“She has a lot of traits from Izzy” – Holly and Melanie discuss Neighbours’ huge week

With Neighbours: Death in the Outback Week kicking off on Monday, the actors behind Holly, Melanie and Toadie tell us more about the dramatic episodes, and what’s in store in the aftermath.

The result of a complicated one-night-stand between former partners Karl (Alan Fletcher) and Izzy (Natalie Bassingthwaite), Holly Hoyland (Lucinda Armstrong Hall) was born in London in 2007, just as Karl and Susan (Jackie Woodburne) were getting remarried in the UK capital.

While Karl regularly popped to London to visit his daughter, she wasn’t seen on screen again until 2013, when Izzy put her on a plane to Erinsborough to stay with her dad for a few weeks.

Lucinda Armstrong Hall stepped into the character’s shoes at that point, and has made a number of short appearances since.

Holly finally became a full-time character when Neighbours returned in 2023. Now living with the Kennedys at No. 28, she’s put her medicine degree to one side and is working at Lassiters, giving her plenty of time to get up to mischief.

In recent weeks, she’s fallen for charming new arrival Heath Royce (Ethan Panizza) and the two head off on a trip together next week, with Holly oblivious to the dangers posed by the dodgy newcomer.

Mackenzie (Georgie Stone) has already revealed that ‘Heath Silverstone’ was involved in insurance fraud and is in Erinsborough under a new identity. Heath explained that he was simply an unwitting accomplice in a dodgy deal, but it’s clear that there’s more to it.

Heath and Tess (Anica Calida) are currently attempting to embezzle funds from Sincast Corp as they sell off a number of the company’s investments across Australia, but Heath is growing frustrated by Tess’s controlling nature, and he’s about to go rogue.

Holly hasn’t had much luck in love since she moved back to Australia. She fell for the dangerous and unhinged Eden Shaw (Costa D’Angelo), before later finding herself in a relationship with Haz (Shiv Palekar), who was in love with Mackenzie, and was later unveiled as an experienced IT hacker whose former business had ruined lives.

When Holly discovered that Heath was sleeping with Tess, she was angry at her new lover’s two-timing ways, but was quickly placated when Heath offered her an expensive gift. Channelling her inner Izzy, Holly decided that she was okay with sharing Heath as long as he made it worth her while.

“I think in the case of Heath, she knows he’s a player. She knows, she’s aware,” Lucinda Armstrong Hall explains when asked why keeps falling for the wrong men.

“She knows what’s going on. But she decides that it’s just going to be a bit of fun anyway. And, yeah, unfortunately, she keeps finding herself in these bad situations with these bad boys.

“She loves a bad boy. What can I say?”

With Holly channelling her mother by accepting expensive gifts from Heath to excuse his infidelity, are we about to see the transformation of Holly into a more Izzy-esque character? Lucinda is keeping her cards close to her chest, but she’d relish the opportunity to explore Holly’s bad side.

“I can’t say what’s going to happen because I don’t know,” Lucinda explains. “However, she definitely has a lot of traits from Izzy that she’s picked up from growing up with her. And I think it’s definitely a guilty pleasure that comes out.

“And I think it would be really fun to explore those sides of Holly because they’re so impulsive and fun. And they get her into so much trouble.”

Ryan Moloney, who has taken a behind-the-scenes role since filming his final scenes as Toadie, would love to see Holly go “full Izzy”:

“I think it’d be wonderful, wouldn’t it, to see Holly trying to be good and then just reach this level of almost acceptance and resignation of, you know what? This is me,” he quips. “And then just go fully Izzy.”

Lucinda agrees that Holly is in a never-ending battle to resist Izzy’s genes and stay good.

“I think that’s what she struggles with, the push and pull of the Karl and the Izzy in her,” she tells us. “It’s like she wants to be good so bad, but she’s so impulsive and she always has this forward impetus from Izzy.

“And she always has to go and get more and do more. So it’s fun to play with.”

Since Neighbours’ return in September last year, Holly has had more than her fair share of near-death experiences. She narrowly escaped Eden’s clutches, nearly drowned in the No. 32 pool, was kidnapped by dodgy doctor Gavin Bowman (Cameron MacDonald), and now finds herself in danger at the hands of Heath.

Do the producers have it in for Lucinda Armstrong Hall, or is it a testament to her abilities? Either way, Lucinda is relishing the opportunity to put her acting skills to the test:

“Yep, I’ve been kidnapped a lot. I don’t know, I hope that they’re doing it out of love. I do wonder if somebody in script has it out for me,” she laughs.

“I don’t think so. No, but I love doing the stunts so much. So they’re definitely doing me a favour by giving me all that stuff. It’s so fun to shoot, and I’ve definitely discovered through this job, my love for stunts. So that’s fun.”

