Libby Kennedy (Kym Valentine)

Neighbours star Kym Valentine has spoken out about her recent battle with a life-threatening illness.

The actress, who plays Libby Kennedy, admitted that she "hit rock bottom" earlier this year after breaking up from husband Fabio Tolli and suffering from pneumonia and a collapsed lung.

Valentine, who is a mother-of-one, revealed in an interview with Women's Day that she feared she might die during a stint in hospital in July.

"My focus right now is me and being as strong, healthy and happy as I can possibly be," said the soap star. "Maybe you have to hit rock bottom before you can climb back up. And I certainly hit rock bottom this past year!"

Speaking about her first bout of illness, which occurred during a flight home from New York, she said: "I don't remember at all what happened. I don't know how the staff saw that I was in danger. I just woke up with them standing around me and I was trying to push this mask off my face.

"Once home, I unpacked my bags, put a load of washing on and went into the bathroom - and got a dreadful shock when I looked in the mirror and suddenly saw I was yellow."

She continued: "I was rushed to the [hospital] observation room. I had dye being injected into me and plugs and tubes hooked up to just about every part of my body.

"They were worried about the swelling around my ankles and legs and explained that because I had been on a long flight and they'd discovered I had pneumonia, they were now concerned the swelling could indicate a blood clot. They were going to operate if that was the case, as there would have been a high risk of it travelling to a major organ, which could kill me."

Valentine's weight fell to 48kg during the ordeal and her daughter Millana was sent to her grandmas. McLeod's Daughter actress Michala Banas temporarily replaced Valentine on the Australian soap to allow her time to recover.

She commented: "I thought I'd let everyone down. But it was the best thing that could have happened. After a month off, I'm now pacing myself in a completely different way."

Kym Valentine has revealed that she hasn't watched her 'replacement' on Neighbours.

The actress admitted that she doesn't want to see scenes of Michala Banas playing Libby as it would be too weird.

Banas took over the role of Libby Kennedy temporarily after Valentine was forced to pull out due to a collapsed lung and pneumonia.

"I actually haven't seen any of it," the actress told The Courier Mail.

"Not because of Michala, God bless her, but because the best way I can describe it is that it would be like me watching my boyfriend make out with another woman.

"I've been Libby and Libby's been me for 14 years on and off. We've grown up together."

Spoiler:

The actress returns to the soap in a dramatic storyline that sees her swept away in a rafting accident.

"I think it was so clever how they came up with that," she added.

"Michala goes under the water and I pop out. It's great. It's classic soap."

Valentine first joined Ramsay Street in 1994 and returned to the soap in 2007.

i think i can undrstand kim valentines way of thinking about watching someone else play libby.

Poor Kym, seems like shes had a rough time of it

i love the way she comes back, roll on next week, fab :)

it does sound so great doesnt it

Since joining Neighbours in 1994, 31-year-old actress Kym Valentine quickly became a worldwide soap icon for her portrayal of Libby Kennedy. After a three-year break in 2004, she returned to Erinsborough with her screen son Ben (Blake O'Leary) for what was initially intended as a brief reprisal. However, in August last year, she was forced to take a month's break from filming when her lung collapsed from pneumonia, resulting in her close friend Michala Banas taking the reins. Here, DS chats to Kym about her recent illness, Ian Smith's departure and a potential Kennedy reunion.

You recently went off our screens due to illness. Are you now fully recovered?
"Yeah, 100%. I had pneumonia and my right lung collapsed. I had no idea I was so sick! I had a sore back and that was what turned out to be - my lung had collapsed but having danced for such a long time I thought I'd pulled a muscle and I would be okay. I just didn't get it."

Has it given you a new outlook on life?
"Definitely, yeah. Little things happen like I can't increase my life insurance now. Things like that happen and you go 'Jeez! I've got a daughter I have to make sure I'm 100% - for her'.”

What was your daughter's reaction to it all?
"She came to the hospital and it was a bit upsetting for her so I did my best to explain to her what was going on. She thinks my lung broke! When I left to come here she said 'I hope your other lung doesn't break!' Kids compartmentalise it and in her head my lung broke."

What was it like watching Michala Banas play Libby during that time?
"I haven't seen a minute."

Do you want to?
"No. I love Michala but I just couldn't watch it. It'd be very upsetting. I'm so glad it was her, though. Could you imagine if it was someone I didn't like who had to do it? When they first told me, I was so devastated that I didn't talk to anyone. For two days I locked myself in the house and cried hysterically. It's only now in hindsight that I think 'What was I thinking? How did I even think I could keep going?' It was so ridiculous and the producers and the doctors did the best thing for me. I was like a naughty schoolkid and I was told 'No, you're not coming back to work for five weeks!'. They really looked after me. I couldn't see it at the time, though. I couldn't see how sick I was but luckily they could and they did the best thing for me and grounded me! I was under house arrest! I couldn't leave the house, it was hilarious!"

Ian Smith has recently finished filming with Neighbours. How big a loss will he be to the show?
"It's very strange. It's a bit surreal to not have him out there, and Tom Oliver who plays Lou is doing time on/time off, so it is quite weird losing the presence of both of them. It's odd."

