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Could Neighbours' Days On UK Screens Really Be Numbered?

'Neighbours' Could Be Pulled From UK Television Screens

After 30 years on the air, it seems Australian soap Neighbours’ days on UK screens could be numbered.

According to The Mirror, the TV show is currently in danger of being axed from screens here in Britain, due to the fact that its producers are struggling to come to a new agreement with Channel 5, who have aired ‘Neighbours’ since 2008.

An insider told the newspaper: “The renegotiation of the ‘Neighbours’ Channel 5 deal has become very fraught and is in jeopardy. Channel 5 really want to keep the show.

“But the failure to reach a deal is being blamed on Channel 5’s new American owners Viacom refusing to sign off on the figures and not understanding the cultural importance of the show in the UK.”

The 'Neighbours' cast in 2015
Julie Kiriacoudis / Newspix/REX/Shutterstock
The 'Neighbours' cast in 2015

They concluded: “Neighbours has become a British TV favourite and it would be a sad day if it were to go.”

The newspaper has claimed that if both camps can’t come to an agreement, ‘Neighbours’ could disappear from Channel 5, and even UK screens, completely.

‘Neighbours’ celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2015, but didn’t begin airing here in the UK until 1986.

For 22 years, it was part of BBC One’s daytime schedule, but when the broadcaster decided not to keep ‘Neighbours’ due to the amount they were being asked to pay to keep it, it moved to Channel 5.

Over the years, the soap has been responsible for launching the careers of several big-name Australian acts, including Kylie Minogue, Margot Robbie, Natalie Imbruglia, Jason Donovan and Natalie Bassingthwaite, who topped the UK singles chart as the lead singer of Rogue Traders.

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