Keeling (Tom Neilson) had quit the soap after just one year, but his exit storyline was left hugely ambiguous and he was struggling with the public constantly confronting him. He pleaded to be rewritten into the soap to explain his exit. Tom was reintroduced several months after leaving, only to be killed off after a week. Danielle Cormack (Alison Raynor) had also departed after her initial one-year contract but returned to the show within 12 months in a several week stint. After departing in 1993, Stephanie Wilkin (Meredith Fleming) returned just several months later in what proved to be a highly controversial storyline where Meredith started a relationship with another woman. She stayed on for several episodes. Josephine Davison (Gina Rossi-Dodds) returned for several episodes alongside screen husband Marton Csokas (Leonard Rossi-Dodds) in late 1994 just 9 months after leaving. Paul Gittins (Michael McKenna) returned in a guest role in 1997 for his on screen daughter Angela Bloomfield's (Rachel McKenna) storyline. Following Maggie Harper's (Jenny Harrison (Shortland Street)) resignation in 1998, Elizabeth McRae (Marj Brasch) agreed to reprise her role for several episodes to help write out the character of Jenny. Paul Gittins once again reprised the role of Michael McKenna as the year ended and stayed on for 3 months. His character was killed off in early 1999, dying from a series of heart attacks. In 2000, the soap underwent a major rejuvenation and as part of the creativity juggle, Michael Galvin (Chris Warner) was offered the chance to return after 4 years. To prove he could still play the role, Galvin had to reaudition. In 2002, Elizabeth McRae and Maggie Harper (Jenny Harrison) reprised their roles as part of Harper's on screen son, Karl Burnett's (Nick Harrison) on screen wedding. In 2008, Temuera Morrison (Hone Ropata) reprised his role of Hone after 13 years to commemorate the show's 4000th episode for 6 weeks. In 2012, Elizabeth McRae reprised her role of Marj for a single episode to mark the show's 20th anniversary. Producers decided to bring Marj back after the return of another former receptionist Yvonne Jeffries (Alison Quigan), with producer Steven Zanoski stating: "With the return of Yvonne to the reception desk it was only a matter of course to have Marj back." Rene Naufahu had been asked to reprise his role as Sam Aleni multiple times following his departure in 1996 but never felt it was