Toadie Rebecchi was voted as the soap’s favourite character recently – and his large family have been providing the street with drama for almost 30 years
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 colorful 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’
Toadie’s brother Kevin Rebecchi, played by Anthony Engelman, was the first Rebecchi to appear in the soap in 1994.
He stayed until 1996 and has returned briefly over the years, last appearing in 2018.
Born in 1974, the actor has also appeared in soap rival Home and Away and TV 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 organization 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.
West was engaged to Shopping for Love co-host Pete Lazer, before entering into a relationship with celebrity chef Shannon Bennet in 2005.
The couple have six children together; Phoenix, Hendrix, Xascha, Xanthe, and twins, Xalia and Margaux but separated in 2018.
West has been in a relationship with environmentalist Maximo Bottaro since 2020, after meeting him while volunteering 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 paralyzed.
Lesley Baker, who is also a singer, dancer, and comedian, portrays the character.
She was most recognized 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.
“The goal of an intimacy coordinator is to provide a professional structure that facilitates clear and open dialogue around sensitive subject,” she explained. 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 safe and supported in their roles.
Morey has also appeared in All Saints, Home and Away and various theatre productions.
Following her departure from Neighbours, Morey secured a role in the second season of Mystery Road, a thriller series.
Morey is married to Jonathan Dutton and they have two daughters.
Steph Rebecchi, nee Scully
From the time Steph, played by Carla Bonner, arrived on Ramsay Street in 1999, Toadie was smitten.
Steph realized 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 offenses 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 license 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.
These days she is promoting yoga and self-love inspirational content on her Instagram page where she posts videos of her singing and dancing and promoting “high vibes”.
Fans can also book personalised video messages from her on Memmo.
Shane Rebecchi
Shane Rebecchi, Toadie’s brother, was originally played by Greg O’Meara when he first appeared in 1994 and left the soap as he went to prison for committing a string of robberies.
The character was reintroduced 22 years later with his wife Dipi and daughters Yashvi and Kirsha as part of a big expansion of the Rebecchi family.
Coghlan’s departure from the show was announced in March 2021.
He has since gone on to star in Nowhere Boys (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 her husband, Ankur Dogra, a business advisor.
The couple married in a stunning five-day ceremony around their hometown of Adelaide in 2018.
In 2022, her Instagram page shows her working with FoxTel to introduce new TV shows and detailing her glamorous life.
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
Yashvi Rebecchi was played by Olivia Junkeer.
Junkeer also played the role in the 2019 spin-off series Erinsborough High and is also known for her role as Mia in Australian TV comedy Why Are You Like This?, which was picked up by Netflix.
She almost 50k followers on Instagram and posts about her travels, days out with friends and selfies.
Jay Rebecchi joined his family late as he had been away for years studying. His first visit came as his family was in turmoil over the revelation of Dipi’s affair with Pierce Greyson.
Jay was played by Dhruv Malge on the Channel 5 soap.
Dhruv has also starred in The Final Foray (2018) and Utopia (2014).
