The historic Australian soap opera, Neighbours, has been canceled, marking the end of one of the world's longest-running soaps. Neighbours began airing on the Seven Network back in 1985. It has since become the longest-running Australian drama series of all time, and launched the careers of many Australian actors, including Margot Robbie, Ben Mendelsohn, and Guy Pearce. Neighbours' cancellation, therefore, is a significant moment, considering the show's legacy.
Neighbours follows the lives of the inhabitants of Erinsborough, a fictional suburb of Melbourne. The show has been sold to over 60 countries around the world and was very successful in the United Kingdom. In 2008, the soap was moved to Channel 5 and became the first Australian soap opera to air all year round. However, in February of 2022, Channel 5 announced that the series will no longer air on their network starting from August of 2022.
Since 2008, Neighbours has largely been funded by the ViacomCBS-owned U.K .broadcaster, so Channel 5's decision to stop airing Neighbours on their network of channels means that the series has effectively been canceled. Neighbours (which also launched the career of Russell Crowe) is on its 37th season but its Australian audience is apparently in decline. A Channel 5 spokesman stated (via Variety) that "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". Explaining the decision, the spokesman added: "We recognize that there will be disappointment about this decision, however our current focus is on increasing our investment in original U.K. drama, which has strong appeal for our viewers." In short, Channel 5 is choosing to focus its funding on original U.K. dramas instead of the soap.
Fremantle, the production company behind Neighbours, also addressed Channel 5's cancelation of the series. Executive producer, Jason Herbison, issued an email to cast and crew saying: "Our audience remains steady and Channel 10 would love the show to continue if we could find another broadcast partner to replace." According to Fremantle, "discussions are ongoing however there is no new broadcaster at the moment and production must end, effectively resting the show." This paints a gloomy picture for any fans hoping for the series to be salvaged.
While fans, as well as the cast and crew of the long-running soap, are shocked to hear news of the show's cancelation, this might not be the end of Neighbours. It's possible that the series might find a home somewhere other than Channel 5. However, no decisions have been made as of yet, and so, the future of the series remains up in the air. Without the funding offered by Channel 5 or another broadcast partner, it's unlikely that the Australian soap opera Neighbours will return in the near future.