Neighbours boss was unable to secure legendary character for affair story

by

The executive producer of ‘Neighbours‘, Jason Herbison, has shared that there was one iconic character he really wanted to involve in the storyline between Holly Hoyland and Andrew Rodwell, but he wasn’t able to make it happen.

Viewers of the Australian soap opera have been shocked for months as Holly began a relationship with the father of her best friend and neighbor, Sadie (played by Emerald Chan).

They even talked about moving away from Erinsborough and beginning a fresh start on the Mornington Peninsula, near his family. However, Andrew’s guilt over his affair with Wendy (Candice Leask) ultimately stopped him.

More and more people were starting to find out about the danger posed by criminal Greg Murphy (Gary Sweet). Meanwhile, Taye Obasi (Lakota Johnson) discovered Holly’s missing earring at a bar downtown – the same bar where Holly had been meeting with Andrew.

He chose to confess everything to Wendy on the day they renewed their vows. However, the situation became even more complicated when he found out Holly was expecting his child.

Want to see this content?

We can’t display this content because of a security measure called reCAPTCHA. To see it, please sign out of your Contentpass account.

Today on the show, Holly collapsed after a frantic chase after the ambulance holding kidnapped JJ Varga-Murphy (Riley Bryant). Wendy found her shortly after.

Unfortunately, at the hospital, it was confirmed that she had miscarried.

Despite their past disagreements, Wendy and Sadie came together to support her. Meanwhile, Karl Kennedy (Alan Fletcher), Holly and Andrew’s father, stayed with her at the hospital. However, her mother, Izzy Hoyland (Natalie Bassingthwaighte), was noticeably missing.

“There was a great Izzy return planned but the story arc still played without it.”

Let me tell you, Lucinda absolutely nailed the reboot! She brought Holly back to life, and what I loved most was that she didn’t shy away from Holly’s flaws – she felt so real. It was fascinating watching her, clearly influenced by her mother Izzy, really struggle to become a better person, even when her old habits kept pulling her back. It made for a compelling character, honestly.

The storyline involving Andrew was planned months in advance. We gradually worked to undermine Holly’s confidence, preparing her emotionally for what was to come.

I was really excited for this story to come out – it was planned for the show’s 40th anniversary, but things happen and we had a bit of a delay. Thankfully, it finally aired! And honestly, Holly is just a fantastic soap opera character. She always seems to be at the center of drama, and Lucinda absolutely nailed the role, giving her so much depth and making her feel incredibly real.

Between 2003 and 2007, actress Basingthwaighte played the character Izzy for four years. Notably, her character gave birth to a daughter, Holly, on the same day Karl married Susan (played by Jackie Woodburne) in London.

Izzy and Karl had a complicated beginning. Karl unknowingly slept with Izzy after she drugged him, believing it was his ex-girlfriend, Susan. It was a very messy situation!

Izzy returned for brief stints in 2018 and 2022.

When asked if he had concerns about the storyline involving Holly’s affair, Herbison explained he wasn’t any more worried than he would be with any other potentially divisive plot. He believes soap operas shouldn’t always aim to please everyone, and that taking creative risks is necessary.

Stories come alive when characters have weaknesses and face challenges. Conflict, surprises, and dramatic moments are essential to keep readers engaged. Without them, a story can easily feel dull and predictable, and rightfully receive criticism.

“There are times when you want viewers to scream at the TV but of course keep watching.”

After 40 years on television, the last ever episode of Neighbours will be available to stream on Amazon Prime Video this Thursday.

Read More

2025-12-09 16:04