Ryan took the opportunity to give a peak behind the curtain, revealing that the writers are aware of the turmoil Holly has faced, and are careful not to overdo it.

“It’s actually mentioned in script meetings the amount of crap that Holly’s gone through, and that we need to be careful and aware of just the stuff that [she’s] doing,” he reveals.

When asked about Holly’s regular brushes with death, Lucinda Cowden, who plays Melanie, reminds us that Holly manages to put Mel’s life at risk every time.

“Yeah, sorry. Sorry, Mel,” laughs Lucinda Armstrong Hall.

When Toadie (Ryan Moloney) learns that Heath has threatened Mackenzie, he and Melanie head to Heath’s luxury mansion to put the sleazy American in his place. Finding it empty, they sneak in and begin snooping around Heath’s office, where they discover proof of his and Tess’s embezzlement plans.

Unfortunately for them, they’re discovered by Tess’s henchman Jason (Richard Sutherland), who ties the pair up and transports them to a remote location in the outback, where they’re left fighting for survival.

Melanie, Holly, Mackenzie and Toadie all face the possibility of death during the big Death in the Outback Week, which kicks off on Monday.

However, if Melanie survives, Lucinda Cowden reveals that she wants to finally settle down into life in Erinsborough.

The previously bubbly character has faced a turbulent couple of years after believing she’d killed Krista (Majella Davis) after a tussle on the roof of Lassiters. She went into hiding, abandoning Toadie and the kids and leaving them heartbroken.

When she returned and the truth was revealed, she moved back onto Ramsay Street, and it wasn’t long before a night of passion with her ex-husband nearly ended his marriage to Terese (Rebekah Elmaloglou).

“I think I could count on my hands, the amount of times that Mel has laughed since the reboot,” Lucinda Cowden tells us.

“There’s been so many difficult, horrible, sad, pathetic sort of things for her to grapple with. So I want her to find her happy side again, which is her true self. But I think she’s just been bashed around so much for the last year.”

“So, yeah, I think she needs to be independent again and stop feeling like she’s a burden on other people and having to be looked after and all that sort of stuff.”

Paul (Stefan Dennis) recently offered Melanie a unit in Lassiters’ luxurious Eclipse Apartments, finally allowing her to move off Ramsay Street and put some space between her, Toadie and Terese.

“So I think with finding her independence again, I think she’ll find her happiness again, hopefully. But of course, who knows?”

The week in the outback is fraught with danger, but also shows off the beauty of the vast Australian bush.

“It was a wonderful opportunity to explore these places and show them and be involved in such a large scenario, going out into the outback with Neighbours,” says Ryan.

“We’d never done something like that, you know, so large before. So to be part of that was awesome.”

Ryan’s final scenes as Toadie are just around the corner, but it’s currently unclear whether Toadie will return to Erinsborough after his experience in the outback.

“The Toad that went into the desert does not return,” Ryan teases. “And that obviously has, you know, life-altering repercussions for him and for his family and for everyone around him.”

Neighbours: Death in the Outback Week begins Monday 19th August.

New episodes of Neighbours air Monday–Thursday on Network 10 and 10 Peach in Australia, and on Amazon Freevee in the UK.

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Here are the Neighbours spoilers for the next two weeks:

Monday 19th August (Episode 9096 / 193)

Toadie stumbles into danger.

Terese’s trust is pushed to the limit.

Mackenzie tries to protect a reckless Holly.

Tuesday 20th August (Episode 9097 / 194)

Danger lurks for Holly.

The hunt for missing loved ones begins.

A shocking discovery leads to Ramsay Street fearing the worstWednesday 21st August (Episode 9098 / 195)

Mackenzie and Haz embark on a high-stakes adventure.

Holly plays a dangerous game of cat and mouse.

Ramsay Street fears for their loved ones.

Thursday 22nd August (Episode 9099 /196)

A perilous ordeal changes lives forever.

Paul is handed an opportunity to play God.

One person meets a terrifying fate.

Monday 26th August (Episode 9100 / 197)

A Ramsay Street resident’s life hangs in the balance.

Paul’s haunted by his conscience.

A huge decision causes seismic shock.

Tuesday 27th August (Episode 9101 / 198)

A family is imploded by devastating news.

Nicolette scrambles in the wake of her errors.

A resident takes a critical turn.

Wednesday 28th August (Episode 9102 / 199)

A resident fights for their life.

JJ plans a surprise.

Wendy makes a big confession.

Thursday 29th August (Episode 9103 / 200)

Wendy’s admission leaves her on uncertain ground.

A resident’s concern sends them down the wrong path.

Cara’s forced out of her comfort zone.

JJ and Nell take the next step.

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