TVT Vault: Ryan Moloney on why he stays with Neighbours

This week actor Ryan Moloney announced he was departing Ramsay Street after three decades on air, to move behind the camera as a director.

15 years ago, when the show screened in a 6:30pm slot, TV Tonight asked him what kept him on the soap.

While some of the best was yet to come, he was cautious of the risks of quitting his Toadie character.

Streetwise in Erinsborough published September 18, 2009

As his fifteenth anniversary on Neighbours approaches next month, Ryan Moloney couldn’t be more content.

It’s a job he hopes to be doing for many more years to come, as he explained to TV Tonight.

“It’s a fantastic job. I turn up to work and I muck around. The people here are a fantastic team to work with. Nowhere else is going to pay me to do jokes, because apparently I’m not that funny…” he says dryly.

Having endured as Jarrod ‘Toadfish’ Rebecchi on a soap where characters are written out or leave of their own accord, it no simple feat. Moloney has been on Ramsay Street long enough to have seen numerous names roll off the credit list: Anne Haddy, Jesse Spencer, Anne Charleston, Daniel McPherson, Ian Smith, Madeleine West, Holly Valance, Stephanie McIntosh and many more. He’s watched on as others including Stefan Dennis, Kym Valentine and Janet Andrewartha have returned. And he’s heard the wisdom from many ex-cast members.

“I’ve listened to countless others who have all moved on and said ‘Geez I wish I was back there.’ I take their advice and think ‘Ok cool,” he says.

“There’s not a lot of work in Australia unless you’re in a ‘stable.’ Channel Nine has a stable of actors who they will put into other shows, but Channel TEN is not like that. That’s just the nature of the beast really.

“Sure if you want to go off and do theatre there’s plenty around. But in terms of television there’s not a lot.”

As part of the Neighbours cast, he works 47 weeks a year, producing 2.5 hours of television a week, with a role that is utilised in 4 episodes a week. Newcomers are usually relegated to 2 eps.

“I’ve been here long enough to negotiate that!

“I think Ray Meagher’s on five so I’ve got a long way to go,” he laughs, referring to Home and Away‘s record-breaking actor in the role of Alf Stewart.

“Basically I see my role on Neighbours to be the light throughout the shade. So 4 episodes can be easily filled just sticking my aura into other people’s shade.”