155-643: Sindi Watts (also Parker ) is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours , played by Marisa Warrington . She made her first appearance during the episode broadcast on 19 July 2002. Sindi was initially a recurring character, before she was promoted to the regular cast. Her storylines often focused on her romantic relationships, including her affair with Rocco Cammeniti (Robert Forza) and marriage to Stuart Parker ( Blair McDonough ). She also attempted to break up Toadfish Rebecchi ( Ryan Moloney ) and Dee Bliss ( Madeleine West ), and briefly became
310-570: A Sydney Star Observer reporter called Sindi "sympathetic" and said her nice reaction to Lana's news was "good to see." A writer for the BBC 's Neighbours website said Sindi's most notable moments were "Dating Toadie for money. Acting like a bogan to put Rocco off. The Making Mansions fiasco." Fergus Sheil of The Age said: "Sindi Watts knows that dishonesty, a meditation tape and a lavender wheat bag should be an integral part of any intimate relationship, and that's why we love her to bits." Billy Sloan of
465-458: A lapdancer to raise much needed money. The character was written out in May 2005 and she departed on 26 August 2005. In January 2017, it was announced that Warrington had reprised her role, and Sindi returned on 7 February. She was revealed to be involved in a scam with Andrea Somers (Madeleine West). The following year saw the character make a brief appearance on 12 February 2018, before returning for
620-675: A 90-minute episode in Australia on 28 July 2022 on Network 10 and 10 Peach, while the finale in the United Kingdom aired on 29 July 2022 as a normal 30-minute episode in the regular daytime schedule followed by an hour-long prime-time episode. Due to timing, some scenes were cut from the UK showing. The finale was broadcast in Ireland on 3 August 2022 and in New Zealand on 2 September 2022. In November 2022, it
775-407: A 9:30 am daily time slot from 1 July to 30 August 1991. New York City station WWOR-TV showed Neighbours weekdays 5:30 pm from 17 June to 17 September 1991. Sixty-five selected episodes were aired from the beginning to where Charlene leaves Ramsay Street in 1988 in both markets. In April 2004, the show began broadcasting nationally on the television channel Oxygen . A spokeswomen from
930-456: A belated 21st birthday party for Toadie. As Toadie leaves his party, he is surprised to meet a "bitter" Sindi, who reveals that Andrea is back in Australia. She then gives Toadie a phone number for Andrea. Sindi returned for a guest stint from 26 June, until 2 August 2018. Sindi meets Darcy Tyler ( Mark Raffety ) at Lassiter's and there is an attraction between them. Darcy later treats Sindi's hurt ankle, but does not pursue anything further as he
1085-507: A bit wrong! He looked like my uncle!" When her boyfriend, Stuart Parker ( Blair McDonough ), is left blind following a fire, Sindi turns to exotic dancing to raise money. Warrington explained that Sindi feel responsible for Stuart's condition because he went into the fire to rescue her. She also likes that he is now dependent on her, as she is a needy person and she loves him. Sindi has no choice but to return to her previous profession, as other career prospects are non-existent, but she keeps it
1240-456: A colleague competing with Stuart for a promotion, is also run over by a mystery driver. In the meantime Sindi proposes to Stuart, and the two have a whirlwind engagement. Toadie links the numerous accidents with Sindi's increasingly bizarre behaviour, and worried for Stuart's safety, tries to halt the wedding ceremony. Stuart punches Toadie, and the wedding goes ahead, but Stuart realises the truth when he later sees an unhinged Sindi push Toadie down
1395-401: A couple of months, the show moved to 3:50 pm weekdays. The show eventually moved back to TV2, screening weeknights at 6:00 pm and, later, 6:30 pm before moving back to 6:00 pm. Its timeslot in 2022 was at 4:30 pm on TVNZ 1 . The finale aired, in its 90-minute iteration as Neighbours: The Final Farewell , in a primetime slot on TVNZ 1, on 2 September 2022. New episodes
1550-492: A cult, which almost cost him his friendships, and marrying Sindi Watts ( Marisa Warrington ). Stuart departed on 5 April 2006 after McDonough quit to pursue other projects. The actor reprised the role for three episodes from 13 February until 15 February 2018. Stu made an unannounced cameo appearance in the final episode on 28 July 2022. In 2001, McDonough became a runner-up in the first series of Australian Big Brother . His "good looks and down-to-earth personality" attracted
1705-541: A drop of 300,000 from the BBC's average. However, the move boosted Channel 5's usual share for the 5.30 pm slot by three and a half times. UK viewers are able to catch up with episodes with Channel 5's video catch up service, My5 , similar to the catch up service in Australia. Channel 5 also had a deal with YouTube , allowing viewers to watch episodes for free on the video sharing site after they have been transmitted. From 4 January 2016, Channel 5 began broadcasting episodes on
SECTION 10
#17331640176071860-402: A feature-length special episode, which aired on 12 February 2018. The episode centres on a belated 21st birthday party for Toadfish Rebecchi ( Ryan Moloney ). McDonough then made an unannounced return for the intended finale on 28 July 2022 , in where Stuart sends a video message for Toadie after his wedding. Stuart added further nostalgia to the episode by referencing the "House of Trouser",
2015-410: A flight of stairs. Hospitalised, it emerges that Sindi has been suffering from paranoid delusions, and had received treatment in her teens after pushing schoolmate Kelly Weaver (Simone Ray) down some stairs, leaving her paralysed. A broken Sindi asks Stuart for an annulment, with her doctors advising that her obsession for a perfect married life was a trigger. Stuart refuses the annulment but agrees to
2170-556: A focus on three households created by Watson – including the Ramsay and Robinson families, who have a long history and an ongoing rivalry. Over the serial's early years, three additional houses on the street were introduced as regular settings. Pin Oak Court, in Vermont South , is the real cul-de-sac that has doubled for Ramsay Street. The houses featured are real and the residents allow
2325-412: A great time. But it's time to move on." In January 2018, it was announced that McDonough had reprised his role. Executive producer Jason Herbison stated that Stuart will return to Erinsborough for a celebration which allows him to "reconnect with an old friend". Further details about the character's return were revealed on 17 January. Along with several other returning cast members, McDonough appeared in
2480-517: A guest stint from 7 February. Sindi's return was part of a storyline surrounding the reappearance of Dee Bliss. After arriving in Erinsborough, Sindi tells Toadie that she heard the news about Dee being alive, so she had to come and see for herself. Toadie's wife Sonya Rebecchi ( Eve Morey ) is suspicious of Sindi, and Morey stated "Sonya finds it all a bit strange – first there was Dee, now Sindi! Why have they both turned up now? Also Dee makes out that
2635-592: A home renovation show." Jack Scully ( Jay Bunyan ) becomes interested in Sindi and he goes to Toadie for advice on how to win her over. However, Toadie is resentful of Jack, as he likes Sindi too. Toadie struggles to admit to himself that he has feelings for Sindi because he is in mourning for his late wife, Dee. Warrington explained the situation, "This is the point at which Toadie starts to become interested in Sindi, but just because he's not ready to reveal his feelings, he doesn't want anyone else to go after her either. There's
2790-405: A ladder and Susan Kennedy hits her head on a cupboard door, while Sindi is around. Sindi tells Stuart that she is jinxed and goes through hypnotherapy treatment. Sindi proposes to Stuart, who accepts. Stuart grow suspicious of Sindi again when he learns that his friend, Trent Hoffa (Todd Scoullar) was hit by a car. After confronting Sindi, Stuart is forced to apologise when Trent wakes up and says
2945-509: A longer guest stint from 26 June until 2 August 2018. The character of Sindi marked the third time Warrington had appeared in Neighbours since 1996. After her first stint in 2002, Warrington returned for another guest stint the following year, as Sindi became Toadfish Rebecchi 's ( Ryan Moloney ) receptionist. In September 2003, reporters for the Herald Sun confirmed that Warrington had joined
3100-428: A lot of him in me. He's a fairly straightforward guy, who's just out to have a good time." McDonough also said that he and his character were both from the country, but Stuart was more naive than he was. Stuart, or "Chooka" as he is nicknamed, comes from Oakey , the home town of fellow Neighbours character Drew Kirk ( Dan Paris ). He is introduced as the younger brother of one of Drew's friends. He first appears at
