This article references storylines in the September 18th and 19th 2023 episodes of the show as well as potential spoiler information from a cast member.
Neighbours returned this week, shocking fans with the wedding of Toadie Rebecchi and Terese Willis. The wedding was the big tease in the run up to the show restarting with the identity of the Bride and Groom only revealed at the last moment. This left fans questioning “Where is Melanie?”.
In the show’s 2022 finale we saw Toadie marry Melanie in a lavish celebration at Lassiters Lake, but something happened in the two years we were away from the street meaning that both Toadie and Terese’s marriage broke down.
In the show’s first episode back, fans were confused by a scene showing Toadie and Melanie in no.30 Ramsay Street wrapping gifts for a wedding between Paul and Terese. Jumping onto social media, fans came up with a wide variety of possible explanations for the scene, some even suspecting that Melanie was a ghost. In Tuesday’s episode a little more of what happened during the show’s break and Toadie revealed that this scene was a flashback, him remembering this happening just before Melanie walked out and moved away from Erinsborough. We then learnt that on that wedding day, Paul jilted Terese, leaving her at the altar.
But what of Mel? In Tuesday’s episode the iconic opening titles returned showing Toadie, Nell and Hugo with Terese but no sight of Melanie. Was Melanie’s hyped return to the show another bait and switch by the writers? Seemingly not.
Melanie’s actor, Lucinda Cowden replied to many fan posts made this week on Twitter/X.
DailyParkerBoy wrote: “I will not be happy if Neighbours have made Melanie a ghost. I’m expecting Lucinda Cowden to be a full time cast member” to which Lucinda replied “Don’t panic… she returns” followed by the love heart emoji. In other posts she reassured fans that a lot will be explained and Melanie will eventually return to Ramsay Street.
“All will be revealed… but thanks for the sympathy. A lot happens in a soap in two years” she wrote to another fan.
Tuesday’s episode began the heavy task of revealing to viewers everything that happened while we were away, but as we can already tell, there are plenty of secrets still to be spilled.
In the UK, USA and Canada, new episodes of Neighbours are available to watch on Amazon Freevee and Amazon Prime Video from 7am Monday – Thursdays. In Australia, episodes debut on Channel 10 followed by a repeat on 10Peach later the same day and then stream on Amazon a week later. TVNZ 2 will be the go-to for viewers in New Zealand, broadcasting 1 day behind Australia and RTE are showing episodes in Ireland. Check out our handy guide on how and where to watch the new episodes of Neighbours.
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