With Neighbours set to air its final ever episode later this month on Channel 5, soap fans are inevitably wondering whether they need to worry about the futures of their other favourite series.
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One soap that's future may have seemed particularly precarious is Home and Away – another Australian soap that, like Neighbours, also airs on Channel 5.
However, Ben Frow, Channel 5's director of programmes, has now confirmed the soap's future on the channel in this week's Radio Times magazine, and it's very good news for fans.
When asked whether Home and Away's future would be threatened on the channel, Frow said: "No. But I think it will be interesting to see what we do with it as we evolve. There might be somewhere else to put it in the 5 spectrum. But it’s a life-of-series deal, so it’s not going anywhere until the makers decide to cancel it."
Home and Away Channel 5
The news will surely be music to fans' ears as the soap heads towards its 35th anniversary next year. Neighbours celebrated its own 35th anniversary back in 2020, and its cancellation was confirmed in March of this year.
Frow also spoke with Radio Times about the channel's decision to axe Neighbours, saying it was purely "a business decision". When asked whether he could have continued to spend money on the show he said: "Yes. Or I could spend the money on other things, which is what I decided to do. I can better spend the Neighbours money on UK shows."
Neighbours' final ever episode is set to air on Channel 5 on Friday 29th July, with multiple guest appearances in store from former stars.
Home and Away airs weekdays at 1:15pm on Channel 5 and at 6pm on 5STAR. You can catch the first-look on weekdays at 6.30pm on 5STAR, and the show also streams on My5. Check out more of our Soaps coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what's on tonight.
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James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
