Neighbours axe affirmed as production company 'can't find new home'
It’s bad news for fans of the Aussie soap opera.
It’s the end of an era, as Neighbours has reportedly been axed for good after Fremantle Media failed to find the Australian soap a new home.
The show is set to come to an end this summer after dominating our screens for nearly four decades.
The Australian soap, which follows the lives of residents on the fictional Ramsay Street, first hit screens in 1985 and kickstarted the careers of many Hollywood stars including Jason Donovan, Kylie Minogue, Liam Hemsworth and Margot Robbie.
It has also been a staple of the daytime TV schedule in the UK for years, and is still reported to bring in 1.5 million viewers in the UK each day it airs.
The show began airing on BBC One in the UK in 1986, before moving to Channel 5 in 2008.
Fremantle Media, the production company behind Neighbours, has searched for a new home for the soap after Channel 5 decided to pull the plug on the show and drop it from their schedules in a few months' time.
Confirming the news last month, a Channel 5 spokesperson told RadioTimes.com: “Neighbours will no longer air on Channel 5 beyond this summer.
“It’s been a much-loved part of our schedule for more than a decade, and we’d like to thank the cast, Fremantle and all of the production team for their fantastic work on this iconic series.
“We’d also of course like to thank the fans for their loyal support of Neighbours across the years. We recognise that there will be disappointment about this decision, however our current focus is on increasing our investment in original UK drama, which has strong appeal for our viewers.”
Freemantle Media company is expected to make a formal announcement later in the week stating they have failed to secure another channel to broadcast the soap.
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A source told The Sun: "Fremantle have not commented on the situation since the news broke about Channel 5. They have been working tirelessly to secure funding from other networks but sadly they’ve been unable to save the soap."
"The announcement will confirm that the soap will end this summer and that they have been overwhelmed by the love and support from the audience since the news broke," the source continued to the publication.
However, the production company is noted to be working hard on making the final weeks of the show ones to remember.
One person reportedly due to return is original cast member Peter O’Brien as Shane Ramsay, along with a confirmed return for Ian Smith as Harold Bishop.
"They are still waiting to hear back from a number of former stars but Peter has agreed to return and will start filming in May," they added.
RadioTimes.com has reached out to Channel 5 for comment.
A petition has been launched by fans of Neighbours who are desperate to see it be picked up by another broadcaster. At the time of writing, it has received over 62,000 signatures.
Fans of the soap have also begun using #SaveNeighbours on social media in a bid to encourage support for the soap's survival.
Neighbours usually airs on Channel 5 on Weekdays at 1.45pm. A repeat of the episode also airs later in the day at 5.30pm.
Visit our dedicated Neighbours page for all the latest news, interviews and spoilers. If you’re looking for more to watch check out our TV Guide.
