Neighbours star Tim Robards talks Pierce and Chloe baby struggle and the real life parallel as he looks forward to becoming a dad!
Actor Tim Robards originally joined Neighbours as suave sugar daddy Pierce Greyson in just a guest role.
After being written into the soap as a fully fledged Ramsay Street resident, the star has had a rollercoaster of storylines.
Recently Tim quit the show unexpectedly to spend more time with his family.
Neighbours bosses had to draft in Strikeback actor Don Hany to take over the role from November to finish up Pierce’s drama-packed storyline.
Tim talked to whatsontv.co.uk about playing the billionaire businessman, Pierce’s latest emotional baby story with wife Chloe Greyson ( April Rose Pengilly), and how expecting his first child with reality star wife Anna Heinrich impacted on his decision to leave the show.
Pierce was taken aback by Chloe
“When I stepped into this role there wasn’t a huge back story written about Pierce,” Tim revealed.
“In my head there had been stuff that had happened in his family in the past that had made him really untrusting of women.
“When he first met Chloe he was essentially paying her for sex, he didn’t expect to fall in love with her. He saw something in Chloe that he hasn’t seen before. She didn’t like him for the things most women usually like him for.
“They got married so quick, a lot of their underlying issues come down to the fact that they don’t have the best communication.”
Chloe's baby news bittersweet
When Chloe first fell pregnant she hesitated to tell her hubby, worried about her own diagnosis of the hereditary Huntington’s Disease. With her mother Fay Brennan (Zoe Betram) now living with them and in decline from the degenerative brain condition, Chloe is conflicted over whether to test her unborn child.
“Pierce doesn’t force Chloe to do the Huntington’s test. The options are that she could not do the test and hope for the best or do the test and make a decision from there about whether to have an abortion.
“He’s trying not to be too keen and put too much pressure on Chloe. But underlying that he’d really like to have the baby. He thinks that if there’s a chance that it could have low markers for Huntington’s then why not.”
Will Chloe be tempted by Nicolette?
Adding to Pierce’s stress levels are bisexual Chloe’s friendship with Fay’s nurse Nicolette Stone (Charlotte Chimes), who secretly has a crush on her. He’s not happy when meddling Nicolette convinces Chloe to take the test.
“The first time Chloe lets slip that Nicolette is gay, he already has insecurities, as he feels like he might not be enough,” explained Tim.
“He’s usually very confident around other guys but when it’s another girl that potentially your wife is attracted to he feels threatened. He thinks he doesn’t have something that maybe a woman could bring to a relationship.”
Why Tim Robards is quitting the soap
In real life, Tim is looking forward to being a first time dad.
He met wife Anna Heinrich on reality show The Bachelor Australia in 2013 and they married in 2018. The couple announced Anna’s pregnancy this May.
Amazingly, Tim’s real life news coincided with the Pierce and Chloe baby storyline.
“There’s been a lot of similarities, time-wise, as finding out Pierce was having a baby on the show was a similar time to when Anna and I found out we were pregnant,” he revealed.
“But the storyline kicks on and there are some challenges. I had to be very conscious to make a clear separation from real life because you don’t want to take that home with you.”
Tim Robards and wife Anna Heinrich are loved up on Tim's instagram
‘Home’ is what prompted Tim to make the big decision to leave. He was finding it tough being away, especially as covid restrictions kept him in Melbourne for longer than usual.
“My home’s in Sydney. Normally I’m away for four or five days a week and it means I get the weekends with my wife which was a challenge. It’s been a bit of a struggle,” he shared.
Luckily for us and Tim, there’s plenty of drama for Pierce before Tim’s last scenes air in the UK on Monday 9 November.
“There's lots coming up for Pierce!” he promised.
“This is just the tip of the iceberg - the whole iceberg is lining up underneath the water!”
Neighbours airs weekdays at 1.45pm and 5.30pm on Channel 5