Could fans ever hope to see a Kennedy reunion with Mal and Billy?
"I hope so! Well, Mal will come back any time - Benji [McNair]'s just in Melbourne doing theatre so he's readily available. Jesse [Spencer]'s in the US but he was here for Christmas and I spoke to him about it and I asked him if he'd come back and he said 'Of course I would - we're the Kennedys!'"

What's stopping them?
"Well, with Jesse I don't know if his agent wants him to! But Jesse has said to me face-to-face that if he has the time off he would do it because we're family - we'll always be family! We made a pact early on that we would never turn into those people who leave the show and then think they're too good for it. That's bulls**t and people who do that are idiots. I hate it when I see that. Be grateful, you learn so much from it and it's such a great opportunity and we've always been like that. If the opportunity comes and we're all available then yeah, we will. I'll have to talk to him - I'm his big sister so I could make him do it!"

It's good to see that you're back to full strength.
"Yes, I'm better - it's scary though. Every now and then if I feel a bit sick, I panic and I go into lockdown and don't leave the house! I rest for two days and have vitamin C. I'm scared of getting sick again. Hopefully that will never happen again."

Second part of interview:


If you had to make a choice between Dan and Drew which would you chose?
"Dan - Drew's dead! He fell off the horse and he died! I do honestly think that Dan is more her match. That's a terrible thing to say... I shouldn't say that! I just think Dan and Libby are very similar like with their careers - they've got a lot more in common, they're both teachers and they're both very articulate and educated. I think maybe Libby and Dan can entertain each other a little bit more, in many different ways, than Libby and Drew could."

What can we expect from Libby’s recent move into the ‘House of Trouser’/No.30?
"Oh! The House of Trouser! I love it when I get to show Libby's sense of humour and her quirky side. That really comes out with me and Ryan [Moloney]. In real life, we have a very similar sense of humour and we make each other laugh so hard. Most of the time, the rest of the room will be scratching their heads thinking 'What's so funny?!'"

It’s fair to say Libby and Dan’s relationship hasn't run smoothly. What does the future hold for them?
"There's so much coming up - you're going to die! It's crazy! Because we found out that Sam's baby wasn't Dan's and when Libby sees how upset Dan is about it all, she desperately wants him to have his own child. So for the next few months, we've got this long-term storyline based around Libby wanting to have a baby with Dan which we all know is incredibly risky because she could die if she has another baby.

"Also, there's some stuff I can't even talk about that I've only just found out about. There's big stuff coming - big stuff. You'll have to wait and see it in context, though. You have to see the whole journey because when you hear little bits and pieces you think 'What?!” It's very exciting though!"

If you weren’t an actress, what would you have been?
"I can't say that! We have a joke but I can't say it!"

Go on...
"We just have this ongoing joke that if I wasn't doing Neighbours I'd be a stripper! I'm always in boots. I love my boots and heels and I dance so... It's just a silly joke we say all the time! Either that or I'd probably be singing."

Any chance of a link-up with Alan Fletcher in the near future?
"I do actually gig at the same place that Daddy [Alan Fletcher] does but I come on earlier and I'll do an acoustic set with just me and one guitarist. It's all very cruisy, a bit folky and low key. Then Daddy will come out later on with his huge band. He's a real rock star! He's so good and he's so entertaining. People go nuts for it. Maybe next time Daddy tours I'll come with him. I could just be like the opening act and I'll get up and do an acoustic set."

Maybe you could get them in for a guest spot?
"I wish! That would be awesome! Also, I can't say her name... Mariska Hargitay - the lady from Law & Order: SVU. I think she's amazing!

Have you had any iconic guest appearance recently?
"We had André Rieu the violinist - people went bananas for him. Every now and then we get a guest on the show."

You had a wrestler didn't you...
"Yeah, Batista. And Shane Warne the cricketer. We get a few people. We had the Pet Shop Boys on, too. Oh, and Coldplay were going to but they didn't have time! Chris Martin loves Neighbours! He invited us to the show and we got to go and see the concert and meet them afterwards!”

Who have you learned most from during your time on Neighbours?
"Well, of course I've learned so much about acting. It's like an apprenticeship as opposed to learning at school. It's been a real hands-on experience and every day I get to experiment and try different things. That's probably been the greatest gift - trying new things in such a safe environment."

"Then having Jackie [Woodburne] and Alan [Fletcher] as parents and as role models in life as well. They've had a huge impact on who I've turned out to be. I'm so lucky. They're wonderful! We say to each other all the time 'How lucky are we that we've got each other?' because we could have ended up with who knows what!"

How long can you see yourself staying with Neighbours?
"I don't know. As long as they keep writing such interesting stuff. I've never gotten bored. I keep thinking 'What are they going to do next, surely they've run out of things for Libby', but they keep coming up with interesting material and it's a challenge to me to always make it different. I love my job. My mum always said that if you can make a living doing what you love, you're one of the luckiest people in the world. And that's what I get to do. I don't have much to complain about!"

Thanks for posting that Perdita. Great interview. Kym sounds really nice!

Thanks your information, that's great.
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