Channel 5 bosses have hinted that another Australian soap could be given the chop after legendary show Neighbours came to an end after nearly 40 years on the airwaves
Following the cancellation of Neighbours, Channel 5 executives have suggested that Home and Away, another Australian serial, may be moving.
The programme has been broadcast on the station since 2000 and stars seasoned actor Ray Meagher as Alf Stewart.
Currently, it airs on Channel 5 throughout the workday at 1:15 PM, with a rerun at 6 PM on its sister station, 5Star.
All of that might change, though, since a “first look” programme of the action from the following day airs right away at 6.30 p.m.
When asked if Home and Away was “under jeopardy” after Neighbors was cancelled, Channel 5 president Ben Frow responded, “No. However, I think it will be intriguing to observe how we use it as we advance.
There may be another location for it in the spectrum of values for five.
According to his remarks, the soap opera, which has been broadcast on UK since its debut in 1989, might be transferred permanently to one of the station’s sibling stations.
There are no firm plans, a source added. Ben was merely stating that it would be something to take into consideration if the show seemed to suit better somewhere else where it would draw a larger audience.
He emphasised, however, that Home and Away would not be cancelled due to a special “lifelong” agreement to broadcast all the events in Summer Bay.
It won’t end until the producers decide to cancel it, he continued.
Neighbours, another Australian soap opera, has been cancelled as a result of Channel 5 ceasing to support it.
Since no other financial backer could be found, the soap is ending after 37 years on July 29.
Frow explained that he wants to divert the cash they would have spent on Neighbours to other projects.
He added: “I could spend the money on other things, which is what I decided to do. I can better spend the Neighbours money on UK shows.”