3255-464: A lunchtime broadcast and then a morning broadcast repeat the following day. Michael Grade , the channel's then controller, was advised by his daughter to move the morning broadcast repeat to a late afternoon slot, as she and her friends kept missing it due to them being at school, which took place from 4 January 1988. The show then started attracting larger audiences, peaking at over 21 million viewers on 26 January 1990, an aggregated figure that combined
SECTION 20
#17331640176073410-431: A new current affairs show. They said "It's part of a re-branding of Ten's free-to-air channel, targeting the older demographic. The 'younger' shows, like Neighbours , will go on to one of Ten's digital channels". It was later confirmed that the show would be moving to digital channel, Eleven. Network Ten's programmer, David Mott said "We believe Neighbours is perfectly suited to Eleven's audience strategy and will find
3565-414: A new UK broadcaster. Dennis said of the cancellation, "Simply put, it is all about the quickly changing landscape in the way we view our favourite TV shows. Drama on free-to-air television is dying a rapid death because nowadays viewers are used to being able to watch what they want when they want. Ultimately, Neighbours is a product in the big business of film and television and like any other business, if
3720-568: A new family for the show. Warrington had 18 months left on her contract and expressed her disappointment at leaving the show, after she worked on making her character "more appealing" to conservative viewers. "Sindi appears to be a changed woman now, but a leopard never really changes its spots. It's not very long before she gets up to her old tricks and is slap-bang in the middle of causing big trouble for Toadie." On 24 January 2017, Daniel Kilkelly of Digital Spy announced that Warrington had reprised her role and would be returning to Neighbours for
3875-506: A nice little love triangle that develops." Sindi and Toadie begin a brief relationship, but they break up because Toadie still loves Dee. Sindi leaves town for a while, but when she returns she tells Lyn Scully ( Janet Andrewartha ) that she is in a relationship with a married man. She explains that she has been trying to stop it, but she has trouble going through with it. Lyn disapproves, but she supports Sindi. When Sindi's feelings for Toadie resurface, she decides to end her relationship with
4030-460: A nomination for Sexiest Male at the 2003 Inside Soap Awards . Michael Idato of The Sydney Morning Herald praised McDonough's performance during his debut, writing "He is, in fact, a surprise: a perfectly adequate performer, considering he comes with no formal qualification in drama." Cameron Adams of the Herald Sun liked the character's change in career, writing "At least Stu (Blair McDonough)
4185-401: A one-and-half-hour-long episode. It was broadcast on 29 July 2022 in the UK as a one-hour-long episode. A study conducted shortly after the final episode aired in Australia and the UK found that fans experienced considerable feelings of grief and loss at the conclusion of the series, with viewers having formed strong connections and bonds with their favorite characters. On 17 November 2022, it
4340-470: A plan to claim money from the Bliss family estate, with Sindi asking for $ 20,000 in exchange for her help. Sindi later poses as Dee's saviour Emily on the phone to the police, leading her to increase her share of the money to $ 40,000. Warrington reprised the role again, along with several other returning cast members, for a feature-length special episode, which first aired on 12 February 2018. The episode centres on
4495-407: A product isn't making money, it will make way for one that will. All TV shows come to an end – even the likes of long-time legends such as Coronation Street and Days of Our Lives will eventually cease. Survival of these shows is in the viewers' hands." Cast member Georgie Stone revealed that she discovered the cancellation on Twitter and was initially unsure whether to believe it, until she
4650-512: A residential cul-de-sac in the fictional Melbourne suburb of Erinsborough . The street was named after the grandfather of original character Max Ramsay ( Francis Bell ). Other locations include Erinsborough High School, the garage (local mechanic), hospital , and the Lassiter's complex, which contains the Lassiter's Hotel , Waterhole bar, Harold's Café , the lawyers office Rebecchi Law , and
4805-671: A resort in Queensland. Filming locations outside of Australia have included Kenya , the United States and the United Kingdom, which has seen Neighbours episodes filmed there on a number of occasions. In February 1990, Lyme Park in Cheshire doubled as the Ledgerwood estate set in Yorkshire. Derek Nimmo guest-starred as the fictitious Lord Ledgerwood in two of the episodes. In November 1992,
Sindi Watts - Misplaced Pages Continue
4960-863: A ride on the London Eye and being married on a boat on the River Thames . Three further storylines shot on location in London aired in March 2017, March 2018, and September 2019. The show was due to film in Ireland for the first time in March 2020, before the shoot was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The following year, a sixth storyline was filmed on location in London, featuring Amanda Holden and Sophie Ellis-Bextor alongside regular cast member Jemma Donovan ( Harlow Robinson ). In early 2023, Annie Jones ( Jane Harris ) and Guy Pearce ( Mike Young ) filmed scenes in
5115-421: A secret relationship. During a fire at the pub, Stuart tries to rescue Sindi, but the pub collapses and traps them. When they are rescued, Stuart is found to have severe injuries to his eyes. The Helen Daniels Trust donates money to Stuart so he can have an operation to fix his sight. Stuart grows suspicious about Sindi's behaviour when his friends begin to get injured. Liljana Bishop ( Marcella Russo ) slips off
5270-426: A secret. Of this, Warrington told Inside Soap ' s Jason Herbison : "Sindi goes back to exotic dancing – something she always swore she would never do again. She hates it and is so ashamed that she doesn't tell anyone. But that's the kind of character Sindi is. She's a doormat!" At the end of a shift, Sindi is offered the chance to make more money by prostituting herself. Warrington said that although Sindi says no, she
5425-402: A successful and enduring home on Eleven". Neighbours moved to Eleven on 11 January 2011, the channel's launch day. Throughout 2013, Eleven had broadcast repeat episodes of Neighbours from the 2007 period, titled Old School Neighbours , during weekday mornings. In 2015, Network Ten had broadcast an encore of the previous day's episode at 7:00 am weekdays. In 2018, for the first time in
5580-649: A temporary break while she recovers, and she is transferred to a clinic in New South Wales. Almost a year later, Sindi agrees to join Stuart for a new start in Oakey as he leaves Ramsay Street. Sindi and Stuart later divorce. While working in a kitchen, she meets Andrea Somers (also Madeleine West ), and they concoct a plan where Andrea poses as her lookalike, the presumed dead Dee Bliss, to scam Toadie. She eventually returns to Erinsborough and tells Andrea she regrets her part in
5735-403: A while, before a run of odd events start happening around them. Sindi loses her job at All Her Magazine and she is later snubbed at a school reunion by her old classmates. Several of their friends and neighbours suffer mysterious accidents, including Susan, Liljana Bishop ( Marcella Russo ), and Janae Timmins ( Eliza Taylor ) - coincidentally all after upsetting Sindi in some way. Trent Hoffa,
5890-495: A while, before making amends. Stuart applies to be a police officer. On his first day, Stuart is partnered with Olivia McPherson (Silvia de Crespigny), they get on well and Stuart develops a crush on her. However, when he discovers she is corrupt, he reports her. Stuart fails to get on well with Toadie's new girlfriend, Sindi Watts ( Marisa Warrington ), but during an argument, they kiss. Sindi tells Toadie, and they stay together. When Toadie breaks up with her, Stuart and Sindi begin
6045-450: Is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours , played by Blair McDonough . He made his first appearance during the episode broadcast on 13 December 2001. Stuart lived with Toadfish Rebecchi ( Ryan Moloney ) and Connor O'Neill ( Patrick Harvey ) at number 30 , during which time the house became known as "The House of Trouser". Stuart's storylines included becoming a policeman, temporarily losing his eyesight, joining
