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Reference > Erinsborough News > It’s Goodbye From Eliza

“It was all a bit much. I had a lump in my throat and thought I was going to cry. But for once, I didn’t…” So says Eliza Szonert on her last day on Neighbours. After two years playing Danni Stark on the Network Ten soap, Eliza, 22, is leaving Ramsay Street.

“I’m sad I’m going,” Eliza says. “But it’s time to move on. It’s the end of a chapter and I’m looking forward to the start of a new one.” It was also the last day for Brett Blewitt, who recently returned to the soap, playing Danni’s brother, Brett. “It’s really weird because it feels like only yesterday that Brett and I were doing our first scene.”

“But it’s great that we could do this together. We came in at the same time and we’re leaving together.”

Danni is leaving to go to Malaysia to work for a fashion company, while Brett is continuing his around-the-world sailing adventure. In real life, Eliza is off to Thailand for a holiday. “And then, who knows? I get nervous when I think about what I’m going to do, but I’ve just got to get there.”

“I love acting, and I’m looking forward to auditioning for different roles and doing classes again.” Eliza did her final scene in one take. “I just felt really strange,” she says. “It’s my first job, so it was just overwhelming.”

Danni’s departure is a tearjerker, with her leaving her boyfriend, Luke (Bernard Curry) behind. The cast and crew presented Eliza with a bunch of flowers and a crystal. “I think they asked Kym Valentine (Libby) what I would like. And it was perfect. I screamed!”

Eliza made a shaky farewell speech. “I was tongue-tied. It was all a bit much,” she says. “I love everyone on the cast and crew heaps. I’ve grown so much over the past few years.” Eliza will be seen on air until mid-November.

This article originally appeared in TV Week magazine dated 21st September 1996 and was written by Jeff Jenkins

Article submitted by Steve