Neighbours has confirmed the return of more fan favorites from the past in it’s 40th anniversary year.
Last year it was confirmed that recently departed characters Toadie Rebecchi and Melanie Pearson would be back on the street to help celebrate the show’s milestone birthday.
With Toadie’s daughter Nell moving back to Erinsborough to live with former stepmother Terese, it is unsurprising that Toadie would be passing by to say hi. When Ryan Moloney, who had played Toadie since 1995, announced his character’s shock departure last year, he noted that he still had a few weeks left on his contract and so it would be likely we would see Toadie popping back from time to time.
Of course, we didn’t have to wait to long when he came back for a couple of weeks last month to help Nell celebrate her 16th birthday and break the news of his father’s terminal cancer diagnosis.
Whilst Toadie may have left Erinsborough, Ryan is still very much around, joining the production crew and his first episode as director aired in November.
Another familiar face to be back on our screens in 2025 is Anne Charleston, who is known for playing Madge Bishop on the show. Although Madge died in 2001, she has made two previous returns to the show.
In 2015 as part of the show’s 30th anniversary celebrations, her husband, Harold, was hospitalised and began smelling Madge’s distinctive perfume. She later appeared to him, either as a ghost or a figment of his imagination, at his hospital bedside, encouraging him to make the most of his life and telling him that she would be beside him for as long as she needed.
Fans caught a glimpse of Madge in the show’s 2022 finale as Susan Kennedy reminisced on friends and Neighbours that had been lost. Madge was seen sitting at a picnic table with Doug Willis whilst recently departed Hendrix Greyson danced sown the street and chemical terrorist Finn Kelly looked on.
It is not yet known exactly what form Anne Charleston’s return will take, but she will be on screen as part of Harold’s departure from the show follow actor Ian Smith’s real-life terminal cancer diagnosis.
This week Neighbours confirmed the return of two familiar faces from a different era of the show, the first being former school teacher, Tess Bell. Tess, played by Krista Vendy, was on the show from 1999-2001 and moved in with the Kennedys to escape her violent and abusive husband.
Eventually moving in to No.32 (which is now the share house where Byron, Nicolette and Sadie live) she formed friendships with Libby Kennedy, Steph Scully and Toadie Rebecchi. She was best friends with Dee Bliss and viewers were shocked when it was revealed that Tess was having an affair with Darcy Tyler, Dee’s boyfriend.
Tess made a very brief return to Erinsborough in 2023 as part of the school riot storyline, but this return promises to be much meatier, with Neighbours’ former Script Producer Shane Isheev posted to social media “If only you knew WHY Tess was back”.
And that brings us to our next returnee, hot on the heels of Tess strutting down Ramsay Street, Dr Darcy Tyler is also heading back. The nephew of Susan Kennedy, Darcy arrived in 2000 after being posted to Erinsborough Hospital.
Darcy became Erinsborough Hospital’s bad boy and left the show in 2003 after amassing huge gambling debts. Desperate to cover up his situation, he burgled the pub and also staged a break in at the Kennedy house where he had stolen Susan’s jewellery. When this was all exposed, Darcy was sent to prison.
The character returned for a short stint between 2004 and 2005, first as a cellmate of Lou Carpenter after he was imprisoned for being involved in a horse betting scam. He later returned to Erinsborough on day release from prison and was allowed to work as an orderly at the hospital but ends up getting involved with Izzy Hoyland and eventually blackmailed her.
So, it makes sense that Tess and Darcy’s return are connected, right? We will have to wait and see. We are sure that many more familiar faces from the 4-decade long history of the show will be popping up as Ramsay Street prepares to celebrate.