6200-407: Is a wonderful show and because of this I felt it was important that fresh eyes and brains take over to keep this Australian icon contemporary. Having said that, I'm really excited about the new role and thank FremantleMedia for this wonderful opportunity." Former City Homicide producer, Richard Jasek , took over Bower's role, while Alan Hardy took over the role of producer. On 4 December 2013, it
6355-476: Is back. Stuart catches up with Steph and tells her that his marriage to Sindi ended as she had a lot of issues to work through. Toadie apologises to Stuart for being busy with work, and they spend the afternoon together. After buying burgers from Grease Monkeys, Stuart notices the garage across the road and remarks that it has not changed. He notices the mechanic and Toadie introduces him as Ben (now Felix Mallard ), Drew and Libby's son. Toadie persuades Ben to shut up
Sindi Watts - Misplaced Pages Continue
6510-693: Is currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video on 18 September 2023. In Canada, CFMT-TV in Toronto broadcast Neighbours on weeknights at 11:00 pm, starting in September 1990. From 20 May 1991, CFMT moved the show to 4:00 pm. After announcing its cancellation, CFMT decided to keep Neighbours on its schedule throughout September 1994, following numerous letters and telephone calls. From April 2017 to April 2019, Neighbours aired on OutTV . Episodes were broadcast on weekdays at 2:30 pm ET and 5:30 pm ET, with an omnibus on Saturdays. Episodes aired on
6665-448: Is dating her sister Penny ( Andrea McEwan ). Sindi seizes the opportunity to blackmail Darcy by threatening to tell Penny about his flirting with her unless he gives into her demands which include paying for clothes and shoes. Penny sees the pair together one day and as revenge reports Darcy to the medical board for having an affair with a patient. Sindi soon leaves Erinsborough. The following year, Sindi crosses paths with Darcy again and
6820-456: Is in love with. So she uses the excuse that she doesn't want to be Rocco's secret 'other woman' anymore." However, Rocco then chooses that moment to give Sindi an engagement ring, which she has to accept. She later tells Toadie that she loves him and they agree to start their relationship again. Sindi finally manages to end her relationship with Rocco to start a new life with Toadie, but she is unaware that Rocco has hired someone to spy on her. Rocco
6975-417: Is incredibly sweet and honest, she has a lot of good points." She later told the Herald Sun' s Robert Fidgeon that every time she returned as Sindi, she had "undergone something of a personality transplant". She branded Sindi "a real nasty-pasty" during her first stint, before she became "a ditsy blonde", and then "a fabulous legal secretary". Of her 2004 return, Warrington said Sindi was now the "bubbly host of
7130-437: Is leaving for New York. Stuart proposes to her and she accepts. Once Felicity leaves, Stuart begins spending time with Libby and her son, Ben Kirk (Noah Sutherland). Stuart later admits that he made a mistake getting engaged and calls Felicity to tell her that their relationship is over. Stuart finds the garage hard to run by himself, and he employs Stephanie Scully ( Carla Bonner ). Stuart is accused of causing Dee's death when
7285-443: Is not happy when he is given photos of Sindi and Toadie together, and Warrington commented that he "goes a bit crazy" as he believes Sindi is his girl. When she was asked what it was like to date someone like Rocco, who is nearly twice her age, Warrington replied "Robert, who plays Rocco is a lovely guy, so it was fine. However, I must confess, when I was about 24 I briefly dated a man who was in his 40s and I have to say that it did look
7440-426: Is now airs from 19 September 2023 at 5.30pm Tuesdays to Fridays on TVNZ 2. Episodes is to be then available to stream on Amazon Prime Video . In Iceland, Neighbours has been aired on Stöð 2 since 1986 with Icelandic subtitles. The show is currently on weeknights at 5.25 pm. In Belgium, Neighbours has aired since 1988 as Buren , with Dutch subtitles on Één (previously known as TV1, in 2024 known as VRT1),
7595-404: Is now streaming on Amazon Freevee from 18 September 2023 in the United Kingdom. In Ireland, RTÉ began broadcasting Neighbours on 2 January 2001. The show aired weekdays at 2:00 pm on RTÉ One and was repeated at 6:00 pm on RTÉ Two . Episodes were also available via catch-up on RTÉ Player . Prior to the move from BBC One to Channel 5 in the UK, RTÉ broadcast Neighbours at the same pace as
7750-497: Is tempted by the money. The character's resolve is tested when Stuart starts seeing colours and a specialist informs him that surgery would cost $ 50,000. Sindi knows how they can get the money and seriously considers turning to prostitution. Warrington said that Sindi wants to be with Stuart forever, so she knows that she would be doing it for their future. Stuart and Sindi became engaged in 2005 and they begin planning for their wedding. However, Toadie becomes suspicious that something
7905-497: Is the real cul-de-sac that doubles for Ramsay Street. All of the houses featured in the show are real and the residents allow Neighbours to shoot external scenes in their front and back yards and on occasions, in their garages. Neighbours has been filmed in Pin Oak Court since the series began in 1985 and it has since become popular with tourists. Tours to the cul-de-sac run throughout the year. The interior scenes are filmed at
SECTION 50
#17331640176078060-706: Is used as a pawn in his game to drive a wedge between Toadfish Rebecchi and Dee Bliss, in order for Darcy to win Dee back. Sindi goes through with the plan by flirting with Toadie, but ends up falling for him for real. Darcy is annoyed, but Sindi threatens to expose his dubious dealings. When Sindi leaves an earring behind and goes to retrieve it from Toadie's house, she meets Dee, who assumes Sindi has moved in. Sindi tries to explain, but Dee leaves before she can. Several months later, Sindi returns when Tim Collins ( Ben Anderson ), Toadie's colleague, hires her to work at their legal practice. Things are awkward at first, but Sindi settles in
8215-488: Is visiting Sindi, she tells her about a job offer as a sales manager in Sydney. Sindi is reluctant to accept as she wants to makes amends to Sonya and Toadie, but Sonya gives Sindi her blessing. Sindi comes to Ramsay Street to say her goodbyes and Toadie asks if she ever told Andrea about his first kiss with Dee, but Sindi tells him that she did not mention it. When Sindi's cousin, Lana Crawford ( Bridget Neval ), came out to her,
8370-519: Is wrong with Sindi and that she "may not be all she's cracked up to be." He confronts her at the wedding ceremony, but Stuart punches him and he and Sindi marry. In May 2005, it was announced that Warrington's character would be written out of the show in a "surprise shake-up" of the cast. Actors Kevin Harrington ( David Bishop ) and Marcella Russo ( Liljana Bishop ) were also told their contracts were not being renewed, as producers sought actors to form
8525-559: The Sunday Mail branded the character "disaster-prone". A TV Soap reporter branded Sindi a "slightly unhinged material girl" and said she took "drastic steps" during her time on the show. Daniel Kilkelly from Digital Spy said "we always had a soft spot for Sindi in her hilarious Making Mansions days." Upon on her 2017 return, the reporter believed Sindi's life was "weirder than ever". Kilkelly profiled eight evil Sindi moments, observing that she has "never been shy when it comes to bending
8680-446: The BBC that she enjoyed playing the "evil" Sindi that tried to break up Toadie and Dee Bliss ( Madeleine West ). But she later admitted that she initially found her character annoying, stating "She rubbed people up the wrong way, and I didn't like her!" The writers changed Sindi's persona for her 2003 reintroduction. She became a lot nicer and more fun. Warrington said that Sindi was also more "dippy", adding "the current Sindi character
8835-570: The Great Barrier Reef region. Two storylines were filmed in Geelong and the Gold Coast in 2016. In March 2019, Neighbours filmed scenes at the 2019 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras for an episode airing in 2020. The serial also had its own float during the parade. Later that year, scenes for Paul Robinson ( Stefan Dennis ) and Terese Willis ' ( Rebekah Elmaloglou ) wedding were filmed at
8990-519: The Morrison government to step in and help. After the decision to cut the show's funding by British broadcaster Channel 5, an online campaign was launched trying to get Barry Crocker 's version of the Neighbours theme song to number one in the UK charts. This success had the tune at number one on the iTunes chart for almost 24 hours. An article in the Sydney Morning Herald noted that following
