Neighbours ends

[XIII]

Oddly Lie with Me was made by Fremantle Australia for Channel 5 and 10, essentially Australian made but with Charlie Brooks in the lead.

[Asa]

Very sad for those who work on the show but not entirely unexpected news. Previous difficult contract negotiations, seemingly lukewarm reception from the Director of Programmes, down to four days a week, pitiful ratings in Aus. I think there was talk of staff being moved onto short-term contracts too? That'll set alarm bells ringing in any industry.

When I saw the news last night I did wonder if this might be the usual hardball negotiation tactics but seemingly not. Channel 5 isn't a charity so if the revenue doesn't cover it then it's no surprise. Especially as they're on a bit of roll with UK drama, no wonder they want to pump the money there.

Presumably the late night specials did nothing to bring any meaningful audience numbers from primetime to the show. It's a far cry from C5's desire for their "Aussie hour" which they probably wanted ever since poaching H&A in 2000.

I'm very surprised to see BBC Three and E4 thrown around as possible solutions. I don't have a breakdown of demographics but I can't imagine GenZ are finding the show - we got hooked (or just habitually watched it) in the 80s/90s in part because of the scheduling and the alternatives on the other channels weren't great.

Like Holby City, there's a loyal but too insignificant audience there who'll miss the show dearly and try to campaign for its saving but it'll be in vain. No soap or programme is guaranteed - at one time think C4 you'd think Brookside but the show's now been off air nearly as long as it was on.

Away from watching the odd special out of curiosity, I haven't seen it for 20 years. I would watch it every day though, never a huge fan of H&A and I do remember being really pleased when the BBC allowed the full credits to run for the 20th anniversary!

At least the guys in Pin Oak Court are probably going to be happy there's no more filming.

[Josh]

I've changed the topic title to say it has been axed. Was deciding whether or not to wait for a Fremantle/Network 10 statement but I'll change it and then if we hear anything, I'll be happy to change it accordingly.

[adamiow]

If the show is saved, I would expect there will be some severe cost cutting, such as reducing the cast and taking more breaks around the holidays, as per Doctors.

I wonder if Channel 5 think they can replace it will a new soap for a lot less money. Doctors costs about £50,000 per episode, so if you can cover the set up cost and take into account a reduction in audience, longer term, a show made similarly may be a lot more cost effective than paying for Neighbours and also give them some income from selling abroad if popular.

[Jon]

I really don’t think Channel 5 want their own soap. It’s clear they’re trying to be more BBC Two with a budget than ITV or BBC One and they’d rather pump the money into prime time Drama.

Considering EastEnders is seemingly struggling at the moment in the ratings, I can’t see a Family Affairs mk 2 (or 3?) being at the forefront of their mind.

[Brekkie]

Exactly. Soaps don't really sell internationally anymore either but more premium drama does - especially with streamers around the world needing content to compete, where a few four parters a year work better than something that delivers new episodes every weekday.

C5 somewhat have a formula as well for their primetime drama of small casts (often with a noteable lead) telling relatively simple stories but it is really working for them. Pretty much all of their efforts over the last year or two have comfortably rated over 2m.

[This is UTV]

At least the guys in Pin Oak Court are probably going to be happy there's no more filming.

I expect they are gutted to be honest as Fremantle pay handsomely each of the 6 home owners a annual fee. Easy money for all the residents. I believe they only flim on the street once or twice a week maximum. The rest of the time it's just the daily tour bus.

Once the Fremantle money stops rolling in, I expect the houses will lose value, they will also lose the 24hr security guard sat in a car in the cul de sac, but will probably still have the hassle of tourist turning up at random, knocking on their doors and trampling on their grass and flowerbeds. At the moment tourists are only allowed on the public foot paths for photos.

Also the studio complex is just a 5 minute drive up the road from Pin Oak Court. Without Neighbours the whole studio is empty and will probably be sold to a developer for housing as its in a residential area anyway.

[JasonB]

At least the guys in Pin Oak Court are probably going to be happy there's no more filming.

I expect they are gutted to be honest as Fremantle pay handsomely each of the 6 home owners a annual fee. Easy money for all the residents. I believe they only flim on the street once or twice a week maximum. The rest of the time it's just the daily tour bus.

Once the Fremantle money stops rolling in, I expect the houses will lose value, they will also loose the 24hr security guard sat in a car in the cul de sac, but will probably still have the hassle of tourist turning up at random, knocking on their doors and trampling on their grass and flowerbeds. At the moment tourists are only allowed on the public foot paths for photos.

