Neighbours ends

[tellyblues]

Being annoyed with C5 though for withdrawing funding from Neighbours though is ridiculous when it's pretty clear it would have gone a decade ago without them. Indeed C5 are pretty much implying now they've lost money on Neighbours ever since they acquired it - if anything Home and Away has actually been it's saviour as I suspect combined the two are profitable, but individually the high price they paid for Neighbours, which I think was three times more than the BBC valued it at, was ultimately it's undoing.

They may have overpaid but it's hardly the case that only the show and its fans have benefitted from the 14 years on Channel 5. They could have axed the show after the last contract ended but didn't, so it was a valuable asset to have.

As for C5 seemingly now being better than wheeling out shows past their best, replacing Neighbours with Cash In The Attic is a joke.

[XIII]

They may have overpaid but it's hardly the case that only the show and its fans have benefitted from the 14 years on Channel 5. They could have axed the show after the last contract ended but didn't, so it was a valuable asset to have.

As for C5 seemingly now being better than wheeling out shows past their best, replacing Neighbours with Cash In The Attic is a joke.

That's a bit unfair, I imagine the main reason why they didn't axe it last time was because they got something from Fremantle to agree to renew for a further few years which was same day airing as Australia but also they're now in a much stronger position now than they were in 2017.

[tellyblues]

They may have overpaid but it's hardly the case that only the show and its fans have benefitted from the 14 years on Channel 5. They could have axed the show after the last contract ended but didn't, so it was a valuable asset to have.

As for C5 seemingly now being better than wheeling out shows past their best, replacing Neighbours with Cash In The Attic is a joke.

That's a bit unfair, I imagine the main reason why they didn't axe it last time was because they got something from Fremantle to agree to renew for a further few years which was same day airing as Australia but also they're now in a much stronger position now than they were in 2017.

Fair enough, but Channel 5 and many of its other shows have benefitted from Neighbours and they didn't keep it on the air just to be nice. Even if some think it should have ended years ago there was still a considerable amount of people watching it and C5 won't replace those viewers easily even if a replacement is more economical for them.

[XIII]

Fair enough, but Channel 5 and many of its other shows have benefitted from Neighbours and they didn't keep it on the air just to be nice. Even if some think it should have ended years ago there was still a considerable amount of people watching it and C5 won't replace those viewers easily even if a replacement is more economical for them.

I suspect Channel 5 knows they won't be able to replace Neighbours easily especially at 1345 but if they can get the same numbers or higher at 6pm with the various factual replacements then it'll be a win. Sebastian Cardwell pointed out that many viewers just watched Neighbours then tuned out straight afterwards. 

It was a similar situation with Big Brother, it was swallowing a lot of money and it was no longer the reliable rater it once was and sometime you have to make hard decisions to move forward.

[Brekkie]

Talking of soaps ending on C5 how did Family Affairs end? I remember the first generation ending with the boat explosion but never really watched it after that.

[tellyblues]

Sebastian Cardwell pointed out that many viewers just watched Neighbours then tuned out straight afterwards.

That type of thing happens all the time. Channels have big shows and not so big shows. Neighbours and Eggheads may seem like the perfect blend  because they are both ex-BBC but one was on BBC2 for a reason - it wasn't mainstream enough. Similar to House of Games is unsuitable for BBC1.

[eyeTV]

Talking of soaps ending on C5 how did Family Affairs end?  I remember the first generation ending with the boat explosion but never really watched it after that.

A character was murdered, a character won the lottery, some characters split up and it ended with the cast singing Auld Lang's Syne (the episode was set on New Year's Eve).

[This is UTV]

Some big new returnees have been announced including Billy and Libby Kennedy, and Steph Scully.

I thought when Steph left last time these was some bad blood between her and the production, and of course the Libby actress has previously sued and won against Fremantle.
Normally when you burn bridges they don't let you back but looks like they have let bygones be bygones for the sake of the show and have Steph & Libby return.

[Brekkie]

Margo Robbie and Delta Goodrem confirmed too, though suspect it'll be through a zoom call given residents recent discovery of video calling. Not sure either have connections still in the show too other than a tenuous link to the Kennedy's.

[Amber Avenger]

Margo Robbie and Delta Goodrem confirmed too, though suspect it'll be through a zoom call given residents recent discovery of video calling.  Not sure either have connections still in the show too other than a tenuous link to the Kennedy's.

Donna (Margot's character) was mentioned just this week by Elle Robinson - Paul's daughter. She lives in New York and said she sees Donna all the time. Thought it was just a brief reference to Margot without getting her. As Paul is moving to New York, I imagine this is the link.

Delta was back as Nina for the 30th - think I remember she is a famous singer and/or actress in the Neighbours universe as well. Paul got her to perform at the Erinsborough anniversary celebrations. She did have a big connection with Lou who is about the biggest character left I'd have thought might make an appearance but hasn't been announced. Hope Tom Oliver is ok.

Basically they could shoehorn any cameo in they want - Harold years ago did a history of Ramsey Street book which Toadie now has custody of. It fell in some water the other day so I suspect that could be an excuse to reach out to old residents of Ramsey Street

[Put The Telly On]

One of the characters has put a shout out on Facebook as they want to redo Harold's Ramsay St book so that will be an excuse to bring some old faces back. Lets be honest, it's a clever way of doing it. How many of you are still in a Facebook group of your old hometown etc? It's plausible, lets put it that way. Doesn't explain why some of the characters may not have returned for other significant events over the past 35 years but this is Soapland we're talking about.

There may be some things that are a little far-fetched if you've been watching it constantly since 1985 but personally, having not watched for years and tuning in again just last week, I'm already up to speed with who is who so, continuity wise, the ending is being tied together very well in my opinion.

[Omnipresent]

ABC News recently ran a special on the end of Neighbours, featuring Ian Smith and Anne Charleston:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJYpGcDSTv0

[This is UTV]

Madge Bishop also now confirmed for the final episode. Just like in 2015 for the 30th Anniversary when she came back as a vision of Harold's imagination, she'll be back as a ghost again.

[Brekkie]

Just feels oh so unnecessary. Should have limited it to a few key characters who made sense in the context of the current cast.

[BBCMeridian]

Madge Bishop also now confirmed for the final episode. Just like in 2015 for the 30th Anniversary when she came back as a vision of Harold's imagination, she'll be back as a ghost again.

Fantastic news, I always knew the show couldn't finish without her, one things for sure Neighbours is going to go out with a bang.