Neighbours legend Lucinda Cowden talks soap spin-off hopes – and her new project with Toadie star Ryan Moloney

It just wouldn't be right saying goodbye to Neighbours without hearing Melanie Pearson's iconic chuckle one last time. Fortunately, actress Lucinda Cowden is making her way back to Ramsay Street tomorrow for the soap's finale.

There's been a Mel-shaped hole in Erinsborough ever since the character decided to start a new life with Vic Stone (Craig Hall) in Gippsland last year and, although we did see her during the 40th anniversary celebrations in March, there's always room for her in Erinsborough.

With the cameras primed to shoot the last scenes in July, Cowden began to fear that she hadn't made the shortlist of familiar faces jetting in to view the new Ramsay Hills and Robinson Towers developments.

"I have to admit, I may have sent a little email to [executive producer] Jason Herbison saying: 'Put me in it or I shall hurt your... something'", she joked to RadioTimes.com.

"Maybe not quite so threatening, maybe a little pleading. I was thinking that surely they must want Mel back.

"I tried to sort of give it a humorous tinge, rather than try to sound quite so desperate. He emailed me back, saying: 'Give me a day, I just need to work it out as I've got so many things in my head.' I got a call from my agent on the Monday."

The news of the show's cancellation first hit Lucinda at the conclusion of a nationwide UK tour celebrating Neighbours' birthday earlier this year, a moment she says "floored" her.

"The tour had been such an incredible success, we received so much love from the fans and they just filled up our cup. The day after it finished, I was still in Manchester and the cast that were still in the show had left really early that morning to get on a plane," she explains.

"I got a number of text messages and was totally floored. This show is still so incredibly loved, and yet here they are tossing it in the bin again."

But where do we find Melanie upon her comeback?

"It seems all is well in the world of Gippsland pubs and for Mel and Vic, apparently. That's a good thing, because I think it's nice for people to know that Mel's happy and loved, because she had such a terrible time, didn't she?

"From the reboot to when she left, it was a rollercoaster that was mainly downhill."

She even reckons there's room for a Melanie-centred spin-off, and honestly, we're totally here for it.

"Wouldn't that be great to have a little Gippsland spin off with maybe some sort of Byron, Nicolette and Jane Harris action? That would be a nice catch-up.

"That's what I'm really hoping might happen with the show – they do little vignettes on what's happened to different families, where they are and what they're doing now. I think there's a market for that."

Cowden continues: "It was an absolute joy to be involved in that very important episode. But I don't think it's ever going to come back in the same way again. If it does, I think it will only be in little, short bursts.

"That has a sadness for our industry here in Melbourne, and that we lose this incredible training facility. The arts are absolutely and utterly under attack at this moment in time. AI is a really frightening option for all of us creatives."

In fact, the threat of artificial intelligence has been the inspiration for a new project that has been crafted with one of the soap's most beloved names.

"It's an old idea called Soapboxed that I had that I spoke to Neighbours script editor Megan Herbert about. We've collaborated together, and we're going be doing a premiere of it at the Flinders Fringe Festival in February in February," she reveals.

"I have managed to secure the talents of one of my very favourite actors. His name is Ryan Moloney. Never heard of him? He's a young man with a lot of potential. He actually did a marvellous audition for me for about four years.

"It's a play about television and soap and of course there will be cheeky references to Mel and Toadie. We would love to maybe give it a tour around the UK one day, because you don't get any more human than theatre."

But, for now, fans have one last slice of Aussie action before the infamous theme tune kicks in, and for Lucinda, it was a "strange feeling" leaving the Neighbours production base in Nunawading, Victoria, for the final time.

"The first time I drove into that building, I was probably 22, and when I drove out, I was 59. Things happened in between, for sure, but that's pretty much 37 years of driving in and out of the studio.

"I spent a long time trying not to be 'Melanie from Neighbours'. I think the important thing that it taught me is that it's enough to be Melanie from Neighbours, and that's a privilege to have been involved with such an incredible show for such a long time."

Read more:

• Neighbours legends tease that beloved soap would be a "completely new show" should it be revived following finale
• Neighbours boss was unable to secure legendary character for affair story
• Neighbours producer teases "optimistic" finale and reflects on soap's legacy after 40 years
• Neighbours finale week: Tragedy strikes as a further 9 old faces return to say goodbye to Ramsay Street
• Neighbours spoilers reveal finale story as 9 old characters return to Ramsay Street
• Neighbours star reveals whether they think axed soap can be saved again

The Neighbours finale streams from 7:30am tomorrow on Prime Video.

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