Neighbours Lloyd Will and Lucinda Armstrong Hall discuss their characters’ growing feelings

As Neighbours ramps up its new Andrew and Holly storyline, with the pair set to cross a line this week, Lloyd Will and Lucinda Armstrong Hall talk to us about what’s in store.

Neighbours has recently begun an intriguing new storyline for Holly Hoyland and Andrew Rodwell, as the pair begin to grow inappropriately close.

The past few weeks have seen the unusual pair spend more time together as they bonded over the search for Andrew’s biological family, and this week sees the first hints of a romantic connection between them.

It was Wendy (Candice Leask) who originally tracked down Andrew’s sister, Gretchen (Amelia Bishop), despite Andrew insisting that he had no desire to find his biological family.

When Wendy and Gretchen met, Gretchen lied to her, claiming that Andrew’s dad, Steven (Mick Preston), was a bad man and not worth knowing.

As a result, Wendy planned to keep hidden the fact that she’d tracked Andrew’s family down.

However, when Andrew answered Wendy’s phone and found himself speaking to the Sandy Point Historical Society, he realised what his wife had done. Despite her good intentions, Wendy’s secrecy widened the already cavernous rift between them.

Holly had her suspicions about Gretchen’s claims that Steven wasn’t worth knowing. Despite Sadie (Emerald Chan) warning her to stay out of it, she reached out to Steven herself, posing as a journalist, and confirming that he was perfectly lovely.

Soon after, Holly and Andrew headed to Sandy Point to meet Gretchen and Steven for the first time, spending a joyous few hours bonding with them on Steven’s boat.

On the way back to Erinsborough, Holly encouraged Andrew to take a detour, and the pair stopped off for a drink at a bar in the city.

While nothing happened between them, Andrew decided to keep their late-night drink a secret from Wendy, not wanting to rock the boat in his already unstable marriage.

Since that day, Holly has turned to Andrew for support when she felt neglected by Izzy (Natalie Bassingthwaighte), and the two bonded as they looked through a box of childhood memories sent by Steven to Andrew.

In tomorrow’s episode, Andrew prepares to attend another function with his birth family, and plans to take along some family photos.

When the photos Wendy has prepared for him to print off turn out to be corrupted, Holly comes to Andrew’s rescue, and her quick thinking enables him to create an alternative photo album.

Later that night, when Max (Ben Jackson) stands Holly up for a date at the V Bar in the city, Holly texts Andrew, and he joins her after his day with his family.

As the pair share a drink, the tension grows between them until they cross a line – and it seems there’s no going back.

---

We sat down for an exclusive chat with Lloyd Will and Lucinda Armstrong Hall at Neighbours‘ Nunawading Studios to discuss the upcoming storyline.

How is Andrew feeling towards Wendy after all they’ve been through in recent months?

Lloyd Will: “I think there’s definitely cracks and fissures in the relationship.

“Even during the Sandra situation, when there was miscommunication and Wendy was acting weird and Andrew was trying to figure out what was going on, I still feel like even through that whole process, Andrew was trying to bury his emotions and feelings.

“But when Wendy went behind his back to track down his family, it just proves to him where his head’s at, that maybe they’re really not on the same page. And that’s a huge problem.

“So it’s either spend a whole heap of time trying to fix this, or have they kind of grown into different people?

“I don’t know where his head’s at at the moment, but I would be really considering what the future holds.”

Why was Andrew angry when Wendy went behind his back by searching for his family in secret?

Lloyd Will: “It’s the most Wendy thing in the world.

“I think Andrew probably gets his nose a little bit too far out of joint. But he said time and time again that his parents are a really touchy subject, you gotta be really careful with that sort of thing, because it goes so deep.

“It’s all the way to the bones and she does it anyway. I think it’s just another hit to their relationship and the trust.”

Why did Holly end up going with Andrew to find his biological father, rather than Wendy?

Lucinda Armstrong Hall: “I think Holly’s got a bit of a detective streak. I think of her as having a real forward impetus and she does before she thinks.

“And once she has something in her mind, she has to follow through. It’s that kind of obsessive nature.

“I think something just didn’t add up with Gretchen’s story. And Holly was like, ‘I just think there’s something’. And then obviously the satisfaction of following that through and finding out the truth.

“And there’s a part of her that’s also a little jealous that Andrew gets a second chance at family. Maybe not so much jealous, but a little bit in awe.

“Maybe part of her kind of wishes that she could uncover a whole other part of her family that she didn’t realise was there and could have a great relationship with them.”

