“Neighbours” is hurtling towards its final week on air in both the UK and Australia.
With finale week set to kick off in a fortnight on Network 10, the network has released photos of Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan reuniting on set.
The iconic duo, who played Charlene and Scott, were coupled up on the soap opera in the 1980s. Their wedding in Episode 523 was broadcast on July 1, 1987. They left the show in 1988.
Their return as the original characters will assist “Neighbours” in wrapping up its 37-year run after Network 10 and the show’s producer Fremantle Australia failed to secure a UK production partner when Channel 5 decided to pull its partnership and funding.
Beverley McGarvey, chief content officer and executive vice president of Paramount ANZ – Network 10’s parent company – has previously expressed hope there could be a future for the show, however its final week is now locked in for Monday, July 25 to Thursday, July 28, running with 90-minute episodes on 10 Peach.
McGarvey noted that “Neighbours” is an iconic program and the Australian screen production sector will be worse off when it’s gone.
“It’s a devastating loss for that skills gathering. And people often start out on those big shows,” she said.
“No matter what way you cut it, “Neighbours” is still a loss and one that we’re very very sad about. We really didn’t want it to happen.”
Daniel Monaghan, Paramount ANZ’s senior vice president of content and programming, told Variety Australia that things hadn’t gone to plan’.
“When Fremantle told us they weren’t going to be able to get the funding out of the UK – we needed that funding. Everyone needed that UK partner to keep the show. It was incredibly disappointing. It does good numbers on 10 Peach. It’s got an incredibly loyal fan base. It’s been around for almost 40 years. [It’s] a stalwart.
“But unfortunately when they couldn’t find a partner, it just wasn’t a viable proposition for us. And we were really hopeful for a long time… But it hasn’t worked out the way that we would have liked.”
The Thursday night finale, on July 28, will air on both 10 Peach and Network 10’s primary channel.