For nearly 40 years, the British public has loved Neighbours, thanks in no small part to the iconic families that live on the street.
Ramsay Street has seen its fair share of family strife over the years, from the Kennedys to the Robinsons.
One family, though, has won the hearts of fans, with one member named the most beloved Neighbours character of all time.
Toadie Rebecchi was an instant sensation with the audience thanks to his hilarious wrestling antics and flamboyant clothes, but he wasn’t the first Rebecchi to come on the serial.
Stonefish, his brother, had come on the street a year before, followed by his mother, father, and brothers.
Fans of the popular Australian serial have been devastated by the news that it would be cancelled by Channel 5 this summer.
The series was described as “iconic” by a Channel 5 representative, who added that the network was focusing on growing investment in original UK drama.
The show’s production firm, Fremantle, provided audiences a ray of hope by announcing that they are looking for a new broadcaster to work with, but filming would be put on hold indefinitely.
Here’s what happened to the actors and actresses who played the Rebecchi family after they left the street, ahead of the show’s conclusion.
Kevin ‘Big Kev’ Rebecchi – aka Stonefish
Kevin, played by Don Bridges, is the patriarch of the Rebecchi family and the father of Shane, Kevin Jr., and Jarrod (Toadie).
From 1995 till 2008, the trucker made occasional appearances on the show, then reappeared in 2018.
He was born in Melbourne in 1950 and has acted in numerous television shows, plays, and films during his career, but is best known for the films Judy & Punch and Troll Bridge.
He is continuing acting and is now filming two new films: Heart of Fury, about Lord George Byron’s final days, and Residence, about a group of people trying to escape a mad lunatic while seeking sanctuary in a zombie-infested apocalyptic terrain.
Jarrod Vincenzo Rebecchi – aka Toadie
Jarrod, or Toadie as he is affectionately called, is the Rebecchi family’s longest-serving member, and was recently voted the most beloved Neighbours character of all time.
Ryan Moloney has played the teen class clown turned lawyer with a flair for colourful clothing since 1995, but he originally auditioned for the role of Brett Stark on the soap. He wasn’t cast in that part, although he did later appear as Cyborg, a one-off character, before getting the role of Toadie.
Aside from his job on Neighbours, Moloney came in third place on Channel 5’s Celebrity Big Brother in 2013. He also participated in a 2012 episode of Celebrity Wedding Planner with his former Neighbours co-star Mark Little, and you may have seen him in British pantomimes.
Moloney married Alison Hayward in 2013, and the couple has two children: a 13-year-old son named Jack and a 15-year-old daughter named Erin Grace.
Moloney is a supporter of the Down Syndrome Association of Victoria and a volunteer with the Forgotten Children Rescue Foundation.
Moloney shed 17kg in 13 weeks after becoming a spokesperson for the weight-loss firm Lite and Easy in 2010.
In 2011, he began training to become a pilot, with the goal of flying commercial jets in the future.
Moloney and his wife Alison put their opulent Mornington Peninsula property on the market this year, with a price range of $7.5 million to $8 million.
According to realestate.com.au, the property boasts a swimming pool, gym, half-sized basketball court, barn, riding arena, and stables on 10.7 acres.
Kevin Jr Rebecchi – aka ‘Stonefish’
Kevin Rebecchi, Toadie’s brother, was the first Rebecchi to debut on the serial in 1994, and he was played by Anthony Engelman.
He stayed until 1996, and he’s returned a several times since then, most recently in 2018.
The actor, who was born in 1974, has previously acted in the serial opera Home and Away and the television series Killing Time.
Dione Rebecchi, nee Bliss – aka Dee
Dee Bliss, the first of Toadie’s three wives, was killed on their wedding day when Toadie mistakenly drove their car off a cliff and into the sea.
Before Dee made her surprise return in 2019, actress Madeleine West continued to appear on the show as Andrea Somers, a woman who was impersonating Dee in order to earn money from the Bliss family estate.
West was hit by a bus in Sydney when she was 21 years old. She was also robbed while unconscious and had to be written off the show because she required reconstructive plastic surgery.
West has appeared in some of Australia’s most popular television productions, including Playing For Keeps, Underbelly, and Satisfaction, and currently hosts her own podcasts, including Meanagers, in which she discusses the challenges of parenting a teenager with psychologist Angela Murray.
She’s also the creator of Help Home Heal, an organisation that helps persons seeking asylum settle down and give back to areas affected by bushfires by planting new trees, and she’s the author of the parenting book Six Under Eight.
Prior to his 2005 relationship with celebrity chef Shannon Bennet, West was engaged to Shopping for Love co-host Pete Lazer.
Phoenix, Hendrix, Xascha, Xanthe, and twins Xalia and Margaux are the couple’s six children, however they divorced in 2018.
Since 2020, West has been dating environmentalist Maximo Bottaro, whom he met while assisting at his organisation ReForest Now.
Angie Rebecchi
Angie, the family’s larger-than-life mother, has made infrequent appearances since her debut in 1995, notably in 2015 to nurse her youngest son Todie after an accident left him paralysed.
Lesley Baker, who is also a singer, dancer, and comedian, portrays the character.
