The last ever episode of Neighbours has aired in Australia ending the iconic soap’s 37-year-run.
Hundreds of fans gathered to watch the final scenes play out on an outdoor big screen in Melbourne’s Federation Square - the city where the show is set and produced.
They were treated to the sight of a host of familiar faces from the past including Kylie Minogue, Jason Donovan, Guy Pearce and Margot Robbie, who all returned to say goodbye to Ramsay Street.
The finale is not due to air in the UK, where the show had the most success, until Friday evening on Channel 5.
The UK broadcaster announced it was dropping the show in March due to declining viewing figures which, as a key broadcast partner, left a funding gap in production.
Despite an online fan petition to save the show, attracting almost 70,000 signatures, it was announced shortly after that Neighbours would end.
Neighbours star Stefan Dennis, who has played villainous Paul Robinson on and off since the very first episode in 1985, admitted he is devastated by the show ending.
Speaking to the Standard, he said: “I will miss that guy; I will miss Paul Robinson. I won’t miss the early mornings and having to go and work out in the freezing cold. I won’t miss a lot of things about filming in Nunawading Studios, but one of the greatest things – the two things I’m going to miss the most are the camaraderie with my friends and colleagues and Paul Robinson because he’s such a great bloody character to play.
“I know he’s not an Academy Award-winning character in some multi-billion Dollar blockbuster, but you know what he has been such a blast to play.”
Meanwhile, Alan Fletcher, who played soap stalwart Dr Karl Kennedy for 27 years, said he felt “immense joy and gratitude” for the role that Neighbours had played in his life.
He told us: “Actors don’t generally remain employed for 27 years continuously. For me, the joy of working on Neighbours has been that I have worked every day virtually for those 27 years doing the job that I love and in the craft I love. So it’s a blessing, an absolute blessing.”
