Neighbours star Zima Anderson explains why she left Roxy Willis role

 "I'd promised myself that after the three years, I would challenge myself."

Neighbours star Zima Anderson has explained why she left the role of Roxy Willis.

Tuesday's episode on Channel 5 (April 12) sees Roxy bow out from Ramsay Street after three years, heading off for a fresh start in Darwin with her husband Kyle Canning.

Speaking to Digital Spy about her departure, Zima revealed: "I had done my three years. On Neighbours, you mainly sign up for three years. I'd promised myself that after the three years, I would challenge myself.

"You get so comfortable. Neighbours is the best school you could ever go to for acting. You never get an experience like that anywhere.

"I learned so much, I laughed so much and I'd grown so much as a human, so I felt that I needed to challenge myself in another direction. I felt like it worked out as perfect timing.

"It was so hard to leave a place like that, because Neighbours is so incredible and fantastic. I love Roxy and she'll always be with me, but it was a choice to go and learn somewhere else, because I'd learned so much already."

On the decision for Roxy and Kyle to leave together, Zima continued: "We didn't know what they were going to do with us, but we were really happy that they let us leave together.

"I felt that they couldn't put Roxy and Kyle through so much and not let them stay together, because they're pretty perfect together.

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"After everything that Kyle has been through, he deserves happiness as much as Roxy does. We were both pretty happy that they left together."

Roxy's exit comes just a few months before the final episode of Neighbours airs in August.

It was recently confirmed that production on the soap will end after 37 years, following Channel 5's decision to pull out as the UK broadcast partner.

Zima added: "Obviously I would have wanted to stay right until the end, but my contract had ended at this time. I just felt like it was right, you know? It just felt right at that time.

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"It's crazy that the show is ending. I was so shocked when the UK announced it to us. It was crazy. But I guess since I was planning to leave when my contract ended, it didn't shock me as much."

Zima also praised the decision to give Roxy and Kyle a happy ending, as the popular couple recently discovered that they're expecting a baby together.

She enthused: "I could not be happier. I felt like Roxy and Kyle deserved it. Kyle and Roxy have always wanted a little baby and I would have been devastated if they hadn't given it to them.

"I knew they had to give some tension in the build-up, in classic Neighbours style, but I'm so thankful they gave them that.

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"I was also glad that they gave me and Chris Milligan the storyline of a couple who were struggling to have a baby. It was important to perform that and do justice for all the women, men and couples who go through it.

"I thought we did it really well. Me and Chris Milligan went through some tough days but it was beautiful to get to perform it."

On filming her final scenes, Zima added: "It definitely was emotional. It was really odd because I'd wanted to be on Neighbours since I was 13. I'd planned to do this, so it was a really weird sensation to be completing a massive life goal.

"I had gained such a family there. Everyone I met along the way has been so influential and important in my life.

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"It was emotional and there was a lot of tears, but a lot of happy tears. I was proud of everyone. I was proud of myself and I was proud of Chris Milligan. It was nice to have him there to do it with.

"There's one element of my leaving scene that I really loved, which is classic cheeky Roxy. I can't wait for everyone to see it. It's a hint of the spicy Roxy and it had to happen. I was really happy with the final scene."

Neighbours airs weekdays at 1.45pm and 6pm on Channel 5 and streams on My5. In Australia, the show airs Mondays to Thursdays at 6.30pm on 10 Peach and streams on 10 Play.