Neighbours is coming to an end after 37 years, but its legacy is far from over | ABC News

After nearly 9,000 episodes, 63 weddings, 20 births and 68 deaths, Neighbours is coming to an end. From humble beginnings, the soap grew into one of Australia's biggest exports, launched international careers and employed thousands.
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An ABC News Special heads to Ramsay Stret for a look at how the Australian soap became a global TV sensation.
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[@waynereardon]

I spent around 6 years living in LA/Hollywood over a 14-year period, and when I first arrived the only thing people there knew about our entertainment industry was Neighbours. It's very sad to see it go. We were lucky to have most of the younger Neighbours cast hanging around at our family's pub in Hawthorn in the mid to late 90s, and they were a great group of people to have around. They were never any trouble and always very polite. Years later we turned that pub into a backpackers, with most of our customers coming from the UK. The first thing they'd ask as they walked in the door was "how far away are we from Ramsey St?". The value this show has provided to our tourism industry and television industry will never be matched in the future.

[@Jabberstax]

For years I would come home after school and watch Neighbours at 5:30 on BBC1 Monday to Friday. Everything was better in the 80s and 90s.

[@Craigy2818]

Neighbours is, hands down, my favourite soap. I love watching it and I'm going to miss it, so much.

[@ykook7000]

Say what you want but for most Aussies this was our childhood... It changed the Australian tv business forever.. Thx for the memories...

[@byronrobbins8834]

True, we are looking forward to overwriting Neighbours, and Telecasting more Digital programs.

[@deepsouthNZ]

I spent my 20s living in the Netherlands that was the 90s, although I was born and raised in NZ (my dad was an Aussie) Neighbours on the BBC helped with my severe homesickness that I suffered during those years. My wife was Dutch we had met in Sydney both as young backpackers and I had gone to europe to be with her and although I became very proficient in the dutch language and worked an 8 to 5 I still felt like a foreigner in a strange land and if it wasn't for Neighbours it would have been that little bit harder. Thank you Neighbours

[@flyingpossum6958]

That's soo cool 😍💜

[@boldbeautifulau]

Such a great story. Thanks for sharing.

[@leetinsley1819]

This documentary about one of the best programs ever made is both informal and historic. Now it's coming back. We love you neighbours.

[@guksack]

I am guilty of not watching it for some time here in the UK. But I loved knowing Ramsay St was still ticking along in the background, and when I dipped in briefly every few years it was a real comfort to see familiar faces. I watched the finale with a lot of regret that I hadn't stuck around with these characters, and did shed a nostalgic tear as I watched another part of my childhood come to an end. I wish all the cast and crew the best of luck with their futures, and I think we're long overdue another wave of Australian media! Come on Netflix, sort that out for us, haha

[@jaywhite1141]

Stayed watching neighbours, when I was 6 years old in 2005, I’m really going to miss neighbours so much 😢😭❤️

[@shaunhoward3166]

Use to watch here in New Zealand 🇳🇿🤟💯 such a great show, sad it couldn't been saved! Well we all have Shrotland Street still 🤟💯👌

[@shaunhoward3166]

@Wankshaftsbury yes mate it sure is haha watched it last night 👌🤟 sure u can find it online to stream if not played in your country pretty sure KZbin has current episodes 💯👌

[@chrishudson9307]

Don't lose Neighbours it's such a great series.

[@andrewlaw8121]

Brings a lot of great memories, coming home from school to watch this in the mid/late 90’s. I feel a bit guilty to know me not watching means the show ends. The last episode should bring back the greatest characters and now Hollywood stars.

[@blahmeh242]

heh they used my piano version at the end for this ;) So humbled.

[@WatchingDude]

After all these years I still have a thing for Guy Pearce and Daniel MacPherson.

[@Sunshine123x]

Gosh same two for me too!!!!❤️

[@Ben_Kirkham]

This is a really good documentary.

[@truthalwayswinsonewayorano9518]

Wasn't a fan but no backyards anymore, we became what everybody didn't want! Well done Australia well done.

[@Simonejoy12345]

So sad but what a celebration. Thanks for the years.

[@byronrobbins8834]

The end of another Era, we are looking forward to more Digital programs, to take over Neighbours' Time slot.

[@Kraftymark]

this was amazing.

