. ▁Bon ner ▁said ▁Steph ' s ▁exit ▁story line ▁was ▁not ▁what ▁view ers ▁would ▁have ▁imag ined . ▁She ▁said ▁" It ' s ▁so ▁out ▁of ▁the ▁character , ▁however ▁the ▁story line ▁is ▁so ▁strong ▁and ▁supports ▁the ▁outcome ". ▁Bon ner ▁added ▁that ▁B ower ▁has ▁made ▁it ▁possible ▁for ▁her ▁to ▁return ▁in ▁the ▁future . ▁ ▁Return ▁( 2 0 1 3 ) ▁On ▁ 4 ▁November ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁it ▁was ▁confirmed ▁that ▁Bon ner ▁would ▁be ▁returning ▁to ▁Ne igh b ours . ▁She ▁began ▁film ing ▁her ▁scenes ▁from ▁January ▁ 2 0 1 3 ▁and ▁would ▁be ▁on - screen ▁for ▁two ▁months . ▁Bon ner ▁stated ▁that ▁she ▁was ▁" el ated " ▁to ▁revis it ▁the ▁role ▁of ▁Steph ▁and ▁explained ▁" We ▁always ▁knew ▁when ▁I ▁left ▁they ▁would ▁revis it ▁her . ▁When ▁they ▁contact ed ▁me ▁and ▁said ▁it ▁was ▁time , ▁there ▁was ▁no ▁question ▁of ▁if ▁I ▁wanted ▁to ▁do ▁it ▁– ▁of ▁course ▁I ▁did !" ▁Bon ner ▁said ▁that ▁she ▁had ▁received ▁lots ▁of ▁emails ▁and ▁twe ets ▁from ▁fans ▁asking ▁for ▁Steph ▁to ▁come ▁back ▁to ▁Ne igh b ours , ▁so ▁she ▁was ▁happy ▁to ▁be ▁able ▁to ▁please ▁them . ▁Steph ▁returned ▁during ▁the ▁episode ▁broadcast ▁on ▁ 1 5 ▁April ▁ 2 0 1 3 . ▁ ▁Bon ner ▁revealed ▁that ▁due ▁to ▁having ▁a ▁rough ▁time ▁in ▁prison ▁and ▁losing ▁cust ody ▁of ▁her ▁son