Neighbours bosses have begun plotting the show’s final storylines, it has been reported, in light of the news that the show may end production later this year.
The news that Channel 5 would quit airing Neighbours in the UK this summer shook the soap industry last Saturday.
The decision indicates that Neighbours will be canceled unless a new broadcaster can be found, as the UK broadcaster supports much of the show’s production costs.
Unfortunately, despite a 50,000-strong petition and a campaign that saw the Neighbours theme song hit #1 on the iTunes list, no other broadcaster has been able to secure the UK rights to the show.
Neighbours is currently scheduled to conclude production on June 10, 2022, with the final episode airing in the United Kingdom in August and Australia in October.
The show’s executives are reportedly stepping up plans for the final episodes, with a number of known figures perhaps returning in the months to come.
It’s also been stated that the door will be left open for a future return, implying that the residents of Erinsborough will likely be alive and well long after the cameras have stopped rolling.
Talking to industry publication Media Week, Executive Producer Jason Herbinson, said: “We see the next few months as being a huge celebration for the show with a bit of everything for viewers.
“Any ending will be respectful of the past, the present and always open to a future.”
Harold heads back to Ramsay Street?
The Sun – who originally broke the news that Channel 5 had pulled the plug on Neighbours – reports that bosses have already secured the return of Ian Smith as Harold ‘Jelly Belly’ Bishop.
Harold moved away from Erinsborough in 2009, but has returned twice since then, the first in 2011 and the second in 2015.
His most recent appearance occurred in 2015, as part of the show’s 30th anniversary celebrations, which included a number of classic characters reappearing. He returned for the wedding of Daniel (Tim Phillipps) and Amber (Jenna Rosenow), where it was revealed that he and Carolyn Johnstone, whom he married in 2011, had recently separated.
Despite finding love again, he was still grieving the loss of his beloved Madge (Anne Charleston), who died in heartbreaking circumstances in 2001.
Harold began to hear Madge’s voice on this final visit, and after smashing his car, he saw her spirit. This allowed the two to reminisce and talk about the things Madge had missed in the years since her death, and it provided Harold some closure as he walked down the street for the last time.
First confirmed name to return for the emotional farewell… @neighbours #neighbours #love #HaroldBishop
— Susan Hill (@SuseHill) February 13, 2022
https://t.co/8pDlfGSqw6 pic.twitter.com/q0NAZrGk6X
The Sun’s Susan Hill reports that Ian Smith has now agreed to make a comeback, and is due to begin filming next month.
Harold’s many years on Ramsay Street made an indelible mark, and the ‘General Store’ where he used to work was renamed ‘Harold’s Store,’ afterwards ‘Harold’s Cafe,’ in his honor.
Many of Harold’s closest friends, including Karl (Alan Fletcher), Susan (Jackie Woodburne), and Toadie (Ryan Moloney), as well as his rival Paul Robinson (Stefan Dennis), whom he famously tried to strangle back in 2005, still live on Ramsay Street, so if he does return later this year, he should fit right in.
Especially for us?
Scott Robinson and Charlene Mitchell were once Neighbours’ golden couple, with actors Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan known across the world for their portrayal of the loved up pair in the late ’80s.
When it aired in the UK in November 1988, approximately 20 million Brits watched their wedding, which was one of the show’s most popular moments.
After being awarded a mechanic apprenticeship, Charlene moved to Brisbane in 1988, and Scott followed a year later. They created a lasting legacy, and their offspring — first son Daniel in 2014, then daughter Madison (Sarah Ellen) in 2016 – eventually moved to Ramsay Street decades later.
Despite departing the program over 30 years ago, Charlene was named #10 in a fan survey of Neighbours’ Most Popular Character of All Time. Scott was ranked #17.
When the news of Neighbours‘ potential cancellation first broke, it was reported that bosses would love to get Kylie Minogue back for the show’s final episodes.
Now, The Sun is reporting that Jason Donovan has told producers that he’ll be flying to Australia in April, and that he could potentially film a comeback.
According to the tabloid, he wants Kylie to join him, and his superiors “are doing everything they can to make it happen,” according to a source.
The Sun also claims that Neighbours executives are in communication with Guy Pierce, who last appeared on TV in December 1989 as Mike Young.
Neighbours is no stranger to bringing back old characters for special episodes, so it’s no surprise that a number of legendary characters may make a farewell appearance in the show’s final season.
The Sun also claims that Neighbours executives are in communication with Guy Pierce, who last appeared on TV in December 1989 as Mike Young.
Neighbours is no stranger to bringing back old characters for special episodes, so it’s no surprise that a number of legendary characters may make a farewell appearance in the show’s final season.
Kira, a new character performed by Gemma Bird Matheson, has just been unveiled. She will make her UK television debut on Wednesday, March 9th, with Australian audiences seeing her for the first time on Friday, March 24th.
“Mysterious and flirtatious,” she’s been called, but she’s also “morally driven and a nice girl at heart.”
She will be thrown in at the deep end, with Gemma teasing that Kiri “definitely finds herself in the middle of a lot of drama”.
The show is also on the cusp of beginning a major new storyline which sees Harlow (Jemma Donovan) head to London in search of answers about her mum, who died at the hands of Finn Kelly in 2020.
The episodes will see Amanda Holden star as Harriet, Harlow’s aunt and sister of the late Prue Wallace (Denise van Outen).
Singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor will also have a cameo role in the London episodes, and her advice will prove helpful to Harlow’s search as she offers words of wisdom.
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