After facing the threat of cancellation to debut February, the end has officially come for Neighbors. The legendary Australian soap opera ran for 37 seasons and some 9,000 episodes, but is ending after losing its main source of funding.
The show’s social media account confirmed the sad news on Twitter, explaining the situation. “Following the loss of our main broadcast partner in the UK and despite an intensive search for alternative funding, we simply have no choice but to put the show on hold,” said the The Neighbors Twitter account wrote. “To our amazing and loyal fans, we know this is a huge disappointment, as it is to all of us on the team. We thank you for all of your messages and support and promise to end the show on an amazing note. from now on, we celebrate the Neighbours.”
We are sorry to say that after nearly 37 years and nearly 9000 episodes aired, we must confirm that Neighbors will cease production in June. pic.twitter.com/YwlDZPb7zB
— Neighbors (@neighbors) March 3, 2022
The soap opera was produced as part of Fremantle’s global production arm, with 1.5 million viewers tuning in daily in the UK, while Australian viewership had declined in recent years. Neighbors had been on Channel 5 since 2008, with a new deal signed in 2018 to extend the show’s broadcasts.
According to Variety, the network tried to change direction and had some success with bigger dramas, like All Creatures Great and Small. The loss of network support spelled the end of the soap opera, bringing nearly decades of stories that have introduced an all-star cast over the years.
It’s official @neighbors will end production in June this year. I want to express my deepest gratitude to the millions of fans who have supported us for 37 years. Many thanks to our broadcast partners @channel10au and @channel5_tv. Stay with us as we #celebrateneighbors pic.twitter.com/RR7psD4MZY
—Alan Fletcher (@alanfletcher) March 3, 2022
Some of the names introduced by Neighbors include Kylie Minogue, Margot Robbie, Russell Crowe, Guy Pierce, Ben Mendelsohn, Natalie Imbruglia and the three Hemsworth brothers, Chris, Liam and Luke. According to Variety, the current affair was given a firm production end date “to allow them to plan their next jobs and career paths after the show ends.
Despite the series officially ending in its current form, Fremantle isn’t completely ditching the iconic soap just yet. Variety notes that the end of the series may just be a “period of rest” that allows the series to return in the future with a new partnership. Yet, as things stand, Neighbors is over and ceases to be.
