Channel 5 confirms Neighbours and Home and Away schedule changes
The Aussie soaps are cutting back to two episodes a week
Neighbours and Home and Away will air two episodes a week from Monday 30th March, Channel 5 has confirmed.
The reduction in the Australian imports' transmission from the usual five instalments comes in the wake of all UK soaps taking similar measures, so as to ensure the shows remain in the schedules for as long as possible during the current coronavirus outbreak which has led to filming being suspended.
The developing situation in Australia caused production to be halted on Home and Away from 22nd March, with native network Channel Seven citing "the increasing logistic hurdles related to the Covid-19 situation", along with the programme being replaced by news coverage for the next fortnight.
Neighbours endured a short break in production last week to ensure work on the show could withstand any potential impact and later stopped filming.
Fans of the goings-on in Ramsay Street and Summer Bay will be able to catch up twice a week in the following time slots from Monday 30th March 2020:
Neighbours: Monday and Friday, 1.45pm and 5.30pm
Home and Away: Monday and Friday, 1.15pm and 6pm
Hollyoaks is the latest British continuing drama to further amend its schedule which was initially changed from five to three episodes from Monday 30th March, but will now drop to two from the week beginning Monday 6th April, airing on Mondays and Tuesdays.
EastEnders halved their weekly output from four to two last week. Coronation Street and Emmerdale will air three times a week from Monday 30th March. Full details of the UK soap's schedule changes can be found here.
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