Iconic soap opera Neighbours is being axed just two years after its revival by Amazon. The long-running Australian show is now set to stop production this summer, and the final episode will be broadcast at the end of the year.
The Sun claims that Amazon have spoken to producers Fremantle, saying that the venture into soap operas has not worked out. Now, Amazon will pull the plug on funding of soap operas, including Neighbours, the Express reports.
A source told The Sun: “Amazon gave Fremantle two years to see if it worked but sadly they just didn’t get their viewers. It’s a really sad day especially for the cast and crew who work on the show in Melbourne.
“This really is the end of Neighbours just as it’s celebrated it’s 40th birthday”.
The news has come following the departure of a number of stars from the soap. Among them was Lucinda Cowden who played Melanie Pearson.
Speaking during an appearance on the Neighbens podcast, she said: “I am unemployed!” adding that it was “a bitter old pill to swallow.” She went on: “I’m off, it’s true.”
“I’m sorry, I can’t do anything about it, it wasn’t my bloody decision. But yeah, Mel’s off in her truck and doesn’t have any plans of return immediately.”
She added: “I don’t think they knew what to do with Mel without Toad, or without the family and all of that stuff. That’s maybe… I don’t know I’m second guessing. And you just make up all this stuff in your head anyway to make yourself better.”
Neighbours was revived by Amazon two years after Channel 5 cancelled it after an impressive run of some 37 years. Two years later in 2022 Amazon announced that it would be bring the soap back to its streaming platform in a deal spanning several years.
Over the years a Neighbours has played host to people who would go on to become household names around the world. Kylie Minogue, Margot Robbie, and Gut Pearce all returned for the final episode in an emotional goodbye.
