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Reference > Erinsborough News > Why I'm Leaving Neighbours

Bernard Curry reveals that he’ll be saying goodbye to Ramsay Street for the last time

Luke Handley may have just settled back down in Ramsay Street but there’s bad news on the horizon for fans of Bernard Curry, who plays him. Bernard, 22, has decided to quit the show and the next time he waves goodbye to Ramsay Street, there will be no coming back.

“I’ve decided to leave the show and it’s for good this time,” he reveals. “I’m moving on because I just think I’d like to challenge myself further. I’ve got some big storylines coming up, but then I’ll be leaving Neighbours to try other things. Ideally I’d like to get into feature films.”

But don’t panic just yet! Bernard isn’t leaving the show until October, so he’ll be seen on British screens until the middle of next year. Meanwhile, he and the rest of the Neighbours cast are getting used to the changes being made by the show’s new executive producer. “One of the producers from Home and Away has come to work on Neighbours and is giving the show a shake-up. Apparently, the changes are going to be quite dramatic and the storylines will change significantly. I’ve seen quite a few changes already,” adds Bernard. “I think it’s a good idea – everything needs a reassessment now and again. It they rely on the same formula for too long things can become stale and Neighbours has got a little like that in a sense. But I’m confident the changes will work for the show.”

For now though Luke has had all the drama he can handle and is currently getting his life back on track. After his dream trip to Japan turned into a nightmare when he split up with his fiancée, Ren, Luke returned to Ramsay Street with his heart broken.

But things are looking up now that Luke has landed a job with a timeshare company. And it seems that a fruity fling’s on the cards as well, as Bernard reveals: “Luke has got over his depression and since getting the job selling timeshares, he hasn’t looked back, especially when he gets romantically involved with his lady boss!”

Luke’s boss is Nadia St Clair and when she spots the new company cutie she soon marks Luke down for some amorous overtime. But forget hearts and flowers, this relationship is more about power! “Luke plunges headlong into the relationship and it is possibly a reaction to his break-up with Ren,” explains Bernard. “But that wasn’t the sole reason. He saw it as an opportunity to advance up the ranks in the company. And she’s using him too, so in a way it’s a sort of mutual abuse! But he doesn’t mind; it’s just a bit of fun.”

This article originally appeared in Inside Soap magazine dated August 1996 and was written by Helen Childs

Article submitted by Steve