Jarred 'Toadie' Rebecchi first appeared in Neighbours in 1995 as Billy Kennedy's best friend and hasn't left since. He gained respect in Erinsborough as one part of Tim Collins & Associates law firm and has tried his hand at marriage, fatherhood and the odd bit of wrestling. With Christmas on the horizon in Ramsay Street and a little canoodling going on under the mistletoe, could love finally be in the air for Toadie? We caught up with actor Ryan Moloney to find out about his love life, Harold's departure and being banned from backpacker nights.

Toadie and Kelly share a little kiss under the mistletoe. How is that relationship going to transpire?
"Well, Kelly would have been a good one to stick around, but basically it's a no-go and doesn't end up happening. Ultimately, with Callum there and him going through a hard time, Toadie has to put his own thoughts and feelings on the back burner and look after his brand new son. He's new to fatherhood and it's like baptism of fire."

Callum is turning into quite a bundle of cheeky fun. Do you think he is the new Toadie?
"Yeah, he is a bit of a mini-me, isn't he! Hopefully he can turn into Toadie and I'll turn into the new Harold. We'll follow those guidelines."

Do you think Toadie is more of a brother or a father to him?
"He's a mixture of both but probably more of a brother right now. He has no idea what he is doing with kids and constantly gets angry and shouts at him first. He then thinks about his actions and tries to think how he can get through to him better. With the lazy eye story, Callum thinks that he is going to look like a big geek and thinks he will get a whole heap of crap hanging on him. So he's not keen on Toadie cracking down, that's for sure!"

Do you think Toadie and Steph will ever get back together?
"Hopefully, I would like to see it happen. I would like to be the completely unconventional family which seems to be the norm these days. Not get married, but stay together and have kids from different partners and then one of their own. I think that'd be great. I guess if we both stay on the programme for long enough and our looks fade they'd have to pair us soon enough. Well, when I say that, it'd have to be Carla's looks fading, I don't think mine ever really came, so there's nothing to fade."

There are so many intertwined relationships in Neighbours. Have you ever tried to make a family tree?
"It would be far too incestuous for that. You'd be checking over your shoulders for your second head to be growing. Everybody's business is everybody else's in Ramsay Street. Can you really imagine living there?"

How do you think Toadie will react to Harold's departure?
"Well, Harold is a bit of his rock, his stable moral compass who can always be his sounding board. Oddly, when it's time for Harold to go, there's a big part of Toadie that is leaving as well. He's not too happy about it but time marches on."

Is it sad when established actors leave the show?
"It is very sad, yeah. After spending so many years with them they become a part of your life. They've been with you so long and experienced so much with you a whole range of things. When you don't see them every day, they're missed. Absolutely."

Who have you learned most from over the years?
"Probably Smithy (Ian Smith). He's a very funny bloke with a lot of skill. I've definitely learned a lot from him. Jackie Woodbourne [Susan] as well, she's just a freak. She's amazing good! She's everyone's mum."

You've been in the show since 1995, are you still enjoying it?
"Well it certainly beats working for a living! I think it's the best job in the world. I turn up and muck around and have a good time. I work with such good people and the crew are just phenomenal. They slog their guts out day in and day out to do the absolutely best they can to produce two-and-a-half hours of TV a week. It's just phenomenal."

So you're planning on sticking around?
"I really hope so. It's up to the producers. I was only supposed to be there for one scene, so I'm doing pretty well until now. Fifteen years on the show is quite an achievement in my eyes."

The Backpacker nights are always popular with Neighbours fans, do you still do them?
"No, no I don't actually. I attempted to start up my own which I thought was better value for the punters, but as it turns out it didn't work out."

There was a rumour you were banned because you used to snog all the girls, is that true?
"Well yeah, I've been with my wife for eight years, so that was a long time ago. When I was 18 that was an amazing opportunity!"

Neighbours airs weekdays on Five at 5.30pm. It is repeated on Fiver at 7pm.


Toadie on 'Neighbours' popularity

Digital Spy's David Balls recently caught up with Neighbours icon Ryan Moloney to chat about the forthcoming festive shenanigans in the Australian soap, as well as his being banished from the Backpacker nights! Click here to read more.

Below, however, are a few bonus excerpts form out time with Ryan. Here, he talks about why he thinks Neighbours has stood the test of time as well as his plans to come to the UK in September.

Why do you think Neighbours has stayed popular for so long?
"Probably because the storylines are quite easy. The problems that happen on Ramsay Street never seem to be too big. You can have a murder, but the end result is normally pretty good. There is a suspension of belief that life can be great and everybody can care and look out for each other. In the worst of circumstances things can't actually be that bad. The sun mostly shines too, which is definitely a big attribute to its success."

Have you ever been unhappy with a storyline?
"I think you tend to block out the bad experiences and remember the good. Like when Lou touched me or something like that. I try not to think about that at all. The good times you always remember, like when you get to kiss Jackie Woodbourne!"

Now that would be interesting! Do you think that could happen in the future?
"Oooh no! That would just be wrong. Ooh yuck, she's like a mother to him."

How do you enjoy doing the university club nights over here?
"It's absolutely awesome, big crowds and everybody is really happy and genuinely nice. And for all those eager to see me, I am hoping to be over for Freshers' Week this year!"