Yahoo News Neighbours star Lucy Durack on Rose Walker's "devious" future
Neighbours spoilers follow for UK viewers.
Neighbours has reintroduced popular guest character Rose Walker for a return stint, but fans may not be cheering her on for long.
Rose has arrived back in Erinsborough on a mission to win over Toadie Rebecchi (Ryan Moloney), who's currently in a relationship with Melanie Pearson.
Over the coming days, the Aussie soap will explore a more ruthless side to Rose as she plays some sly games to steal Toadie away from Melanie (Lucinda Cowden). But who will have the last laugh?
Digital Spy recently caught up with Lucy Durack, who plays Rose, to hear more about what's in store.
How did you feel when you got the call to come back to Neighbours?
"I was so excited. They actually asked me a little while before and it didn't look like it was going to work with my schedule at the time. I thought: 'No, surely we can make this work!' Fortunately things moved around a little bit, so I was thrilled.
"It was so nice to go back. Everybody had been so incredibly nice and welcoming first time around. Now to go back and not be the newbie was lovely and great fun.
"It was a delight to work back with Ryan Moloney (Toadie) again. He's such a welcoming person. He's been on the show for such a long time but he's always got the time for you, and he has tips that he's very generous in sharing. It was great to see him.
"I really enjoyed meeting Lucinda Cowden (Melanie). She is just a delight and we got on really well."
At the end of the first stint, were there any hints that you were coming back?
"No, it was a real surprise to me. But when I did return and said that I couldn't believe I was back, they told me: 'Really? Nobody ever leaves Neighbours! What did you think was going to happen?'
"Unless you're killed off but even then it can happen! I'm very good friends with Rob Mills, who came back as Finn Kelly even after his character had been killed.
"When I left first time around, Rose was going off to try again with her husband James, which did leave it a bit open. James was played by a very good friend of mine as well, Bert La Bonté. I was hoping he would come back, even just for a scene or two, but he didn't this time around."
What can you tell us about the shift in Rose's character this time around?
"Now that Rose is back, I think she's doing things with the goodness of her heart, but she gets a little bit more devious than I would have chosen for her.
"Last time, she came in and appeared a bit devious, but then actually was doing things for the right reasons. I think it's a little bit flipped this time. She comes in and appears to be doing things for the right reasons, but actually she isn't. Rose is really just trying to win Toadie.
"If Melanie wasn't in the picture, Rose wouldn't be nasty or try anything underhanded like this, but she wants to win Toadie and Melanie is in her way. She ends up doing some fairly underhanded things, that I felt a bit guilty about at times.
"Lucinda and I would finish our scenes and then say: 'I'm so sorry I said that to you!' But it was really fun."
Has Rose decided that Toadie was 'the one'?
"I think so. Toadie is such a good guy and she has been married to James, who wasn't very honest. Toadie is so honest in comparison and Rose thinks this is what she needs.
"But Rose herself isn't that honest and probably doesn't deserve somebody as honest as Toadie, unless she cleans up her act a bit."
How far would Rose go to win Toadie?
"Well, you'll see that she does some sneaky things. This week, there are some great fun scenes that we shot over two or three nights, focusing on the launch of the Erinsborough film festival.
"Everyone is dressed in costume and Rose hears that Melanie is going to go as Elle Woods, because Legally Blonde is Toadie's favourite movie. Rose goes and buys the best Elle Woods costume, so there's nothing left for Melanie. So she does mean things like that.
"But some of the things Rose does to win Toadie are fun. She and Toadie have a history of pranks, so they do some really fun ones."
We see that go wrong at the festival launch, don't we?
"Yes, and Melanie is hurt because of it! Rose isn't intentionally trying to hurt Melanie. She's just trying to win Toadie, but things go awry in more ways than one. Melanie gets injured at the party because of the pranks that are going on.
"Lucinda did all of her own stunts for that. She was amazing and a real trouper – a really good sport, falling into a big table of food!"
Are you expecting fans to divide into Team Rose and Team Melanie?
"I think at the start, perhaps. But the more devious Rose becomes, the more I was on Team Melanie by the end of it! Good relationships aren't based on being dishonest, but Rose is being dishonest here.
"Even though Melanie flies off the handle, she's got a good heart and she and Toadie are well-suited. So because of the way Rose has behaved this time around, I think that Melanie deserves to win Toadie.
"I do think that Rose and Toadie are good together, but Rose just goes a bit too far."
Would you be interested in a more permanent stay on Neighbours, or do you prefer the variety in your career at the moment?
"I do like the variety of getting to do a bit of Neighbours and other things. I'm about to do a film and then a play. If I can have a year where I get to do a bit of TV, a bit of film, and a bit of theatre, that's a good year for me.
"At the same time, of course everybody is so nice on Neighbours. So either would be good!"
You mentioned being friends with Rob Mills – would you have liked Rose to cross paths with Finn Kelly?
"I would have! Millsy and I were in the Legally Blonde musical together here in Australia. He played Warner and I played Elle Woods. We also did Wicked together, where I played Glinda and he played Fiyero. So we're good mates and we catch up quite a lot. That would have been fun.
"My friend Christie Whelan Browne also played Scarlett on Neighbours. We didn't have any crossover at all, and because of COVID, we were on separate sets. We'd only see each other in the car park, so we'd be waving at each other out of the window! That would have been fun too.
"Rob and Christie's characters were both pretty crazy, so it would have been fun to interact with either of them. But I enjoyed working with everybody I worked with."
Neighbours airs weekdays at 1.45pm and 5.30pm on Channel 5 (UK) and Mondays to Thursdays at 6.30pm on 10 Peach (Australia).
Read more Neighbours spoilers on our dedicated homepage
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