“Neighbours” had an overnight metro audience of 163,000 on Wednesday night for its second-last episode.
This made it the No.1 show on the free-to-air networks’ multi-channels, an honour it also took out for its Tuesday episode (139,000 metro viewers) and Monday episode (156,000).
It is expected these overnight metro numbers will climb with the addition of live streaming viewers on 10 Play and those catching at a later date.
The 37-year old soap is coming to an end after its local broadcaster, Network 10, and the show’s producer, Fremantle Australia, failed to secure a UK production partner after Channel 5 decided to pull its partnership and funding.
Its UK audience and funding has been pivotal to the show’s longevity.
Locally, the iconic show previously broadcast on Network 10’s primary channel, Channel 10, however it moved to the network’s new digital multi-channel, Eleven, in early 2011.
In January last year, the show was trimmed back from five episodes per week (Monday to Friday) to just four (Monday to Thursday).
Despite its recent home on the multi-channel, now known as 10 Peach, tonight’s final episode – featuring returning superstars including Kylie Minogue, Margot Robbie, Delta Goodrem and Jesse Spencer – will simulcast on both 10 Peach and the primary Channel 10.
Minogue and her 1980s “Neighbours” co-star, Jason Donovan, have also re-released their duet “Especially For You” to honour the end of the program.