9145-556: The Republic of Ireland on 3 August 2022. To mark the ending of the show, RTÉ had made several classic episodes available to viewers in Ireland on the RTÉ Player. Neighbours returned to RTÉ and debuted on Amazon Prime Video on 18 September 2023. In New Zealand, Neighbours was broadcast primarily on the TVNZ network. The show was initially broadcast by TVNZ on 25 July 1988, but by 1996 it
9300-531: The TV Tonight website reported Neighbours was to reduce crew operations in 2011 so production could be upgraded. The changes meant that the location manager and catering team were no longer required, studio shoots would be reduced from three cameras to two, and location shooting would be restricted. Of the changes, FremantleMedia said " Neighbours is undergoing a work flow upgrade to accommodate advances in technology and production techniques to ensure we are at
9455-451: The merger of Viacom and CBS , Channel 5 in the UK and Channel 10 in Australia became owned by the same corporate umbrella. Despite the soap being the 4th most popular in the UK (behind the country's traditional top 3 soaps), the funding arrangements meant that one part of ViacomCBS was cross-subsidising another. On 3 March 2022, it was confirmed that the show would end after 37 years on air, after production company Fremantle could not obtain
SECTION 60
#17331640176079610-515: The 2000s, rival soap opera Home and Away emerged as more popular than Neighbours in Australia. As of 2004, Neighbours was regularly attracting just under a million viewers per episode. In 2007, Home and Away was averaging 1.4 million viewers in Australia to Neighbours ' 700,000. During the revamp of 2007, the episode broadcast on 23 July 2007 saw the introduction of a new family, updated sets, new theme music and graphics. Ratings for that episode averaged 1.05 million viewers in
9765-455: The 6:30 pm. slot. It was the first time the programme's viewing figures had topped 1 million in 2007. By the end of 2007 it was reported that producers had hoped the Neighbours revamp would push the ratings up to between 900,000 to 1 million an episode. It had, however, resulted in a more modest boost, with ratings hovering at about 800,000 a night. The same viewing period had shown an increase in ratings for Home and Away , which
9920-406: The Australian broadcast. All episodes of Neighbours were later removed from Hulu. From 18 September 2023, new episodes along with archive episodes, is now streaming on Amazon Freevee . Neighbours initially aired on Seven Network. It struggled to attract high ratings, leading to its cancellation by the network four months after it premiered. The series was then picked up by Network Ten. After
10075-553: The BBC. From the move to Channel 5, RTÉ sat one episode behind the UK broadcast. In 2007, RTÉ secured a long-term deal with FremantleMedia to continue broadcasting the show in Ireland after it moved from the BBC to Channel 5. While RTÉ had only broadcast Neighbours since 2001, it had already been popular with Irish viewers since it debuted on BBC One in October 1986. The finale was broadcast in Northern Ireland on 29 July 2022 and
10230-459: The Christmas and New Year period. From 2018 until 2020, the show aired all year round, although a three-week Christmas break occurred in 2021–2022. All aired episodes shown during the week are available to watch on Network 10's 10Play app, as part of their catch up TV service. 10 Peach also broadcast the last four aired episodes shown in an omnibus edition each Sunday. When the show began in 1985,
10385-528: The Global Television studios in Forest Hill , the adjoining suburb in which Pin Oak Court is located. Under the contract for filming to take place on the street, the residents of Pin Oak Court require permission to alter the exterior of their properties; between the series' cancellation and revival in 2022 and 2023, some residents took the opportunity to make renovations without hindrance. Through much of
10540-483: The Oakey Rodeo, where Drew is competing. A week later, Stuart follows Drew to Erinsborough , and McDonough said Stuart plans on "making a name for himself in the big smoke." Stuart immediately wins people over with his "country charm". McDonough quit the show in October 2005 after four years to move to the UK. A spokeswoman said "It was an enormous opportunity... and he's a bit sad leaving Ramsay Street because he's had
10695-609: The Seven Network. Repeat episodes of Neighbours episodes from the 1988–1991 period were broadcast between 2000 and 30 June 2003 on Network Ten. These episodes were seen at 3:30 pm, before moving to 11:30 am. During 2008, Ten HD broadcast the previous week's episodes in an omnibus edition each Sunday. These omnibus editions did not return in 2009, as Ten HD was replaced by One HD from March 2009. In August 2010, Sydney's Daily Telegraph reported that Neighbours would be moving to Ten's new digital channel, to make way for
10850-636: The UK after Channel 5 pulled its funding for budget reasons. In an official statement, a channel spokesperson said " Neighbours will no longer air on Channel 5 beyond this summer. It's been a much-loved part of our schedule for more than a decade, and we'd like to thank the cast, Fremantle and all of the production team for their fantastic work on this iconic series." Neighbours concluded on Channel 5 in July 2022. The channel's spokesperson confirmed that 5 wants to increase its investment in original UK dramas. New episodes of Neighbours , along with archive episodes,
11005-482: The UK broadcast, which had fallen behind due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The move caused some viewers to speculate that the soap was on the verge of being cancelled, but April Rose Pengilly (who plays Chloe Brennan ) confirmed that the rumours were not true. On 23 November 2021, a spokesperson from Channel 5 confirmed that Neighbours episodes would continue airing five times a week in 2022, while 10 Peach would be keeping
11160-402: The UK broadcaster as it was no longer commercially viable for Ten to fund it alone. In 2018, after a new deal was secured with Channel 5, the show became the first Australian drama to air all year round. In February 2022, Channel 5 announced that it would be dropping Neighbours from its schedule; the cancellation of the show was confirmed the following month. The show's finale was broadcast as
11315-529: The UK episode airing on the same day as the wedding. The episode, which had already aired in Australia, marked the first time an Australian show recorded extra scenes for a UK broadcaster. On 25 October 2011, it was announced Bower would leave Neighbours in December 2011 to move into a new international role with FremantleMedia. Of her departure, Bower told Colin Vickery of the Herald Sun , "I love Neighbours , it
11470-400: The UK for the show's most recent overseas storyline, which aired in the first few weeks of the show's revival. Neighbours currently airs from Monday to Thursday weekly at 4:00pm on Network 10 and is replayed at 6:30pm on 10 Peach . Until 2018, Neighbours was broadcast from early January to early December for approximately 48–49 weeks each year, going off-air for four to five weeks during
11625-483: The UK launched a search to find a female actress to play the part of Poppy Rogers . The search was similar to the Dolly magazine competition in Australia. August saw Neighbours air its 6,000th episode. Digital Spy revealed that the week-long 6,000th episode celebrations would see the wedding of regular characters, Donna Freedman ( Margot Robbie ) and Ringo Brown ( Sam Clark ). It was later announced that an attempt on
11780-581: The air in the world. In 2005, Neighbours celebrated its 20th anniversary and over twenty former cast members returned for a special episode , which saw the characters sitting down to watch a documentary about Ramsay Street and its residents. At the Logie Award ceremony that year, the show was inducted into the Logie Hall of Fame . In 2007, the show underwent a revamp, which included a switch to recording in HDTV ,
11935-413: The anniversary episodes that revolved around an Erinsborough Festival. Network Ten and Channel 5 aired a documentary special titled Neighbours 30th: The Stars Reunite , which featured interviews with current and former cast members, including Kylie Minogue , Jason Donovan and Guy Pearce , reflecting on their time on the show. Natalie Lynch succeeded Wilson as producer in early 2016. In 2017, there
12090-506: The attention of the Neighbours' producers. McDonough had to audition for the role of Stuart. He was offered the part, which was initially for three months. McDonough began filming with the show in August 2001. Shortly before his debut episode aired, he had his three-month contract extended to six months. This was then extended to one year. McDonough found that he was very similar to Stuart. He told Jason Herbison of Inside Soap , "There's