Also the studio complex is just a 5 minute drive up the road from Pin Oak Court. Without Neighbours the whole studio is empty and will probably be sold to a developer for housing as its in a residential area anyway.

This one in Pin Oak Court sold in May last year for $1.6 million Australian Dollars.
https://www.barryplant.com.au/for-sale/1...33-104593/

The previous owner bought it in 1991 for $235,000 Australian Dollars.

[This is UTV]

Kark and Susan's home in Pin Oak sold for $1,405,000 in December 2019 too.

Who ever has bought these homes over the years clearly had in mind all the money they would be getting paid by Fremantle.
I bet the homes on the next street are a fraction of the price Pin Oak attracts.

I wouldn't be too shocked if in 2023 and beyond we hear reports of the residents in the 6 houses selling up and shipping out due to not being able to afford their mortgages on their artificially inflated house prices. How sad will it be to see the 6 houses all boarded up, and the cul de sac blocked off to stop anyone getting in.

C5 axing it have far bigger ramifications than just taking the production off air and Aussie jobs going.

Of course this may not happen if another UK broadcaster comes to the rescue. I bet the conditions of another UK broadcaster taking it on will be the Network 10 have to shoulder more of the costs. At the mo, C5 virtually pay for it all while 10's investment is just a drop in the Lassiters lake in comparison!

[JasonB]

Kark and Susan's home in Pin Oak sold for $1,405,000 in December 2019 too.

Who ever has bought these homes over the years clearly had in mind all the money they would be getting paid by Fremantle.
I bet the homes on the next street are a fraction of the price Pin Oak attracts.

I wouldn't be too shocked if in 2023 and beyond we hear reports of the residents in the 6 houses selling up and shipping out due to not being able to afford their mortgages on their artificially inflated house prices. How sad will it be to see the 6 houses all boarded up, and the cul de sac blocked off to stop anyone getting in.

C5 axing it have far bigger ramifications than just taking the production off air and Aussie jobs going.

Of course this may not happen if another UK broadcaster comes to the rescue. I bet the conditions of another UK broadcaster taking it on will be the Network 10 have to shoulder more of the costs. At the mo, C5 virtually pay for it all while 10's investment is just a drop in the Lassiters lake in comparison!

A British guy who runs a private jet company owns Number 6 (26 Ramsay Street) & Number 3 Pin Oak Court (30 Ramsay Street)

I've done the tour twice and the last time I did the tour in 2019 the tour guide asked us not to take pictures of Harold Bishop's house.

[GraemeT]

Why not harolds house? Anything specific?

[TomJ]

The owner of that house has been increasingly uncooperative. He had an ugly fence erected a few years ago, which had to be written into the show, and now refuses to move his campervan from the driveway so its presence has also had to be explained in universe.

[Jez_CymruWales]

I think Channel 4 is the only option, putting it on between Steph's Packed Lunch and Countdown and Come Dine With Me/Four In A Bed and The Simpsons. They are currently airing double bills of The Simpsons, so something for that slot would help.

Although scheduling wise I think C4 is the only one where it could fit I think commercially taking a show that doesn't make money for C5 and replacing a repeat of The Simpsons or Come Dine with Me, which presumably at least break even in the slot, doesn't make sense. However perhaps if C4 were set to lose The Simpsons and they had a slot to fill it would be a different story.

Similarly BBC3 at 7pm would work so well especially with Emmerdale moving, but the costs just can't be justified.

Channel 4 have never really shown any interest in any Aussie soaps, I really cant see them taking it on or for E4 either.

[Jez_CymruWales]

Part of me wonders whether the reduction to 4 days a week in Australia has something to do with this. I always found this odd as Neighbours has always been 5 days a week since day one. We assumed it was so the UK could catch up and we would be back to 5 a week in both countries from January. But it seems they are keeping it at 4 a week in Australia and we are for the first time ever ahead of them by several episodes. Makes me wonder if the production company has decided for a while to axe the show and only now its been picked up on by the media. The UK could therefore see the final episode in August with Australia seeing it a few months later as by then they will have fallen even further behind. If production ends in June episodes will be aired a few months later in the UK and normally there is a much bigger gap between production and the episodes getting to air.

[This is UTV]

The owner of that house has been increasingly uncooperative. He had an ugly fence erected a few years ago, which had to be written into the show, and now refuses to move his campervan from the driveway so its presence has also had to be explained in universe.

We use to get quite a lot of scenes of Mark Brennan, Tyler etc around the pool which of course was the real back of 4 Pin Oak/24 Ramsey St. No fake backlot for that house at the Studio complex.