'Neighbours' return for Steph's ex Woody

Neighbours favourite Steph Scully is to come face-to-face with her ex-boyfriend Woody in a forthcoming storyline, it has been revealed.

In episodes which air next week in Australia, Woody returns to Erinsborough unexpectedly, and Steph - who is struggling after giving up her baby - immediately decides to spend as much time with him as possible.

Woody - full name Larry Woodhouse - was last seen on the Ramsay Street soap in 2002 after appearing on a recurring basis for two years.

During his first stint on the show, Woody became involved in criminal activity and ended up in jail, while subsequent appearances saw him struggling to move on from his troubled past.

Speaking of the latest plot twist, Steph's portrayer Carla Bonner told TV Week: "While there isn't a romantic attraction there - not for Steph, at least - Woody does represent a time when she didn't have children and the responsibilities she has now.

"He becomes an escape from what is going on. Steph's trying to block out everything that's happened and Woody is helping her do that, to a degree."

Discussing the impact of Woody's return, she added: "Lyn's definitely not happy and feels Woody is the last person Steph needs in her life - and she's pretty vocal about it. Lyn knows about Woody's past and isn't convinced that his intentions are all that honourable."

Woody is once again being played by actor Andrew Curry, who is the real-life brother of former Home and Away star Bernard Curry (Hugo Austin).