Farewell to Neighbours: “One of the best jobs in the world”

TV Tonight today begins a special Farewell to Neighbours Week
with feature stories published every day up to the historic 37 year Finale.
We begin with actor Ryan Moloney.

Ryan Moloney first appeared in Neighbours in 1994 when he was just 15 years old before returning a year later as Jarrod “Toadfish” Rebecchi for one scene.

The role became a recurring mulleted character proving so popular he was a regular character by 1996.

All of his adult life Moloney has played a character who became a household name, churning through a congaline of loves, laughs and soapie scenes.

But he also matured into a seasoned television performer, often given some of the show’s more dramatic scenes.

He also watched on as many of his colleagues departed Ramsay Street and 10’s Nunawading studios for brighter lights. Some would become international stars including Margot Robbie, Jesse Spencer, Eliza Taylor and more.

But others deeply regretted their decision to exit which, as Moloney tells TV Tonight, was reason enough for him to stay.

“They always leave, and then they go, ‘Oh, man, I wish I could come back.’ That’s probably one thing that kept me around,” he reveals.

“I always thought, ‘If this was one of your mates who had this job and they said they wanted to leave, what would you be telling them?’ Why? What are you doing? Just stay! It’s one of the best jobs in the world?”

For a long time ‘Toadfish’ was the comic relief, denied the romances that were afforded to juvenile leads. But he would make up for lost time with actors Katrina Milosevic, Carla Bonner, Madeleine West, Eve Morey, and Lucinda Cowden.

Toadie and Dee’s wedding day tragedy remains one of the soaps most memorable send-offs (eventually leading to a comeback for Madeleine West in dual roles) while the death of Sonya (Eve Morey) led to an entire two-hander episode.

When not practicing Law or being a young dad, Jarrod was also part of the ‘House of Trouser’ hijinks with housemates Joel Samuels (Daniel MacPherson) and Lance Wilkinson (Andrew Bibby), befriending Billy Kennedy (Jesse Spencer) and guiding cousin Tad (Jonathon Dutton).

“All the time we were just trying to put comedy in whenever we could,” he recalls.

“When I was first on in the ‘House of Trouser’, we would just get away with absolute murder. That kind of culture continued, especially with Alan Fletcher, right up until the last day. I’m constantly going ‘Hey, Alan, why don’t you do this or that?’ Egging him on to do the stupidest stuff I could possibly find!” he laughs.

In the Erinsborough neighbourhood, soapie problems could also be (eventually) solved through social interaction and a sharing of wisdom with those across the street or at Harold’s Coffee Shop.

“All the problems were easily solved over a cup of tea. Obviously, as the television landscape changed it needed to be more outlandish, sieges and bank robberies all that kind of stuff.”

Although he has remained on air across 26 years, with nominations at the Logie Awards and Rose D’or Awards, Moloney reveals he recently contemplating departing the show.

“It was time to kind of move on to the next stage, spend a bit more time with family and kids. They’re coming up to that precious, important time of being teenagers. I kind of want to be around them for that.”

But he remains one of its longest-running performers, with a wedding for Jarrod a crucial part of the Neighbours final week -ironic given he started out as the ‘joker who never gets the girl.’

Of the show’s lasting legacy, Moloney is a staunch believer it lays in the employment and skills imparted amongst the 200 staff working on the show.

“It’s definitely the training ground. It takes that talent and teaches them how to use it.”

Neighbours Finale Week:
Monday July 25 6:30pm – 8pm 10 Peach
Tuesday July 26 6:30pm – 8pm 10 Peach
Wednesday July 27 6:30pm – 8pm 10 Peach
Thursday July 28 7.30pm – 9pm on 10 and 10 Peach

Attention British fans: TV Tonight will be filing a finale story following the Australian broadcast.