Toadie leaving Neighbours is the end of an era — but here's why it's the right time

Neighbours legend Ryan Moloney has been on our screens as iconic Toadie Rebecchi for the last 30 years. But today, Thursday, June 27, it has been announced that he is leaving the Australian soap.

After joining the show in 1995 as unruly teenage Toadie, Ryan has left his mark on Ramsay Street like only a handful have done before him. Fans have loved seeing his character grow into a respectable lawyer and family man and he will be leaving the soap with some huge storylines under his belt.

But, while any Neighbours fan will be sad to see such an iconic character leave the show, there is good news for viewers because Ryan isn't going far. In a statement he announced that he is staying with the show as a director, meaning he will just be behind the camera instead of in front of it.

Ryan said: "After 30 years of playing Toadie, I will be leaving Ramsay Street. I can’t tell you what is happening to the character – maybe I could be the next Jim Robinson. Or maybe I’ll be the next Harold Bishop and keep popping back over the years.

"And although I won’t be bringing you our fantastic storylines from in front of the camera, I will be bringing them to you from the other side, behind the camera. I’ve just started director training and have just finished filming my first episode as director – so I really hope that you enjoy that."

While Ramsay Street won't be the same without Toadie, it seems fitting that Ryan has decided to leave now.

Ryan played a huge role in bringing the soap back to our screens after Channel 5 dropped it from their schedules, only for Amazon Freevee to swoop in and save the day. At last, Neighbours is back on our screens where it belongs and is going from strength to strength, and that is thanks to the cast for sticking around and returning with the show.

But, after 30 years in the same role, it makes sense that Ryan would like to try something new - and if he has to leave, how brilliant that he is staying at Neighbours to flex his director muscles.

Neighbours is famous for bringing back long-departed characters, dead or alive, and so there is hope we will be seeing Toadie in Erinsborough again one day.

As Ryan said in his statement, maybe he will be the next Jim Robinson or Harold Bishop, both of which have been killed off and come back. Okay - Jim's return was just a figment of his son's imagination in a Christmas bauble, but he came back briefly nonetheless! And Harold has become famous for popping back to Ramsay Street over the years - decades after he was presumed dead after being washed out to sea.

While we don't know how Toadie will bow out of the show, I have a feeling this isn't going to be the last we'll see of him. And if you can't wait for Toadie to pop back to Ramsay Street in the future, Ryan is going on tour in the UK later this year where he will talk about everything from Toadie’s numerous marriages to wrestling, living in the house of trouser and nude runs.

Thanks for the last three decades, Ryan, we will miss you!

Neighbours airs on Amazon Freevee. For tickets to Toad on the Road you can sign-up for tour ticketing information via the following link: https://www.mapletreeentertainment.com/#vip