The producer of the hit soap opera Neighbours has confirmed why the show has been cancelled for a second time despite positive viewing figures and awards nominations.
The Australian show was cancelled for a second time in February after originally being axed in February 2022 when Channel 5 decided to stop airing it in the UK.
When production company Fremantle was unable to find another channel to carry the programme, the show was cancelled altogether due to a lack of funding.
Nine months later, it was announced streaming giant Amazon would revive the programme with the series making a return to screens in September 2023.
However, in a statement released by the show on Friday (21 February), it was revealed the show would be “resting” from December 2025.
Now executive producer Jason Herbison has spoken out about the cancellation saying that the closure of Amazon Freevee, where the show was streamed, was the key contributing factor to the sudden end.
Speaking to TV Tonight, Herbison said: “We were considered a very big success on Amazon Freevee, and we’re so grateful to them for this chapter and this two and a half years.
“The team at Amazon Freevee did an incredible job of launching us over there. I think we were on bus stops all across the UK, it was amazing and they have been wonderful to work with. But yes, as you’ve as you’ve mentioned the closure of Freevee, did change the landscape.
“While we seem to be very successful on Prime we’re just simply not part of their content strategy going forward. And there’s really no hard feelings with that. Things change and as I say, we’re just very grateful to them to have had this chapter.”
The show was regularly in the most watched shows on Amazon and even earned two Daytime Emmy awards nominations during its run ont he service.
“As our viewers have pointed out, we’re consistently number one, number two, number three show every day on Prime in the UK. So yes, that’s frustrating,” added Herbison.
“But the flip side of that is that I think we’d be more disappointed if we weren’t successful and we were just disappearing. So we’re very, very sad that this chapter is coming to an end, but we’re also very proud that it’s done very well, and that our audience is still very invested in the show and we’d love to see it continue.”
The current iteration of the show is set to end in July but Herbison, who wrote the 2022 finale, has not got any firm plans in place yet.
“It’s a strange position to be in, to be contemplating another finale. I definitely have thoughts. I haven’t committed to anything yet. I don’t see it as a big street party with a cast of thousands. I’m not going to compete with what we did in 2022 because I’m very, very proud of that episode, and I do think it was a great way to go out at the time. But I definitely have ideas. I’m sure they’ll evolve between now and July. All I can say is that door will absolutely be left open for a future chapter.”
The 2022 finale saw a host of top names, who had previously appeared on the show, return for cameos including Guy Pearce, Margot Robbie, Kylie Minogue, Jason Donovan, Holly Valance, Delta Goodrum and Natalie Imbruglia.
Channel 5 viewers blast ‘confusing’ name change
Five Star singer Stedman Pearson dies, aged 60
Tiger Woods biopic in the works from Amazon with Obamas set to produce
Stephen Graham issues warning to parents after Netflix’s Adolescence
Bachelor franchise faces internal shakeup following ‘toxic’ workplace accusations
Gabby Logan was told ‘don’t come back’ after being taken off World Cup duties