She was most recognised for her early performances on Graham Kennedy’s In Melbourne Tonight, after which she went on to star in other Crawford Productions shows.
She is most remembered for her appearances as Monica Ferguson, a monstrous spouse basher in early episodes of Prisoner, a show to which she subsequently returned to play “Tinker” Bell Peters.
She expressed her desire to return to Neighbours in a 2003 interview with the Perfect Blend, but stated it would be “very tough” because she had to care for her disabled son, Ben.
Sonya Rebecchi, nee Mitchell
Sonya Rebecchi, played by Eve Morey, first appeared in 2009 as a dog trainer, but returned the following year as a regular cast member after developing feelings for Toadie.
Her most shocking revelations included the fact that she was once addicted to alcohol, drugs, and gambling, as well as the fact that she was the biological mother of her alleged younger sister, Jade Mitchell.
Before Sonya’s terrible death from cancer in 2019, the character received two Logie Award nominations and three Inside Soap Award nominations for Best Daytime Star.
Morey stayed behind-the-scenes at Neighbours as an intimacy coordinator when the show ended.
She described the responsibilities of the position: “As a result, an intimacy coordinator’s job is to establish a professional framework that encourages open and honest discussion about intimate topics. We accomplish this by coordinating with several departments to ensure that everyone is on the same page. The ultimate goal is to assist the director’s vision while also ensuring that the performers are secure and supported in their roles.”
Morey has also acted in All Saints, Home and Away, and a number of stage performances.
Morey landed a role in the second season of Mystery Road, a thriller series, after leaving Neighbours.
Jonathan Dutton is Morey’s husband, and the couple has two daughters.
Steph Rebecchi, nee Scully
From the time Steph, played by Carla Bonner, arrived on Ramsay Street in 1999, Toadie was smitten.
Steph realised she loved Toadie when he was shot in the back during a siege, but it was never the perfect moment for them to marry, even if they did get married as part of an elaborate conspiracy to cover up Steph’s pregnancy after an affair with her best friend’s husband.
In 2002, Bonner appeared on Celebrity Big Brother Australia as a guest.
She was charged with driving offences and fined $1,000 after being involved in a car accident in 2007. Bonner had backed into another vehicle and was driving on a suspended licence at the time of the accident.
Following her departure from Neighbours, she published Hook, Line, and Sink, a guidebook for men to better understand women’s psychology. She later collaborated with Gary O’Toole, a writer and producer, to create a 12-part television series based on the book.
Bonner and her spouse, French musician Julien Piazzon, live in Northcote, Melbourne. Harley and Jhye, her two boys, joined the cast of Neighbours in 2013 as Josh Willis.
She now promotes yoga and self-love inspiring content on her Instagram feed, where she publishes videos of herself singing and dancing while spreading “good vibes.”
Memmo allows fans to arrange bespoke video messages from her.
Shane Rebecchi
Toadie’s brother, Shane Rebecchi, was played by Greg O’Meara when he initially arrived on the serial in 1994 and left when he went to prison for a spate of thefts.
As part of a major extension of the Rebecchi family, the character was resurrected 22 years later with his wife Dipi and daughters Yashvi and Kirsha.
In March 2021, Coghlan confirmed his retirement from the show.
He went on to star in the film Nowhere Boys after that (2013).
Dipi Rebecchi
Sharon Johal portrays Dipi Rebecchi, the new proprietor of Harold’s diner.
Johal originally auditioned for the role of Mishti Sharma, Dipi’s younger sister, but the filmmakers cast her in the role of Dipi. Because Dipi was older than Johal, the show’s stylists had to outfit her in loose caftans and change her gorgeous hairstyle to make her appear older.
Johal said that she was subjected to racial comments from her coworkers and that she was singled out when she sought help.
She used to work as a lawyer while auditioning for film roles, including one in Bollywood.
Johal is married to Ankur Dogra, who works as a business counsellor.
In 2018, the pair married in a beautiful five-day ceremony in their hometown of Adelaide.
Her Instagram page in 2022 depicts her collaborating with FoxTel to bring new TV programmes and outlining her lavish existence.
Kirsha Rebecchi
Vani Dhir portrayed Kirsha Rebecchi, Dipi and Shane’s youngest daughter.
She got the part after auditioning through her stage school, Young Australian Broadway Chorus, and filmed her scenes in just a few hours to keep up with her studies.
She maintains her personal life private, while often posting stunning selfies to her 5,500+ Instagram followers.
Yashvi Rebecchi
Olivia Junkeer portrayed Yashvi Rebecchi.
Junkeer is well renowned for her part as Mia in the Australian TV comedy Why Are You Like This?, which was picked up by Netflix. She also portrayed the role in the 2019 spin-off series Erinsborough High.
She has around 50,000 Instagram followers and posts about her travels, outings with pals, and selfies.
Jay Rebecchi
Jay Rebecchi returned to his family late after years away studying. His initial visit coincided with his family’s struggle over Dipi’s affair with Pierce Greyson.
Dhruv Malge portrayed Jay in the Channel 5 soap.
Dhruv has also appeared in the films The Final Foray (2018) and Utopia (both 2018). (2014).