[@babymaddyxo]

omg im crying

[@AustralianAffairs]

UPDATE: Neighbours will be RETURNING; resigning with Amazon Freevee & Network Ten Australia. Due to popular Australian and global support, people have created hashtags, the people spoke and they wanted Neighbours to come back for more, and so its happening mid 2023. A legend returns and its people, it remains and we are thankful to those who are carrying it through into the future. 1985 - TO Present, their is no end date yet!! Well done to the fans, love Neighbours and Fremante, Amazon Freevee and Network Ten!! And the cast/crew for returning!

[@hugoboss5895]

I’m wondering if a soap opera has ever been cancelled (twice) and then successfully returned. It’s being watched again in the uk anyway.

[@redfeather22sa]

Nostalgia & love for the best TV show (I realize now) ever created !! & Corny too !! Love it !!

[@yvonnetompkins8167]

I will miss neighbors

[@maxwellmc9734]

We were so jealous of everything living in a rundown council estate In Birmingham UK 😂👏👏

[@flyingpossum6958]

I remember during my childhood I studied abroad 2008-09. And I went international schools in KL and Islamabad.. everytime I mention I'm Aussie they always mentioned neighbours esp the UK students.. I started watching 1999 😍 thank you for being and part of my childhood ❤

[@denisegore1884]

I enjoyed it in the 80s but lost interest some time in the 90s. Be cool to see Scott and Charlene again.

[@Ali74]

Harold (Ian Smith) ain’t accurate on why the show appealed in the UK (we did know our next door neighbours). The show appealed because it was very similar to soaps here (Coronation Street especially which influenced Reg Grundy). That familiarity (with an added Aussie flavour) is why it’s always done better here than Home and Away which is much more Australian with its beach setting. Neighbours fit nicely alongside other soaps like EastEnders which got around 26 million at its peak.

[@josephlownang6992]

legend of Australia tv

[@fishyness6296]

I watched Neighbours from its 18/3/85 beginning and being 13 I was the perfect age to become a “Number 1 Top Fan” of the show. My only disappointment in your story is how it feels cheapened by screenwriters comments & dare I say Madge’s want to leave? And to be honest, Neighbours WON’T go on without me. I won’t be moving to Summer Bay, regardless of it’s ratings. And I will never forget what happened on awards night. ………… R.I.P. my Beautiful Neighbours 💐 gone but not forgotten 💐

[@battleofwills7189]

It appealed to me because it didn't take itself too seriously. There's years worth of episode playlists on youtube.

[@franzchong5889]

the towards the end stories of them introducing disability and down syndrome to the show was ground breaking and something of great interest given I am involved in that sector via my life education and dance groups and some of our activities through work.seeing a character with such a condition earning an adult wage an hour was living proof they all don't work in sheltered workshops in conjunction with the DSP.

[@kimmacdonald8489]

Sad to see we don’t have many drama shows and entertainment shows anymore

[@franzchong5889]

not much if any.there was More than this recently but other than that show,the best you can rely on now are KZbin versions from the 80s and 90s of the old school American and Canadian teen dramas for anything decent or Classic Neighbours.It's all mostly Shows from the USA OR England in this day and age.

[@letsseeif]

We live in Melbourne and we used to call Neighbours, NEE GOR BORS .

[@deepsouthNZ]

goodbye Neighbours, love you

[@fionamorison1678]

Neighbors was a good show to watch.

[@MarkWhich]

Many in australia only watched neighbours to get comfortable in time for Home and Away.

[@pascalswager9100]

I remember collecting the cards with the bubble gum.

[@user2144]

I remember collecting the bubble gum with the cards.

[@pascalswager9100]

@@user2144 I can still remember the smell of them lol

[@joannegreenway872]

I iive in the uk and feel so sorry that neighbours had to end because of us and our channel 5 I will never forgive them for it’s axing it but why couldn’t Australia fund it themselves like home and away

[@ccgreene4144]

What’s the beautiful piano score used in this clip?

[@boldbeautifulau]

It’s the neighbours theme

[@ccgreene4144]

@@boldbeautifulau the piano in the last few mins?

[@suz1453]

Finally

[@TF80s]

Burning down Lassiters and killing of Harold's whole family was the biggest mistake they ever made on that show.

[@thinkingallowed7042]

That's bad. 🤣😂🤣😂

[@terencestanton1870]

shows like neighbours and friends has caused the explosion of the coffee shops in the uk

[@alinanaghi4263]

End of an era 😭

[@anEyePhil]

Australia’s best entertainer is, was, and always will be, Barry Humphries. The Poms loved Neighbours to see good weather.

