Neighbours is to return to TV next year after Amazon swooped in to breathe new life into the Aussie soap, which ended in July after 37 years on air.
The show, which kick-started the careers of Kylie Minogue, Jason Donovan, Margot Robbie and Guy Pearce, will go back into production within months - with new episodes due next year.
And it will bring back favourite characters including Stefan Dennis as Paul Robinson, Alan Fletcher as Karl Kennedy, Ryan Moloney as Toadie Rebecchi, and Jackie Woodburne as Susan Kennedy.
The new show will air on Amazon Freevee in the UK, meaning fans can watch without paying. In Australia, it will return to its home of Network 10, where it has aired for the past 36 years.
Talks between Freemantle and Amazon were prompted by the huge fanfare over the show’s demise this summer.
Now Amazon says it is in the “early stages” of planning the next chapter of the show. More cast will be confirmed in the coming weeks along with the number of new episodes fans can expect to see.
The show will continue to reflect contemporary Australian life and its motto remains the same – everyone is welcome.
As well as new episodes, the deal will include streaming rights for thousands of classic shows from across the past four decades.
Amazon Studios AVOD content boss Lauren Anderson said: “Neighbours has captivated its audience for nearly 40 years, building a dedicated and loyal following for the lives and stories of the characters on Ramsay Street.
“With the power of streaming, we’re able to offer a catalogue of thousands of Neighbours episodes for new audiences to discover - we look forward to immersing the audience in new Ramsay Street experiences when we relaunch the show next year.”
Freemantle chief executive Jennifer Mullin said the was “thrilled” to have found the show a new home.
“Neighbours is a unique series with a powerful connection with its fans across the world. We cherish the show and all those who have been part of its incredible story over many decades.
Saying the show would go back into “full production” in Australia early next year, she added: “This partnership with Amazon Freevee marks an exciting new chapter, and we look forward to collaborating with them, along with our long-term and valued partner in Australia, Network 10.”
Jason Herbison, Neighbours’ executive producer since 2013, will maintain his position along with Andrew Thompson, who returns as producer.
Amazon Freevee is a complimentary service to Prime Video, offering thousands of premium movies and TV shows available for free.
Neighbours launched in 1985 and ran for 23 years on BBC1, before switching to Channel 5 from 2008. Over the years it notched up nearly 9000 episodes and was shown in over 60 countries.
When it came off air this summer many fans were devastated and called for it to be saved.
The last episode prompted returns for several big name stars including Kylie and Jason as married couple Scott and Charlene, plus Guy as their pal Mike Young. The were joined by Annie Jones, who played Mike’s former girlfriend Jane Harris, better known as Plain Jane Superbrain.
In the plot, Paul Robinson was seen getting back together with his sixth wife Terese, Toady and Mel got married and Susan and Karl were delighted when lots of their family and friends decided not to leave Erinsborough after all.
