As long-running soap Neighbours airs its final episode across British screens tonight, a number of acting stars, who have featured on the show over its almost four decades of broadcasting, will be returning to Ramsay Street for one final time. It's sure to be an emotional watch for UK fans of the Australian soap, after more than 60k fans signed a petition in a bid to save the soap from being axed.
The antepenultimate episode will air in the usual time slots of 1:45pm and 6pm on Channel 5 on Friday, July 29 with a double-episode finale being broadcast in a prime time slot later that evening from 9pm. Executive Producer Jason Herbison said on the last day of filming in June that "tears were shed" and that the soap's "legacy" will live on.
“We all knew this day was coming but until we were here in this moment when the very last scene was filmed, it was hard to express how we would all feel," He said: "Of course, it is sad and tears were shed, but we’re also enormously proud. 37 years is an incredible achievement and that should be celebrated.
"We’ve also been incredibly touched by the response from our viewers all over the world. Neighbours is more than a TV show to many people. They see us as part of the family and we feel privileged to have been invited into their homes, and I know the legacy of Neighbours will live on for many years.”
Many fans will be looking forward to the return of some of their favourite characters and most will remember popstar Kylie Minogue and actor Jason Donovan launching their careers on the programme in the 80s - thanks to their iconic wedding, which went down in soap history. But Neighbours has been the starting point for many Hollywood stars, here are some of the famous faces who started off on Ramsay Street:
Kylie Minogue
Before becoming a globally renowned popstar, Kylie Minogue started off on our TV screens in 1986 playing Charlene Mitchell on Neighbours. Alongside her on-screen partner Scott Robinson, who was played by Jason Donovan, the pair were known as one of soap's biggest power couples during the 80s.
The Neighbours episode featuring their wedding was watched by more than two million Australian viewers back in 1987, and when it aired in the UK in 1988 almost 20 million viewers tuned in. The 54-year-old singer left the show in 1988, the same year her first studio album was released.
Kylie went on to have a phenomenal career, winning multiple awards including a Grammy and bagging chart-topping hits such as I Should Be So Lucky, Spinning Around and Can’t Get You Out Of My Head. She headlined Glastonbury Festival back in 2019 taking to the iconic Pyramid Stage.
Jason Donovan
Jason also rose to fame after joining the cast of Neighbours in 1986. For those who started watching the soap when he and Kylie become the iconic power couple, you may not know that Jason actually took over the role of Scott from actor Darius Perkins when the soap returned for a second series.
The 54-year-old left Ramsay Street behind in 1989 to follow in the footsteps of his on-screen partner and head into the music industry. He released his first album in the same year, which went to number one in the UK and has since gone on to star in numerous stage musicals but is perhaps best known for the lead role in Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat in the early 1990s.
Margot Robbie
Margot Robbie is best known for her roles in Hollywood movies such as The Wolf of Wall Street, Suicide Squad, Peter Rabbit and more. But before heading to stardom in LA, Margot played Donna Freedman in Neighbours from 2008 to 2011.
The 32-year-old Queensland-born actress is now set to portray the world-famous doll Barbie in an upcoming movie. She will star alongside Ryan Gosling, who will play Ken, in the film which is set to be released next year.
Liam, Chris and Luke Hemsworth
Each of the Hemsworth brothers bagged roles in Neighbours during the early days of their careers. Liam, 32, played Josh Taylor from 2007 to 2008, 38-year-old Chris featured as Jamie Kane in an episode, while the eldest sibling Luke, 41, portrayed Nathan Tyson from 2001 to 2002.
They have all gone on to have successful acting careers, with Liam landing a role in the Hunger Games film franchise. Meanwhile Luke is best known for his role in Westworld as Ashley Stubbs and Chris became a Hollywood star after starring as Thor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Natalie Imbruglia
Singer and actress Natalie Imbruglia played Neighbours character Beth Brennan in the 1990s before leaving Ramsay Street in 1994. The 47-year-old Australian-British star went on to star in 2003’s Johnny English as well as having a successful singing career. She is perhaps best known for covering the song Torn for her debut studio album Left Of The Middle in 1997.
Delta Goodrem
Singer songwriter and actress Delta Goodrem starred as Erinsborough High schoolgirl Nina Tucker in the early noughties episodes of Neighbours, from 2002 to 2005. Whilst featuring in the soap she released her first album and has since produced six further studio albums. The 37-year-old is also known for being a coach on The Voice Australia and The Voice Kids.
Guy Pearce
Guy Pearce started his career portraying Mike Young, the best friend of Jason Donovan's character Scott and Kylie Minogue’s Charlene. The 54-year-old has since landed role in Hollywood films such as LA Confidential, The Time Machine and Christopher Nolan’s Memento.
Jesse Spencer
Many will remember Jesse Spencer for playing Neighbours character Billy Kennedy in the Australian soap from 1994 to 2000, as well as making a brief return in 2005. The 43-year-old Australian actor later went on to star in the long-running medical drama series House, by playing Dr Robert Chase and Captain Matthew Casey in the drama Chicago Fire.
Neighbours: The Finale airs tonight at 9pm on Channel 5.
What is happening where you live? Find out by adding your postcode or visit InYourArea
