Neighbours has confirmed the exit of Aaron Brennan (Matt Wilson) after 10 years.
The character, who first arrived in June 2015, will depart our screens on 1st September.
Metro understands that Matt signed on the dotted line to appear throughout Amazon Prime Video’s original slate of commissioned episodes, though he couldn’t commit to the lifeline dealt to producers Fremantle Media, which will see the show extended to December.
Very sadly, the Australian soap will not continue beyond this point, being axed for the third time in 40 years.
Aaron, the brother of established character Mark Brennan (Scott McGregor), was specially created for Matt, who originally auditioned for the part of their other brother Tyler, who would eventually be portrayed by Travis Burns.
Aaron’s Neighbours highlights
During his time on Ramsay Street, the character has been at the centre of several huge storylines, most notably being part of the first gay couple to marry on Australian television in 2018.
In more recent years, he’s been stalked by a former colleague, dealt with the loss of husband David Tanaka (Takaya Honda), and, having finally decided to start dating again, been at the centre of a love triangle.
First, there was real estate agent Rhett Norman (Liam Maguire), who caught Aaron’s eye when they were training for the charity Boylesque performance at The Waterhole.
After crossing paths on multiple occasions and a number of enjoyable dates, Rhett moved on with a new fella.
Enter Colton Keys (Jakob Ambrose), a mysterious newbie who was holidaying in Hamilton Island at the same resort as Aaron.
The two immediately hit it off, but Aaron decided to lead a double life by using a pseudonym and choosing not to disclose his past.
After the two slept together, Colton picked up a wallet off the floor and found a picture of the Brennan-Tanaka clan.
He was furious, and ordered Aaron to keep his distance for the rest of the trip. However, the idea of something more serious was clearly playing on his mind and he moved to Erinsborough to take up a temporary manager’s position at the Eirini Rising retirement complex.
This was conveniently at the same time that a newly single Rhett resurfaced, and he found himself torn between the two men.
Rhett then dealt a troubling ultimatum. He had decided that the time had come for Aaron to choose, and hoped that his commitment would lie with him.
And it did! The two have been an item since, and look set to depart together.
How will Aaron Brennan leave Neighbours?
Images from the episodes leading up to their exit show the couple cosying up together, clearly looking worried or concerned.
Could this be that Nicolette Stone (Hannah Monson) – who is the mother of Aaron’s daughter Isla – is putting a stop to their plans?
Later, we see her having a heart-to-heart with mum Jane Harris (Annie Jones), and another snap shows Nic comforting Aaron.
He’s also seen arguing with Andrew Rodwell (Lloyd Will) and Holly Hoyland (Lucinda Armstrong-Hall), who kick off a huge affair this week when they kiss by the rotunda. Does Aaron discover the infidelity?
Finally, pretty much everyone in Erinsborough can be seen gathering to throw them a farewell party, with the street decked out in paper hot air balloon lanterns.
There are also children’s games chalked onto the road and tables with popcorn and sweet dispensers on them.
Before getting into his car with Rhett, Aaron hugs father-in-law Paul Robinson (Stefan Dennis), before also embracing Nic, Jane, and Isla.
It’s going to be a tearful farewell!
What has Matt Wilson said about his exit?
Matt hasn’t directly addressed his exit online, though fans have speculated about him leaving for quite some time.
He and his wife Jessica have moved interstate, renovating a house together in Noosa, which is on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.
We do know that he will be reprising his part, alongside Liam Maguire and love rival Jakob Ambrose for the final episodes.
‘This show has not only given me friends and family that I’ll cherish forever, it’s been a real beacon of hope for me,’ he told Metro, when the show wrapped filming in July.
‘Seeing so many extremely talented creatives work in unison so seamlessly, has made me believe that with the perfect blend of people – anything is possible in this industry.’
Are there any other Neighbours cast changes?
This week, Xavier Molyneux ended his time as Byron Stone and is set to appear in a new Viking based drama, Bloodaxe, which coincidentally will stream on Prime Video.
The day after Aaron and Rhett leave, Paul’s estranged daughter, Elle, now played by actress Elise Jansen, will arrive. She will be part of the regular cast for the last three months.
‘Growing up, it was my favourite show,’ Elise told the Sydney Morning Herald.
‘And to think that now I’ve been able to be on it is quite extraordinary.’
Originally portrayed by Pippa Black, the character was last seen in a Zoom call with her father in 2022, following her initial four-year stint from 2005.
A familiar face strolling into the Lassiters Complex at the end of August is Sam Kratz, portrayed by former Emmerdale star Richard Grieve.
Sam was a fixture between 1994 and 1996, making a brief return for the 20th anniversary celebrations in 2005. He will come back to try and rekindle his marriage to Annalise Hartman (Kimberley Davies).
Neighbours streams for free, Monday to Thursday from 7am on Amazon Prime Video.