Neighbours AXED after 37 years (now saved and returning to screens in 2023)

[Rove]

But given the ABC is funded by the Australian taxpayer

Although I'm not a huge fan of the ABC I would be more than happy if Neighbours found a new home there. I also wouldn't mind if our tax dollars were spent in procuring the brand and with ongoing production costs. If the series in its current form makes a profit this could be a handy little earner for the ABC and I can see Neighbours being a good fit for a non-commercial network.

I'll admit I no longer watch the series but I'd prefer to see some Australian content on our small screens, employing actors, script writers, producers etc. It's very difficult for any commercial network to attempt to get a new series off the ground with our current viewing habits...Neighbours has a built in base viewer.

 

[AndyB2008]

Although I'm not a huge fan of the ABC I would be more than happy if Neighbours found a new home there. I also wouldn't mind if our tax dollars were spent in procuring the brand and with ongoing production costs. If the series in its current form makes a profit this could be a handy little earner for the ABC and I can see Neighbours being a good fit for a non-commercial network.

I'll admit I no longer watch the series but I'd prefer to see some Australian content on our small screens, employing actors, script writers, producers etc. It's very difficult for any commercial network to attempt to get a new series off the ground with our current viewing habits...Neighbours has a built in base viewer.

Agree but like with the Chances situation, depending on how much Fremantle demand, there's the issue of spending a lot of public money on a ongoing soap.

Then they would have to cut back on other services (like RTE has done) to find the money that Fremantle demands, which will not go down well.

That is what sank Chances in the end, and makes Neighbours unviable there.

Given RTE have cried about having to make cuts, the Neighbours funding would not go down well there either. Not to mention they would be spending public money there too.

 

[AndyB2008]

Thought of something just now - what happens to the older actors if and when the plug is pulled?

Can't see Jackie getting much roles (like say Eccleston or Lancashire) as the audience mainly see her as Susan.

It'll be only be really Dancing on Ice etc. Ditto Ryan, but we knew that from CBB.

 

[Luke_Krebbs_Ewing]

Agreed.

There is little repeat value in soaps. Hence why Sony and other channels have dropped soaps in favour of Hart to Hart on a loop, because the latter is easier.

People used to moan at ITV with their James Bond repeats, but looking at it now, the Bond films are standalone compared to Corrie\an imported soap. They can repeat Bond and get their money's worth because of that, they could not with Shortland Street or Prisoner or Corrie.

I would love to see Prisoner Cell Block H repeated though.

That was a terrific show.

 

[DaveyL]

Ten Network wants the show to continue. ViacomCBS owns Ten Network. ViacomCBS is going to launch Paramount Plus in the UK soon. Well....

 

[Monzo]

Neighbours theme tune racing to No 1 as star calls on government to save soap

The iconic Barry Crocker theme tune is racing up the iTunes music charts, after Channel 5 announced that beloved Aussie soap Neighbours will be dropped from the UK TV schedule

www.mirror.co.uk

In Australia the theme song is no 38, while in the UK it's no 1. Maybe Aussies left Ramsey Street a long time ago.

 

[AndyB2008]

Neighbours theme tune racing to No 1 as star calls on government to save soap

The iconic Barry Crocker theme tune is racing up the iTunes music charts, after Channel 5 announced that beloved Aussie soap Neighbours will be dropped from the UK TV schedule

www.mirror.co.uk

In Australia the theme song is no 38, while in the UK it's no 1. Maybe Aussies left Ramsey Street a long time ago.

Although the Barry Crocker theme is No 1 in the iTunes chart, it's nowhere in the Official Top 100 singles chart just announced, and that's despite the announcement last Saturday.

Not even in the Top 40 either. Acts like Years and Years have even beat it.

Clearly the hardcore fans are buying but that's it. The rest of the public aren't interested and the young record buyers have never heard of Barry.

 

[Monzo]

Although the Barry Crocker theme is No 1 in the iTunes chart, it's nowhere in the Official Top 100 singles chart just announced, and that's despite the announcement last Saturday.

Not even in the Top 40 either. Acts like Years and Years have even beat it.

Clearly the hardcore fans are buying but that's it.

I guess those hardcore fans are older and not into streaming. Neighbours Theme is new at #11 on the UK sales chart, but without much streaming that's not enough for entering official top 100. Still, I'm surprised it even reached no 11. I had expected a position in sales chart between 30th and 40th place.

 

[Luke_Krebbs_Ewing]

Maybe the time is right to bring back Return To Eden now instead.

 

[Monzo]

Will Scott and Charlene return?

Neighbours bosses to reunite Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan for soap’s farewell

Neighbours has been axed after 40 years on our screens, but bosses are hopeful they can convince Kylie Minogue to return to the show with Jason Donovan in order to end the Aussie soap's run 'on a high'

www.mirror.co.uk

 

[Englishboy]

Apparently Ian Smith has agreed to reprise his role of coffee shop owner, Harold Bishop and will start filming his scenes next month.

Assuming production ends in the summer, I wonder how much longer Home and Away will need to last for in order to eclipse Neighbours as Australia's longest running soap opera.

 

[Pamela_E]

Apparently Ian Smith has agreed to reprise his role of coffee shop owner, Harold Bishop and will start filming his scenes next month.

