NEIGHBOURS legend Ryan Moloney is getting closer to his last ever episode in the Australian soap after a whopping 30 years.
But the decision to end his stint as beloved character Toadie Rebecchi after three decades and thousands of episodes wasn’t one that he made, he has now revealed.
Fans were left devastated when the 44-year-old announced his exit from the show at the end of June.
In an emotional video message to fans, he said: “Hi there, it’s Ryan Moloney, formerly Jared Toadfish Rebecca from Neighbours.
“That’s right. I did say formerly because after 30 years of playing Toadie, I will be leaving Ramsey Street. Now, I can’t tell you what is going to happen to the character, whether or not we are going to see him again or not.
“You know, maybe I could be the next Jim Robinson or maybe I’ll be the next Harold Bishop and just keep popping back over the years.”
Ryan first joined Neighbours back in 1995 and was originally meant to appear in just one episode but became a recurring cast member.
He was one of the first stars invited back to Neighbours following its axe by Channel 5 in 2022 after being revived by Amazon.
Now in a new interview with Back To The Bay, Ryan admitted that it wasn’t his decision to leave the show – but he’s also pleased about that, because he was so content he might never have explored other career options.
“Well, it actually wasn’t my choice. It was their choice,” says Ryan of his production bosses, adding that he had wanted to leave the soap “for quite a long time”, but never had the heart to quit.
He continued: “I’m quite grateful that they actually made the decision for me because I don’t think that I could ever say no to a contract.”
Exactly how Ryan will depart the show is still under wraps, but the actor did reveal that he has filmed the last scenes, which will be shown later this month.
He teased: “I’ve always kind of said that if Toadie was going to get killed off, I’d like him to stop a bomb threat in Ramsay Street by jumping on the bomb and saving the lives of everyone, but him just getting blown to pieces.”
Fans won’t know for a few weeks whether Toadie gets the dramatic send-off Ryan imagines, but he is due to play a major part in the show’s ominously-titled Death in the Outback week, which begins on Monday, August 19.
Neighbours followers will be treated to an intense storyline featuring Holly Hoyland (Lucinda Armstrong Hall) and her new beau Heath Royce (Ethan Panizza), who take a deadly trip to the Outback – with Holly unaware of the dangers that lurk nearby from both the landscape and him.
In another twist, Toadie disappears from Ramsay Street with his ex-wife Melanie (Lucinda Cowden), causing fear among the residents, including his current wife Terese (Rebekah Elmaloglou).
Just how Toadie will exit the soap is yet to be seen, but fans can surely expect something dramatic enough to equal his staggering 30 years on Ramsay Street.
And it’s not all bad news, as the star revealed he will be stepping behind the camera to help direct episodes of Neighbours as part of his new career post-Toadie.
Neighbours: Death in the Outback week airs from Monday, August 19. New episodes air Monday to Thursday on Amazon Freevee