12245-495: The car Toadie was driving on their wedding day is not deemed roadworthy. Stuart meets Jonathan Verne ( Oscar Redding ) at a festival and he tells him about his group, Life Mechanics. Stuart joins the group and ignores his friends who say he is joining a cult. He begins spending more time with Jonathan and he starts running his own meetings. His friends turn against him. It soon emerges that Jonathan has been conning people out of money nationwide. Stuart retreats away from everyone for
12400-479: The cast, all of whom were informed of the revival when Herbison visited their houses and told them in-person. Fletcher, Woodburne and Moloney all expressed their pleasure of the revival either during interviews or on social media. Other cast members were not informed prior to the announcement of the show's return. It has been revealed that Neighbours will be produced for at least the next two years, with 200 new episodes being released per year. In February 2023,
12555-557: The change on the week it was due to be implemented. "Audience feedback" was cited as the reason for the reversal. Neighbours has been sold to over 60 countries and is one of Australia's most successful media exports. Neighbours has been very successful in the United Kingdom, and has proved to be more popular there than in Australia. It was broadcast on BBC One for over 21 years from October 1986 until February 2008. The series started airing on 27 October 1986, as part of BBC One's revamped daytime schedules. Neighbours went out with
12710-470: The changes were an attempt to return to the show's original concept. In 1994, Network Ten told TV Week that they would be introducing a "younger, livelier look with six regular characters under the age of 18" in a bid to generate interest. It was then that they introduced the characters of Stonefish Rebecchi , played by Anthony Engelman, and Serendipity Gottlieb , played by Raelee Hill . In 1996, Kimberley Davies , who played Annalise Hartman , quit
12865-456: The channel said "Now our viewers can join in on the good, the bad and the endlessly entertaining lives of our Aussie neighbours." The episodes started from the Scully family's arrival in 1999 and were aired for a six-week trial basis. The show was broadcast in the afternoon with two episodes being shown back to back at 1:00 pm and 2:00 pm. After a couple of weeks, and only 65 episodes aired,
13020-408: The characters Rick Alessi ( Dan Falzon ) and Debbie Martin ( Marnie Reece-Wilmore ) visit London to attend a Michael Jackson concert. However, producers could not film at the concert after negotiations with Jackson's tour management failed. The second London-based storyline was broadcast in late March 2007. Susan Kennedy ( Jackie Woodburne ) and Karl Kennedy ( Alan Fletcher ) are shown taking
13175-426: The driver had dark hair and glasses. Sindi shows up at Stuart's bucks' night , but when Toadie claims to have seen her, Stuart does not believe him. On the day of the wedding, Toadie finds evidence that proves Sindi was there. However, he knocks himself out and Sindi takes the evidence. Upon waking, Toadie goes to the church and tries to stop the ceremony. Stuart punches him and he and Sindi marry. Toadie turns up during
13330-464: The emphasis on family relations and suburban reality. Executive producer Ric Pellizzeri said new writers, actors and sets would bring the soap back to its glory days. He added "We moved too far into event-driven stories rather than the character-driven stories that made Neighbours what it is". The relaunch failed to attract more viewers in Australia. Pellizzeri left the series at the end of 2007 and former Neighbours scriptwriter, Susan Bower , became
13485-851: The end it came down to being what it is, a story around neighbours." Reporters from the Herald Sun said that Watson took his idea to the Nine Network in 1982, but it was rejected. Former Nine executive Ian Johnson described the rejection as "one of the biggest 'missed opportunities'" during his time at the network. The show was then offered to the Seven Network , who commissioned the show in September 1984. The serial went into production that November with an $ 8 million budget. The show's initial premise focused on three households, made up of 12 core characters, living in Ramsay Street, dealing with everyday life with humour and drama. The first episode
13640-509: The end of each year, usually averaging around 700,000. On 17 July 2009, during the aftermath of the Parker family's car accident and the dramatic death of Bridget Parker ( Eloise Mignon ), Neighbours achieved higher ratings than Home and Away . Neighbours achieved 998,000 viewers and placed 6th for the night, while Home And Away placed 7th. In January 2010, Neighbours returned to Australian screens to an audience of 563,000. On 20 January,
13795-402: The episodes at four, putting the UK ahead of Australia. On 28 July 2022, Neighbours aired the 90-minute Series Finale on Thursday at 7:30 pm on Network 10 and simulcast on 10 Peach . When Neighbours returned on 18 September 2023, episodes airs on Network 10 every Monday to Thursday at 4:00 pm with a second airing on the same day in the former 6:30 pm timeslot on 10 Peach . and repeated
13950-423: The eve of their wedding. Upon Tracey's departure, Stuart and Dee break up. Stuart then develops feelings for Felicity Scully ( Holly Valance ). Stuart joins the army, but he is not happy and decides to take a job as a hospital porter instead. Following Drew's death, Stuart promises Libby that he will be there for her and he quits his job at the hospital. Shortly after becoming a couple, Felicity tells Stuart that she
14105-449: The fires and a charity event Sheila is organising. Channel 5 directed its viewers to a dedicated information page on their website at the end of the episode. Neighbours suspended production for two days amid the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, after a crew member came into contact with someone who had the virus. Production shut down early for the scheduled Easter break before resuming after four weeks on 27 April 2020, making Neighbours
14260-428: The first mainstream scripted show to resume production during the pandemic. In order to adhere to government guidelines and social-distancing, Neighbours created separate areas to spread out the cast and crew. They removed intimate scenes between characters and editing allows producers to give the illusion of large crowds and groups. Daily temperature checks for cast and crew will also be carried out. Herbison said that
14415-568: The first season was broadcast on the Seven Network , at 5:30 pm in Sydney, at 6:00 pm in Melbourne and Adelaide and at 7:00 pm in Brisbane . The show's transmission in other areas was varied and many regional channels declined to purchase the series. When the show debuted on Network Ten in 1986 it screened at 7:00 pm. On 9 March 1992 the show moved to 6:30 pm to avoid direct competition from rival soap opera Home and Away on
14570-413: The forefront of professionalism and efficiency." They added that the show's production model had been in place since 1985 and that it was time to evolve it. On 14 March 2011, The Australian reported that Neighbours has become the first television show available to watch on a free iPhone application. Viewers are able to watch whole episodes within three hours of them airing on Eleven. Nick Spooner,
14725-425: The full year for the first time in its history, including over December and January. Herbison stated, "We value our global audiences and are delighted to stay on this journey together. Come the end of 2018 we will also make history by becoming the first Australian drama series to screen all year round." Following the departure of Sonya Rebecchi in 2019, actor Eve Morey stated that the killing off of her character
14880-526: The garage for the day and join him and Stuart at Number 30. Steph joins them in a game of truth or dare. Stuart tells Ben that he became a mechanic because of Drew and they all reminisce about him. Four years later, Stuart sends Toadie a video message congratulating him on his marriage to Melanie Pearson ( Lucinda Cowden ). For his portrayal of Stuart, McDonough received a nomination for the Logie Award for Most Popular New Male Talent in 2002. He also earned
15035-425: The head of Ten digital media said "This is part of what we call our 'three-screen approach' – broadcast, online and mobile – and it is intended to build viewer engagement with a show and our brand. This is a way for us to stay in touch with our audience and to keep them coming back." To celebrate the wedding of Prince William of Wales and Kate Middleton , Neighbours filmed a specially commissioned scene for
