stated Moloney will “remain in the Neighbours family” as he transitions to a behind-the-scenes role as a director.
Neighbours TV Series
Reflecting on his impressive tenure, Moloney said: “I think in terms of the last 30 years, I’m really glad that this story has come along because in Neighbours the characters tend to have rather large things happen to them and then they just kind of move on and forget about them, whereas in this case it’s very much that his past has actually come back and haunted him and he can’t actually move on from his past and it just messes with him, you know, severely and he just loses control – loses control of his mind.
But what does this mean for Toadie’s character? The producers are remaining coy, neither confirming nor denying whether Toadie will be written off in a blaze of glory, succumb to a tragic fate, or simply fade into the background as he embarks on a new chapter of his life. This silence is only adding fuel to the fire, as fans speculate wildly about what’s to come. Could Toadie’s story arc culminate in a shocking death, or will he simply move away from Ramsay Street, allowing Moloney to focus on his new role?
One thing is certain: the decision to keep Moloney within the “Neighbours” fold, albeit in a different capacity, is a masterstroke by the show’s producers. It ensures that Moloney’s influence will still be felt, even if Toadie’s days on screen are numbered. For viewers, this transition offers a bittersweet comfort—the man behind one of television’s most enduring characters isn’t disappearing entirely; he’s just shifting gears.
As fans eagerly await the next chapter in Toadie’s story, the anticipation is palpable. The combination of potential heartbreak and behind-the-scenes intrigue makes this one of the most talked-about moments in “Neighbours” history. Will Toadie survive? Or will Ryan Moloney’s directorial debut signal the end of an era? One thing is for sure: whatever happens next, it will be unforgettable.