How is Andrew feeling about the new connection with his biological family?

Lloyd Will: “I think that was a huge marker of change for him, like a big catalyst of, ‘Oh my God, they’re not really awful people. They’re actually really, really lovely, really sweet’.

“They live in this little small town, the sister’s awesome. Gretchen’s great. Stephen’s great.

“And I think then that maybe gave him more confidence to go, ‘maybe he’s not the person he thought he was either.’”

Andrew and Holly grow closer after sharing a drink together at the V Bar. What was going through Andrew’s head at that moment?

Lloyd Will: “[Wendy and Andrew] are high school sweethearts, so they’ve been together forever. And the way that I look at it is, nothing had ever really rocked the boat for them until they got to Ramsay Street.

“And then in those few years that they’ve been there, so much has happened – from the paternity test for JJ, Wendy kind of falling emotionally for someone, her moving to Murrayville.

“There’s just been a rocky road, now this whole Sandra thing, the trust, and then a whole host of other issues that they’ve faced.

“And with work as well, work’s been intense. There’s been kidnappings and sieges and lots has happened. So I think that sort of throws you into a new space and you’re not the people you once were.

“I think he’s also maybe never experienced another relationship before. Maybe subconsciously he’s seeing how far apart he and Wendy are. And then someone comes into his life that fills this void that has emerged in the last few years.

“It really took him by surprise.”

After Holly and Andrew have that initial connection, is Andrew just feeling guilt, or is the spark there and the thought planted?

Lloyd Will: “I think he’s definitely starting to fall for her in some way and he pulls back cause he’s like, ‘no’; his rational mind interrupts it.

“But I think there’s an uncontrollable magnetic pull. I just don’t think he’s got the wherewithal and the emotional intelligence to be able to navigate that.

“And then, you know, they fall into each other.”

After their initial moment, they decide to keep their distance. But what causes them to move from keeping their distance to growing closer?

Lucinda Armstrong Hall: “I think for Holly, the first shift happens seeing Andrew with his family.

“That’s when the shift begins, from Sadie’s dad, my friend’s dad, to a person who has a really vulnerable side and has gone through a lot of stuff. And I think Holly resonates with that because of her own past with her parents.

“I think also, just seeing Andrew in a new light as a younger version of himself, Holly is like, ‘damn, I didn’t really see you that way’.”

What was your reaction when you found out about the storyline?

Lucinda Armstrong Hall: “I heard whispers about it maybe a year ago or maybe longer, just heard there was an idea that this might happen. And I was really shocked.

“Cause obviously Lloyd and I are good mates, and we were like, ‘this is so weird’. My mind was blown when I heard about it.”

Lloyd Will: “It’s so much drama. It’s so risqué.”

Lucinda Armstrong Hall: “So much drama. “I think they’ve written it in a really good way. Our concern initially hearing about it, or at least mine, was, ‘how’s this gonna play out? And how is this going to naturally happen?’

“But then I think it was such a slow build. And there were things that gradually happened to the point where it did make sense.”

What do you think it is that has attracted Andrew to Holly?

Lloyd Will: She’s a force. And I mean, I think Wendy has got some similar attributes where Wendy just kind of like goes and does things. I think, yeah, she’s a force of a person.

---

While producers are keeping tight-lipped about what’s in store for Holly and Andrew, teaser spoilers and photos have given us some insight as to what’s coming up over the next few weeks.

After the pair “cross a line” in tomorrow’s episode, they “test the boundaries” on Wednesday.

They then try to put some space between them, as Andrew and Wendy prepare for Sadie’s 21st birthday. However, Andrew realises that as Sadie’s best friend, there’s no avoiding having Holly at the celebrations.

Then, the rift between Andrew and Wendy grows ever wider.

On Tuesday 15th July, “Wendy has a difficult time trying to connect with Andrew’s history,” and photos show her and Gretchen having a blow-out, before Andrew looks at his wife in anger as his sister and dad leave the party.

On Wednesday 23rd July, with dodgy doctor Gavin Bowman back in Erinsborough, “Holly’s safety is under threat,” prompting Andrew to undertake surveillance.

Will his urge to protect Holly bring them even closer?

Then, on Thursday 24th July, “Andrew tries and fails to fight his urges,” with photos showing him arguing with Wendy, whist looking longingly at Holly as she walks with Max through the complex.

Will the pair be able to resist their feelings for one another, or is a shock affair about to rip families and friendships apart?

We’ll be publishing the second part of our interview with Lucinda Armstrong Hall and Lloyd Will next month, as their storyline continues to develop.