15190-942: The honeymoon with the evidence about Sindi. Stuart witnesses Sindi pushing Toadie down some stairs and realises that Toadie was right. Sindi is taken to a psychiatric ward and Stuart vows to stand by her. Sindi asks for an annulment and tells him that she is transferring to another clinic. When Stuart's father hurts his back and is unable to work, Stuart argues with his brother, Ned Parker ( Daniel O'Connor ), about which one of them will return home to help out. Stuart puts his sergeant's exam on hold and calls Sindi to ask if she would join him in Oakey. She agrees and he departs Ramsay Street with Angie ( Lesley Baker ) and Kevin Rebecchi (Don Bridges). Stuart returns to Erinsborough for Toadie's belated 21st party. He tells Toadie that Angie, Kev and his brother Stonefish Rebecchi (Anthony Engelman) are now coming to
15345-403: The idea of commitment so soon after Dee's death, and during a low patch Sindi shares an unexpected kiss with Toadie's friend and housemate Stuart Parker ( Blair McDonough ). She confesses all to Toadie after he asks her to move into Number 30, and their relationship soon ends. Sindi and Stuart are caught up in a bank raid and held hostage by gunmen. Although the situation is resolved peacefully,
15500-409: The idea of making a show that would focus on more realistic stories and portray teens and adults who talk openly to each other and solve their problems together. He also wanted the show to appeal to both Australian and British audiences. Several titles were discussed, including People Like Us , One Way Street , No Through Road and Living Together , before Neighbours was chosen. Watson said "In
15655-419: The introduction of a new family, the departure of several existing characters and a new version of the show's theme song and opening titles. In addition, episode titles were abandoned, having been in use for the previous three years. Daniel Bennett, the new head of drama at Network Ten, announced that the crux of the Ramsay Street story would go "back to basics" and follow a less sensational path than of late with
15810-570: The job and she and Toadie remain amicable. As the amount of time they spend together increases, Sindi reveals she still loves Toadie, but he is not over Dee who drowned several months previously in a car crash on their wedding day. Sindi leaves once again. Sindi returns as the director, producer and host of Making Mansions , a home make over show. She chooses the Scully family's house as the venue to be redesigned. Things do not work out as Sindi manages to insult her crew, prompting them to walk out on her. Luckily, several friends and neighbours help her and
15965-464: The life of long term regular, Paul Robinson ( Stefan Dennis ) would be the focus of the actual 6,000th episode. Bower said "Last week I saw episode 6,000. This marks Australian television history. The 6,000th episode falls on a Friday so the whole week is a special one. As Stefan Dennis – Paul Robinson – was in the first episode 25 years ago, it was decided that his character play a most important role in this very special event". In late 2010,
16120-432: The low ratings. And Ten needs the show to score the Australian content and drama points required for it to hold on to a broadcasting licence". On 29 October 2010, Neighbours' ratings dropped to a low figure of 386,000 viewers. Viewing numbers for Network Ten that night were down across all programmes. The show's highest figure of the week was 590,000 on 25 October 2010. Stuart Parker (Neighbours) Stuart Parker
16275-424: The lunchtime debut and the teatime repeat. Towards the late 2000s, Neighbours was normally attracting an average of 3 million viewers for its lunchtime showing and 2.6 million viewers for its early-evening repeat. It was frequently the highest-rating daytime program in the UK, outside of news bulletins. In 2008, the UK broadcast moved to rival channel Channel 5 following the BBC's decision not to keep
16430-501: The main TV network of VRT , the Flemish public broadcaster. On 14 June 2021, after more than 30 years on Eén, commercial broadcaster VTM 2 began broadcasting the series. On 1 February 2024, VTM 2 will broadcast episode 8903 of Neighbours , which was the last episode when the program was stopped in the summer of 2022. From 5 February 2024, Neighbours will move to Play 5 and GoPlay will continue
16585-454: The main cast for 2004. Warrington had previously appeared in stage productions and a handful of television guest roles, so she was hesitant about signing a three-year contract. She stated "I'm more at home on stage than anywhere else. Signing for three years was a huge decision for me. It seemed such a huge commitment, plus the fact I'd done so little TV." Warrington described her character as "one-part stalker, one-part lunatic." Warrington told
16740-599: The man she calls "Tiny." It is then revealed that Sindi is having an affair with criminal Rocco Cammeniti (Robert Forza). Warrington admitted that Sindi's friends would be shocked to learn who she is dating. Toadie realises that he cares deeply for Sindi and she tries again to break off her relationship with Rocco. However, she is left stunned when Rocco tells her that he has left his wife and gives her an engagement ring. Warrington said, "Sindi can't admit to Rocco that she's in love with someone else, and she's also worried that something will happen to Toadie if she tells Rocco who she
16895-546: The money after he loses a coin toss. Stuart refuses to accept the money after realising how it was obtained, and Sindi instead donates it to Harold Bishop ( Ian Smith ) for the Salvation Army . A guilty Paul later offers to pay for the operation from his charity, the Helen Daniels Trust fund, although neither Sindi or Stuart are aware of his involvement in the fire. Sindi and Stuart are happy in their relationship for
17050-474: The name that he and Toadie used to call Number 30. Stuart turns up in Erinsborough and his friend, Drew Kirk allows him to stay with him and his wife Libby Kennedy ( Kym Valentine ). Stuart secures a job at Carpenter Mechanics . Stuart begins a relationship with Dee Bliss ( Madeleine West ) and she invites him to move into Number 30. Stuart's ex-fiancée, Tracey Slattery (Christine Wools) shows up in Ramsay Street and Stuart explains that she cheated on him on
17205-606: The new executive producer. In 2008, Neighbours was branded "too white" by black and Asian viewers in Britain and in Australia there was talk of a " White Australia policy " when it came to casting actors for soaps. In response to the criticism, Bower made a decision to add more ethnically diverse extras, small walk-on roles and speaking parts, as well as introducing the character of Sunny Lee (played by Hany Lee), an exchange student from South Korea. On 18 March 2010, Neighbours celebrated its 25th anniversary. In April, Channel 5 in
17360-401: The news that Toadie is Hugo's father. Gary Canning ( Damien Richardson ) gives Sindi a job at The Flametree Retreat. While returning to the retreat to make sure she locked up, Sindi is confronted by Jeremy Sluggett (Tamblyn Lord), who demands her keys so he can retrieve a bag of money from a drawer. Sindi manages to contact the police, and Jeremy knocks her unconscious as he escapes. While Amy
17515-465: The next day at 9:30 am on 10 and catch up on the weekly episodes on 10 Peach on Saturday mornings between 9:00 am to 11:00 am. Episodes were then available to stream Amazon Prime Video on a week delay from 10's broadcast from 25 September 2023. Network 10 scheduled a reduction in episodes per week to three between October and December 2024, which would have caused the Australian broadcast to fall behind international releases of new episodes, but reversed
17670-399: The pandemic would not be included in storylines. He stated, "We are currently plotting episodes that won't air until much later in the year, so anything we write now might feel very outdated. Further to this, there's a creative question: will our viewers want to switch on Neighbours and relive it again, or is our job to provide escapism? I tend to feel it's the latter." In February 2022, it
17825-496: The party. Along with Lance Wilkinson ( Andrew Bibby ), Stuart, Stonie and Toadie dress as the Teletubbies for the party. Sindi repeatedly calls Stuart, but he ignores her and decides not to tell Toadie. Stuart makes a speech mentioning Toadie's romantic troubles with Sindi and con artist Andrea Somers ( Madeleine West ), causing Toadie to leave the party. Stuart follows him outside, and finds Sindi has come to tell Toadie that Andrea
17980-448: The police station. Ahead of the 25th anniversary the Erinsborough village set underwent a makeover. The café and bar remained the same, but the centre of the complex was upgraded. Lassiter's Hotel was given a new logo and gained a second floor with outdoor seating area. The hospital and police station received new facades, a used car lot was created near the garage and a new university set was created. Pin Oak Court, in Vermont South ,
