User:Therealscorp1an/Byron

Byron Stone is a fictional character from the Australian television soap opera Neighbours, played by Joe Klocek and later Xavier Molyneux. Klocek made his first appearance during the episode broadcast on 11 July 2022.

Creation and casting
Byron was a character first mentioned in December 2021 as the sister of Nicolette Stone (Charlotte Chimes) and "golden child" of Jane Harris (Annie Jones). In June 2022, it was announced that Joe Klocek had been cast in the role of Byron. Klocek had previously played Evan Lewis in 2017. The script producer of Neighbours, Shane Isheev, said that production wished to introduce the family members of some pre-existing characters, explaining, "We didn’t want to miss out on seeing some of those faces show up, so that’s why we still have Byron, and we still have Estelle – just so we can see them. We had another really big story for Terese and Estelle that we sadly can’t tell now."

Escorting
https://metro.co.uk/2022/06/20/neighbours-spoilers-byrons-sex-work-secret-revealed-16845820/

https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/neighbours/a40347149/neighbours-spoilers-byron-stone-secret/

https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/neighbours/a40428963/neighbours-clive-gibbons-affair-suspicions-story/

https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/neighbours/a40496082/neighbours-clive-gibbons-secret-caught-out/

https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/neighbours/a40704505/neighbours-byron-stone-exit-joe-klocek/

Reintroduction and recast
In September 2023, Neighbours returned, backed by Amazon Freevee. From the events of the 2022 Neighbours finale to Episode 8904, the premiere of the reboot, producers introduced a two-year time jump, facilitating new storylines, new characters and the return of characters. The executive producer of Neighbours, Jason Herbison, said that the new revival, production was faced with the issue that "some people naturally would have moved on", forcing decisions over whether characters would be scrapped or recast to be made. Writers decided to reintroduce Byron in a regular capacity. In May, it was discovered that Xavier Molyneux had been filming scenes for the serial after having been spotted on Pin Oak Court, though the character he was playing had not initially been revealed. Molyneux was announced to have been recast in the role of Byron. Molyneux's casting was revealed on Neighbours social media, where the serial said "We're very excited to announce that Xavier Molyneux will be taking on the role of Byron Stone." Daniel Kilkelly from Digital Spy theorised that the recast was due to the unavailability of Klocek.

The role was Molyneux's first regular television part after having been working as a paramedic in Sydney. Upon receiving the role, Molyneux relocated to Melbourne to begin filming scenes. He told 10Play, "It's difficult to describe what joining Neighbours has meant to me, having grown up with my sisters pretzeled around our television." Molyneux described the job change a "huge change of pace", but expressed his appreciation for the help that other Neighbours actors had given him. Molyneux was informed of his casting news while he was backpacking in Canada. Thea McLeod, the casting director for Neighbours, called Molyneux's agent to offer the role of Byron in the new serial reboot. Molyneux was offered the role after having come second in the initial audition for Byron after Klocek. Upon hearing the news, Molyneux said that he "cried when I got the part. Just because, obviously, it was huge when I was growing up. I loved the show." When inquisited online by fans, Klocek responded that "work and life" had made him unavailable for the role, but he believed that the character was "in good hands" under Molyneux. A Neighbours spokesperon said of Byron's reintroduction, "Byron will be thrust into the heart of the Ramsay Street drama when Neighbours returns this September".

Relationship with Reece Sinclair
Producers decided to explore a love story between Byron and Reece Sinclair (Mischa Barton). As Byron is working at Lassiter's, he helps Reece take her bags to her room. However, while in the lift, they pursue a sexual liaison that continues in the bedroom. Of the storyline, Molyneux explained, "We both came into this trying to find our feet and find our characters. So a lot of the time we were leaning on each other to get through the days, because we did have a lot of two-handers where it was just us." He described the intimate scenes between Byron and Reece "quite intimidating" at first, but believed that Reece's acting experience assisted him. Storyline-wise, Byron is working at the hotel and comes across Reece. She's staying there at the hotel and they have a bit of a spark. They have their own little romance, which they try to keep to themselves and try to keep it away from the Ramsay Street chaos. Molyneux thought that his and Barton's close-up scenes were "hot and heavy" and said that they both had to "figure out exactly how we fit together and what chemistry we do have" in order to make their characters' relationship seem realistic, so went through the Neighbours intimacy team, which Molyneux called "fantastic".