Assuming production ends in the summer, I wonder how much longer Home and Away will need to last for in order to eclipse Neighbours as Australia's longest running soap opera.

That would be nice. Where did you read that? I can't find it.

Maybe the time is right to bring back Return To Eden now instead.

View attachment 35337

Ironically I think that would be more appealing to a TV channel as a mini series than Neighbours.

It's quite a fun story to redo, especially if they make it about sexiat rich men, vengeful woman returns to take back power and get revenge.

 

[Englishboy]

That would be nice. Where did you read that? I can't find .

It was in the sun on Sunday

Verifying Device

 

[Mel O'Drama]

Assuming production ends in the summer, I wonder how much longer Home and Away will need to last for in order to eclipse Neighbours as Australia's longest running soap opera.

In terms of running length it'll be just under 3 years after the final Neighbours episode airs, since H&A began some 34 months after Neighbours.

It looks like it would be significantly longer than that before H&A would overtake Neighbours in number of episodes produced. I'm pretty sure H&A has aired four times a week in Australia for most of its run whereas Neighbours had an output of five episodes per week until last year. There's a difference of over 1000 episodes, so it would take well over four years for H&A to clock up the same number of episodes.

 

[Carrie Fairchild]

I'm pretty sure H&A has aired four times a week in Australia for most of its run

The four nights a week scheduling is a recent enough development. It's aired from Monday to Friday for most of it's run but Seven stopped airing it on Friday's a few years ago to make way for AFL coverage. Instead of dropping an episode (which would've messed up international broadcasts / sales) they just air a double episode on Thursdays now instead, so they're still technically airing 5 x 22 minute episodes each week, just over four nights instead of five.

I think the extra shortfall in episodes compared to Neighbours is down to H&A taking more breaks during the year. Both shows always took a Christmas break but I think Neighbours started broadcasting year round a while ago (I seem to recall Channel 5 making a big deal of the news at the time). In addition to this, H&A has taken midsummer breaks every time the Olympics are on.

 

[Pamela_E]

The four nights a week scheduling is a recent enough development. It's aired from Monday to Friday for most of it's run but Seven stopped airing it on Friday's a few years ago to make way for AFL coverage. Instead of dropping an episode (which would've messed up international broadcasts / sales) they just air a double episode on Thursdays now instead, so they're still technically airing 5 x 22 minute episodes each week, just over four nights instead of five.

I think the extra shortfall in episodes compared to Neighbours is down to H&A taking more breaks during the year. Both shows always took a Christmas break but I think Neighbours started broadcasting year round a while ago (I seem to recall Channel 5 making a big deal of the news at the time). In addition to this, H&A has taken midsummer breaks every time the Olympics are on.

I remember that, although I only recall Christmas in Neighbours for one year. Was there more? Or did Covid mess it up?

Channel 5 appeared to have really loved it to have it all year. So it is a surprise this has happened.

I wonder if soaps will ever make a come back or if we are really seeing the end of the genre.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

Remembering the good times...

 

[Luke_Krebbs_Ewing]

Remembering the good times...

Suddenly I want to throw up!

That's hilarious. I hope they'll be very happy together.

 

[Carrie Fairchild]

I remember that, although I only recall Christmas in Neighbours for one year. Was there more? Or did Covid mess it up?

It looks like the year round episodes only started in 2018 but they ended up taking a three week break last Christmas. It's been so long since I've watched it, I can't recall if they even addressed Christmas in other years or if it was just skipped over? I've a vague recollection of a cliffhsnger involving the Scully's house going on fire during a Millennium party, so I'm guessing they did cover Christmas sometimes?

 

[Monzo]

Not only Neighbors is threatened with cancellation, but also France's first successful daily soap: Plus Belle La Vie.

For many years PBLV had a monopoly as attempts to launch more daily soaps failed, but in recent years three daily soaps have been successfully launched and PBLV is now the least watched daily soap.

J'adore Plus Belle La Vie! I watch it on TV5 Monde Europe. It's almost three years behind French airing, so even if it gets cancelled, I still have about a 1000 episodes left.

Client Challenge

Après 17 ans et 4500 épisodes, «Plus Belle la vie» va s’arrêter

La baisse progressive des audiences et la bataille des fictions françaises d’access prime-time auront eu raison de la série phare de France 3 qui se déroule à Marseille.

www.liberation.fr

La série «Plus belle la vie» va s'arrêter définitivement

INFO LE FIGARO- Après 17 ans d'existence et quelque 4500 épisodes, le feuilleton quotidien diffusé sur France 3 et produit par Newen éteindra bientôt les caméras. En cause: des audiences qui s'essoufflent.

www.lefigaro.fr

Bientôt la fin de "Plus belle la vie" ? Après 17 ans de diffusion, la série pourrait s'arrêter prochainement

Après 17 ans et plus de 4500 épisodes, la série phare de France 3 pourrait bientôt se terminer.

www.midilibre.fr

More than 3,000 people evacuated in the south of France due to a fire - The Bobr Times

MISE À DAY More than 3000 people, inhabitants of villages in the south of France, in the Aveyron, and holidaymakers, were evacuated on Tuesday in the face of the progression of a fire that ravaged at least 700 hectares of vegetation, without causing injury. In the south of France, the fire that...

bobrtimes.com