18135-458: The power of streaming, we're able to offer a catalogue of thousands of Neighbours episodes for new audiences to discover this legendary series and current fans to relive their favourite moments. We look forward to immersing the audience in new Ramsay Street experiences when we relaunch the show next year for Amazon Freevee and Prime Video customers." Herbison will continue as executive producer, with Dennis, Fletcher, Woodburne and Moloney returning to
18290-458: The production to shoot external scenes in their yards. The interior scenes are filmed at the FremantleMedia studios in Forest Hill . Until 2022, Neighbours was screened in Australia as a 22-minute episode on weeknights, in an early-evening slot. It moved to Ten's digital channel, Eleven (later rebranded 10 Peach ) on 11 January 2011, and was broadcast each weeknight at 6:30 pm. The show
18445-428: The ratings fell to a low of 426,000, making it one of the program's lowest ever ratings in Australia. A July 2010 report showed figures had dropped 20%, from having 1.2 million viewers in 1991 to a low of 618,000 in 2010. A Network Ten spokesperson commented "Most of the show's budget is covered by its UK deal with Channel 5 and the 50-odd other countries it is seen in, so it's not a financial problem for Ten despite
18600-409: The returns of Rebekah Elmaloglou , Jones, Tim Kano and Stone as series regulars were announced; Melissa Bell , April Rose Pengilly and Ian Smith were also announced to returning in guest capacities. Regular production recommenced on 17 April, though scenes featuring Annie Jones and Guy Pearce were filmed in the UK earlier in the year. Neighbours' focus is the fictional Ramsay Street ,
18755-412: The rival network obtaining them. Ten began screening the series with episode 171 on 20 January 1986. In 1986, the series was bought by the BBC as part of their new daytime schedule in the United Kingdom. Neighbours made its debut on BBC1 on 27 October 1986 starting with the pilot episode. It soon gained a loyal audience and the show became particularly popular with younger viewers, and before long
18910-405: The rules for a fast buck." He added that trouble seemed to follow her around. Kilkelly also branded her a "comedy character", "bubbly blonde", "outrageous character" and "butter-spreading ladder fiend". Neighbours Neighbours is an Australian television soap opera that has aired since 18 March 1985. It was created by television executive Reg Watson . The Seven Network commissioned
19065-412: The same day as Australia. Channel 5's commissioning editor Greg Barnett explained that closing the transmission gap would reduce spoilers and the number of viewers watching the show illegally online. From mid-2016, the show also began airing every week-night on Nickelodeon as part of their Nick at Nite programming block, broadcasting the same episode that was seen earlier on Channel 5. In March 2017, it
19220-480: The same day as the Australian broadcast and were also available for streaming. From 18 September 2023, new episodes along with archive episodes, is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video . In the United States, Neighbours premiered on KCOP-TV in Los Angeles on 3 June 1991 at 5:30 pm weekdays. KCOP planned to cancel the show by the end of the month due to low ratings, but brought it back due to viewer demand at
19375-491: The scam, but demands her share of the money to be increased. Weeks later, Sindi returns to the news that Andrea has conned Toadie out of $ 100,000 and fled to London. Susan Kennedy ( Jackie Woodburne ) reads Sindi's texts and discovers Andrea's true identity. A panicked Sindi then leaves town. Nearly a year later, Sindi returns to Erinsborough to give Toadie Andrea's phone number. Months later, Sindi brings Andrea's infant son Hugo Somers (John Turner) to Ramsay Street, and breaks
19530-536: The series from episode 8904. Because the broadcasts will continue immediately, there will only be a 5-month delay compared to Australia instead of 1.5 years as was previously the case. In Kenya, Neighbours is broadcast on the KTN network Monday to Friday at 12:30 pm with an omnibus on Sunday mornings. In Barbados, Neighbours is broadcast on the CBC8 channel at 1:00 pm Monday to Friday. In South Africa, Neighbours
19685-439: The series' history, the show's classification became PG , due to the series' increasingly adult subject matter. On 15 July 2021, David Knox of TV Tonight confirmed that from 26 July Neighbours would begin airing four times a week. This marked the first time in the show's history that it had not aired five episodes per week. Knox said the new schedule was likely an attempt at getting the Australian episodes to synchronise with
19840-411: The series. Then Caroline Gillmer fell ill and her character Cheryl Stark was temporarily recast with former Prisoner actress Colette Mann . This made producers nervous that viewing figures might decrease, so they implemented a series of plots to keep viewers interested. These included a cameo from Clive James and an explosion, which destroyed the doctor's surgery in the Lassiter's complex. In
19995-468: The show after being asked to pay £300m over eight years by FremantleMedia (three times the show's usual fee). Both Channel 5 and FremantleMedia were owned at that time by the German RTL Group . The last Neighbours episode to be shown on BBC One aired on 8 February 2008. The first episode to be shown on Channel 5 was watched by 2.4 million viewers on 11 February 2008 (an audience share of 14.2%),
20150-560: The show following the success of Watson's earlier soap Sons and Daughters . Although successful in Melbourne , Neighbours underperformed in the Sydney market and was cancelled by Seven four months after it began airing. It was immediately commissioned by rival Network Ten for a second production season, which began screening on 20 January 1986. Neighbours became the longest-running drama series in Australian television history. In 2005, it
20305-504: The show in a star -focused campaign recalling that of the Hollywood star system where stars were packaged to feed into a fan culture. This paid off, and by the end of 1987, ratings had improved for the show. The episode featuring Scott and Charlene's wedding achieved the highest ever ratings for Neighbours , and it became one of the highest rating soap episodes ever in Australia. The same episode attracted 19.6 million viewers when it
20460-460: The show was moved to a late-night time slot and it eventually left the air. On 7 July 2014, Todd Spangler from Variety reported that FremantleMedia International had signed a deal with U.S. subscription service Hulu giving it exclusive rights to the most recent season of Neighbours . The soap began airing from 14 July, with new episodes airing daily from Monday through to Friday, on Hulu and Hulu Plus services. The episodes were four weeks behind
20615-485: The show's run, it was not stated in which Australian city Erinsborough was located. The rivalry between Sydney and Melbourne meant that scripts did not mention that Erinsborough was a suburb of the latter city until 1994. Since 2016, the show has begun filming more scenes in and around the city. Other Australian locations mentioned and sometimes seen in the series include the fictitious suburbs of West Waratah , Eden Hills , and Ansons Corner . Real-life Australian towns in
20770-487: The soap on Twitter . Neighbours actor Jackie Woodburne said in an interview with The Project that the cast were "in shock" upon hearing the news, while Alan Fletcher said the soap needs "a hero" to save it and Cowden explained that "the idea of no longer playing Mel is devastating." Numerous current and former cast members, such as Annie Jones , Natalie Bassingthwaighte and Geoff Paine , expressed their sadness online, specifically Rob Mills , who called on
20925-551: The state of Victoria such as Colac , Frankston and Shepparton are sometimes referred to. Oakey in Queensland is also mentioned and sometimes seen. On 27 August 2010, Neighbours filmed scenes in Sydney's Darling Harbour and on board a cruise ship. The episodes marked only the third time that the show has filmed scenes outside of Victoria. In October 2011, Neighbours filmed scenes in Port Douglas , Queensland and around
21080-400: The trauma brings Sindi and Stuart together and they begin seeing each other in secret. The Lassiters complex is set on fire by Paul Robinson ( Stefan Dennis ), and Sindi becomes trapped inside Lou's Place. Stuart runs in to save her, but he too becomes trapped and passes out due to smoke inhalation. After the building collapses entirely, the firefighters are about to give up looking for them in