The initial kissing scenes between Byron and Reece were Barton's first scenes filmed as part of her ten-week-long stint on the show. She said, "On my first day, I was pretty much sent into some pretty serious scenes with Xavier." She called it "quite a lot right off the bat, so that was a little bit funny, but we laugh about it now". Molyneux seconded that it was "hard to wrap his head" around these scenes. The two characters keep their relationship hidden to avoid awkwardness at work. Barton believed that Reece's interest in the relationship was because she saw Byron as "a bit of escapism for Reece, that's for sure", however she admitted that she found the pairing unlikely and that she did not expect Reece to "fall for the bell boy, but, hey! These things happen!" Barton saw their characters' difference in background as a reason that their relationship may be flawed.

When Reece reveals that she is a member of the Sinclair family, who have recently invested in Lassiter's, Byron tries to call off their relationship, but Reece insists and convinces him that they could work. Reece's identity is eventually publicly revealed and she witnesses "the unprofessional behaviour of Lassiter's", to the detriment of Paul. Paul becomes suspicious that Byron and Reece are hiding something, and is "stunned" to find them kissing on CCTV footage, before he exposes and opposes their relationship. Dennis told Inside Soap that Paul "thoroughly dislikes Reece – and when he sets out to make somebody's life a misery, he does it well!" Paul accuses Reece of using Byron for escorting. Reece, who is unaware of this past job, questions Byron and forces him to explain himself. Reece reveals that she came to Erinsborough in search for her sister and when she is found, Reece learns that her father has suffered a heart attack. She is forced to leave back for the US after having confessed her love for Byron.

Storylines
Jane Harris and her housemate, Aaron Brennan (Matt Wilson), spot Byron swimming in their pool, but are unaware of who he is. When Aaron yells at Byron, Jane realises he is her son and greets him along with his sister Nicolette Stone. Byron tells them that he tried using the front door, but there was no answer, so he went for a swim. Byron is shy to hold his niece, Isla Tanaka-Brennan (Mary Finn), and explains that he is moving to Erinsborough, before declining Jane's offer of moving in with them. Byron also explains that he has finished his law degree and Jane suggests he asks Toadie Rebecchi (Ryan Moloney) for a job. Byron meets Terese Willis (Rebekah Elmaloglou) and Toadie and overhears them talking about Sapiko and Bas Holdings, a company Terese's ex-husband is investing their divorce money into. Byron tells them that people use the company as a way to put their money into secret trust accounts. Toadie then offers Byron a job as a junior associate at his law firm. Byron meets with Danielle Pendlebury (Christine Stephen-Daly), who has employed him as her escort, and Byron says that no one else can know of his work. Byron then has sex with Danielle to ensure she will not tell anyone. While spending time with Danielle, Byron listens to her speaking to her boyfriend on the phone and Byron realises she is secretly dating Jane's partner, Clive Gibbons (Geoff Paine), after meeting him and recognising his voice.

Byron organises a date with Amy Greenwood (Jacinta Stapleton), but when he sees Nicolette with her, he cancels. He later tells Nicolette that he thinks Clive is having an affair and reveals that he is an escort. Byron looks for more evidence of Clive's affair and finds his phone number in Danielle's phone, however, Danielle catches him going through her things and fires him. Nicolette later visits Danielle's house and takes a photo of her touching Clive's face, before she and Byron tell Jane they think Clive is having an affair. When Byron tells her he found out through his job as an escort, a picture of Mrs Mangel (Vivean Gray) falls to the ground. After Jane breaks up with Clive, she forces Byron between her two jobs and Byron chooses escorting. Byron gets notified of a client requesting his services in Cape Town, so he says goodbye to his family and Jane apologises for treating him harshly. She explains that it was not her intention to kick him out and Byron tells her to take advantage of her time now that she is no longer dating. Later, Byron and Jane give their goodbyes and Byron leaves.

Two years later, Byron has returned and is working as a bell boy for Lassiter's Hotel. He takes up Reece Sinclair's bags to her hotel room, but is seduced by her while in the lift. They begin a relationship, but when Byron learns that Reece's family are the new silent investors in Lassiter's he calls it off. Reece convinces him not to give up on them and they continue their relationship. Reece tells Byron that she has come to Erinsborough to find her sister, Krista, and she and Byron go on a road trip to find her. After learning that Krista has died, Byron comforts a heartbroken Reece. However, Krista is revealed to be alive and upon the news, Reece learns that her father in the US has suffered a stroke and that she must leave. Byron farewells her at Lassiter's after telling her that he loves her.

Reception
Upon the conclusion of Byron's initial stint on the serial, Neighbours script producer Shane Isheev said that Byron was "a character that we would have got a lot of mileage out of". The Sun billed Byron a "beloved character" upon the news of his recasting.