Australia’s long-running soap opera “Neighbours” is set to cease production once again after Fremantle failed to secure a renewed deal with Amazon.
The beloved series debuted 40 years ago next month, and has become a well-loved series across the globe, but now filming will wrap up for the final time mid-year, with the show’s last episode to air at the end of 2025.
The news, first reported by The Sun, comes just two years after streaming giant Amazon revived the show following its initial cancellation by the UK’s Channel 5. Amazon had announced the reboot in late 2022 as part of a multi-year deal, breathing new life into the iconic program and giving fans a second chance to visit Ramsay Street.
The series’ 2022 finale was a star-studded farewell watched by over 1.2 million Aussies, featuring the return of “Neighbours” alumni including Margot Robbie, Kylie Minogue, and Guy Pearce. However, Amazon soon stepped in to resurrect the show with a fresh production, which began filming in 2023 and was broadcast globally on Amazon Freevee.
In 2024, Amazon shuttered Freevee and integrated its content into Prime Video. Now, after two years on the platform, “Neighbours” will once again come to an end.
According to The Sun, Amazon informed Fremantle that its investment in the soap had not yielded the expected success, leading to the decision to withdraw funding.
“Amazon gave Fremantle two years to see if it worked, but sadly, they just didn’t get the viewers,” a source told the publication. “It’s a really sad day, especially for the cast and crew in Melbourne. This really is the end of ‘Neighbours,’ just as it celebrated its 40th anniversary.”
An Amazon spokesperson later confirmed the news, ABC reported.
“‘Neighbours’ has brought so much joy over the last 40 years to its fanbase globally and in the UK,” the spokesperson said. “Forty years is an incredible milestone and we are proud that Amazon MGM Studios was able to have a small part of bringing further episodes to Freevee and Prime Video customers over the last two years, spanning over 400 episodes.”
Despite its struggles, the “Neighbours” revival achieved a historic milestone last year, earning two Daytime Emmy nominations for Best Drama Series and Best Guest Performance (Guy Pearce)—the first-ever Emmy nods for the show.
First premiering on Channel 10 in Australia in 1985 before arriving on BBC1 in 1986, “Neighbours” became a cultural phenomenon, particularly in the UK. Nearly 20 million British viewers tuned in to watch the 1988 wedding of Scott and Charlene, played by Jason Donovan and Kylie Minogue—one of the most iconic moments in soap opera history.