21235-435: The two of them are friends, but from what Toadie has told Sonya, Dee and Sindi were definitely not mates!" The woman claiming to be Dee is revealed to be a con artist named Andrea Somers (West), and it soon emerges that Sindi is her accomplice. Scenes between the two characters explained that Sindi met Andrea when they worked at a catering kitchen together and she told her that she looked like Dee Bliss. They then came up with
21390-472: The usual break in broadcast over the summer non-ratings period, the series made its debut on Ten in 1986. Ten revamped the show, adding several new, younger cast members including Jason Donovan as Scott Robinson and Kylie Minogue as Charlene Mitchell . When the show began on Ten it initially attracted low ratings, so the Network worked hard to publicise the series. Ten's publicity drive was designed to promote
21545-699: The work is eventually completed. Sindi becomes a resident herself of Ramsay Street when she lodges with Susan Kennedy ( Jackie Woodburne ). Toadie and Sindi begin a relationship, but not without obstacles including the revelation of Sindi's previous affair with Rocco Cammeniti and his refusal to let her go, which results in Toadie being kidnapped and ending up in a brief coma. Sindi is a strong support for Toadie when he briefly takes on guardianship of his cousin Stingray Timmins ( Ben Nicholas ), before Stingray moves in with Sindi and Susan. However, Toadie still struggles with
21700-404: The wreckage, until Sindi manages to call Toadie. She and Stuart are rescued, but Stuart is left blind. Toadie realises that Sindi is in love with Stuart, and reluctantly gives his blessing to the relationship. Sindi discovers that an operation to restore Stuart's sight will cost $ 50,000, and in desperation tries to raise the money by selling her body. Her only client, Gary Evans (Ian Scott) gives her
21855-471: Was a measure to reduce production costs for the program as part of its new negotiations. When the cast and crew returned from their annual production break on 13 January 2020, they filmed a scene addressing the Australian bushfires for the episode airing on 15 January. The scene features the characters Sheila Canning ( Colette Mann ), David Tanaka ( Takaya Honda ) and Aaron Brennan (Matt Wilson) discussing
22010-519: Was aired in the United Kingdom - more than the entire population of Australia at the time. By the early 1990s, Australian audiences had decreased, although viewing figures had recovered slightly by the end of the decade. In 1992, due to the decline in ratings, producers began to overhaul the show to win back viewers. They brought in more "fresh-faced teens", moved out older characters and gave some of their parent characters "un-neighborly [ sic ] subplots". Executive producer Ian Bradley said
22165-399: Was announced Fremantle and Amazon Freevee had reached a deal that would allow Neighbours production to restart in 2023. New episodes will be free to stream from the UK and US from the second half of 2023, and Network 10 will retain the rights to broadcast the serial first in Australia. Archive episodes will also be released prior to the relaunch. Lauren Anderson of Amazon Studios said, "With
22320-631: Was announced that Amazon Freevee and Fremantle had agreed to a deal that would restart the series. The series also returned to Network 10 on a permanent basis, after 11 years on 10 Peach. Regular production resumed on 17 April 2023, and the show returned on 18 September 2023. Neighbours was created by Australian TV executive Reg Watson . Watson got the idea for Neighbours during his time working on Crossroads and watching fellow soap Coronation Street in Britain. He had already created successful Australian made soap operas The Young Doctors , Prisoner and Sons and Daughters . Watson proposed
22475-631: Was announced that Channel 5 would be dropping the serial from its schedule later that year, and that production would cease if an alternative British broadcaster was not secured. In response to the threat to the series' future, a fan-run petition on Change.org asking Channel 5 to reconsider its decision was launched, which was signed by over 50,000 people, including cast member Lucinda Cowden . The petition reached 50,000 signatures after one week. This also sparked #saveneighbours to trend on social media. Former star Jason Donovan and Home and Away actor Shane Withington also expressed their support for
22630-428: Was announced that Jasek would be leaving Neighbours and Jason Herbison would replace him, initially with the title of series producer. FremantleMedia's head of drama Jo Porter became executive producer, while Laurence Wilson became the associate producer. The show celebrated its 7,000th episode on 24 October 2014. In March 2015, Neighbours celebrated its 30th anniversary and twelve former cast members returned for
22785-475: Was broadcast on 18 March 1985 and reviews for the show were favourable. However, the Melbourne-produced program underperformed in the Sydney market and Seven announced on 12 July 1985 that it was cancelling the show. Neighbours was immediately bought by Seven's rival Network Ten . The new network had to build replica sets when it took over production after Seven destroyed the original sets to prevent
22940-490: Was contacted by a producer who told her it was true. Fans reported significant upset at the announcement of the end of the series. The final episode was initially intended to be aired on 1 August 2022 in both the UK and Australia, after 10 Peach decided to close the broadcasting gap between the two countries by airing double episodes from 13 June. It was later announced that the finale would air on 28 July at 7:30 pm on Network 10 and 10 Peach simultaneously in Australia as
23095-508: Was inducted into the Logie Hall of Fame . The storylines concern the lives of the people who live and work in Erinsborough , a fictional suburb of Melbourne, Victoria . The series centres on the residents of Ramsay Street , a dead end street , and its neighbouring area, the Lassiters complex, which includes a bar, hotel, café, police station, lawyers' office and park. Neighbours began with
23250-415: Was now averaging 1.4 million viewers every night. In February 2008, new executive producer Susan Bower announced that she would be implementing further changes to the program. Bower promised to retain the return to traditional Neighbours values, but with an injection of drama that remains recognisable and relevant. Ratings rose to almost 900,000 in mid-2008, but generally ratings begin to fall towards
23405-454: Was produced by Fremantle Australia and has been sold to over sixty countries around the world, making it one of Australia's most successful media exports. Neighbours had been especially successful in the United Kingdom, where it was first screened on 27 October 1986 on BBC One , and achieved huge popularity among British audiences in the late 1980s and 1990s. In 2008, it moved in the UK to Channel 5 ; since 2008 it had been largely paid for by
23560-401: Was removed from the schedule. TV4 (now Bravo) picked the show up and began broadcasting it from 1997. They dropped it in 2000 and it returned to TVNZ in 2002. Repeats of the previous day's episode of Neighbours were formerly shown at 2:30 pm weekdays, and later on TVNZ 2 at around 4:30 am Tuesdays to Fridays. The show moved to 5:25 pm weeknights on TV One in early 2007. After
23715-462: Was reported that negotiations to continue Neighbours on Channel 5 had become "very fraught", and it was possible that the show could stop airing in Britain. In late 2021, Channel 5 moved Neighbours to a 6 pm timeslot, as it extended its news coverage to a one-hour-long broadcast from 5 pm. The 1:45 pm showing was unchanged. On 5 February 2022, a report from The Sun , later confirmed by Digital Spy , stated that Neighbours had been cancelled in
23870-457: Was speculation that Neighbours would cease production following the breakdown of its deals in the United Kingdom, and Network Ten entering voluntary administration. On 9 October 2017, Stewart Clarke of Variety reported that Channel 5 and FremantleMedia had agreed a new deal that would see the yearly episode count increased from 240 to 258, as well as plans for new primetime specials. The deal meant that from 2018, Neighbours would run across
24025-549: Was watched by up to 16 million viewers – more than the entire population of Australia at the time. In 1988, Neighbours became the only television show to have its entire cast flown over to the UK to make an appearance at the Royal Variety Performance in front of the Queen . Neighbours has since become the longest running drama series in Australian television and the seventh longest running serial drama still on
#606393