[@davidbayley9588]

I watched it the first year on Channel 7 and stopped watching when it switched to channel 10.

[@_pbt_5965]

Aww doggy ❤️

[@rostallar4243]

Can’t say I’m too sad about it. Sad though that so many people out of work. Reg Grundy had a lot of great shows.

[@Venus29]

I loved this show. Going to miss it. But it was the woke writers who ruined it, and made people turn off, especially in the uk. They pushed it too far. A 3some? Really?

[@user-ko2tu3ss3o]

Could not bear it. Aussie version of Coronation Street. Horrid. But one heck of a launching pad for so many fine actors.

[@paulec2634]

And then what happened....

[@pubculture]

I'm from Poland and used to watch original Neighbours in the 90s 😅 as a kid. When you mentioned Polish version of the series...it's so far from the original that I wouldn't have connected it ever 😒 ...

[@RT038]

👍🇦🇺😎

[@laurenbrown4163]

I will miss the actors. However the direction of the programme was ruined as Ian and Anne stated at 8:45 its murder and threesomes. Whatever floats your boat!

[@derhampaul2182]

All things come to an end

[@derhampaul2182]

A lot of people out of work

[@dreamsteddybearsmaster]

I am just eagerly waiting for Margot Robbie/Donna, Kym's/Libby's return, Jesse Spencer's & Scott/Jason & Charlene/Kylie's return and my life & heart will be complete!

[@dunghuynh4294]

...who was Storm Boy? B.Pitt is wearing a skirt 'round in public for some reason!

[@dama9150]

A shit novel that for some unfathomable reason was required reading in many schools

[@dunghuynh4294]

@@dama9150 was also a major aust screen feature of the 80's!

[@dama9150]

@@dunghuynh4294 Which was just as bad as the book.

[@dunghuynh4294]

@@dama9150you havent an idea of the publishment records at all do you? dama!

[@dama9150]

@@dunghuynh4294 Sadly I know it all too well.

[@rick182z]

Madge is looking frail

[@wtfa2910]

You can't talk about neighbours without talking about Home & Away

[@bp56789]

Network TV is trash.

[@Funkteon]

Network TV always was trash, and the only reason Neighbours has survived so long is because long after most Aussies gave up on it, there's still millions of couch potato boomers in the UK still watching it, stuck inside most of the year by virtue of their horrid weather and no reason to be out of the house after 5pm...

[@myroom4640]

Neighbours was only worth watching in the early years , with all of the original cast members. What beautiful memories ………. Who wants to see trashy rubbish!!!! It was perfect the way it was originally.

[@majoroldladyakamom6948]

Never heard of it before, lol.

[@ahlinchen8967]

Really? Don't you watch TV?

[@a-k6575]

@@ahlinchen8967 No, don't own one not interested, Coronation St killed it for me.

[@ahlinchen8967]

@@a-k6575 I don't watch soap drama tv shows but I do know Aussie's Neighbours and British's Coronation st.

[@dama9150]

Pretty sad indictment if it gets classed as the 'greatest thing Australia has ever produced'.... sheesh.

[@barrycuda3769]

Yeah what about the rotary clothes line.

[@thinkingallowed7042]

Exactly.

[@bonausmil4837]

About time is all I see. How much crap can you regurgitate year after year

[@franzchong5889]

basically it's good it's back.I swear to god the cheap approach replacing it with friends reruns was a copout.

[@WesternAustraliaNowAndThen]

Happy to say that in all that time I never watched an episode... brain rotting soap.

[@Funkteon]

Network TV always was trash, and the only reason Neighbours has survived so long is because long after most Aussies gave up on it, there's still millions of couch potato boomers in the UK still watching it, stuck inside most of the year by virtue of their horrid weather and no reason to be out of the house after 5pm...

[@pascalswager9100]

@@dama9150 I reckon it'll do well if the air the re-runs now. Much like stranger things does well.

[@TititoDeBologay]

Soap are not exactly known to elevate the intellect isn't It. But I have to say of the many soap in the English speaking world, Neighbour was coy when It came to tackle modern narratives. Comparatively the likes of EastEnders or the Bold and the whatever, did brought forth, quite the discussions at the dinner table. While dealing with censorship, ads clients, ticking the boxes of soap drama writing

[@ykook7000]

You are sad

[@thinkingallowed7042]

Who wants to watch a slice of idealised bogan life?

[@lliamjurdom9505]

Ahhhh a really shitty soap ....