Neighbours, Australia’s longest-running TV drama, will end filming in June after failure to find UK partner

Australia’s longest-running TV drama series will come to an end after being unsuccessful in securing a British partner.

The nation’s longest-running TV drama Neighbours is set to come to an abrupt end after the famous soap failed to secure a deal with a UK broadcaster.

After 37 years in operation the cast at Ramsay Street will finish filming in June after production company Fremantle revealed on Thursday they had been unable to find lock in a new broadcasting arrangement.

The Melbourne-based show’s future was in serious doubt after it was revealed last month that its British broadcaster network, Channel 5, would not continue airing the program beyond June after they failed in striking a financial agreement with Fremantle.

A Fremantle spokeswoman said the news that show would not go on had left many staff devastated.

“It is with sadness that after nearly 37 years and almost 9000 episodes broadcast, we are confirming that Neighbours will cease production in June,” she said.

A photo from November, 1999 featuring Henry (Craig McLaughlin) and Charlene (Kylie Minogue) at the wedding of Charlene and Scott (Jason Donovan) in Neighbours. (Photo: Grundy Organisation)

“Following the loss of a key broadcast partner in the UK and despite a search for alternative funding, we currently have no option but to rest the show.”

Neighbours first aired in Britain on BBC1 in 1986 and the show attracted about 1.2 million viewers daily in the UK, while in Australia figures from TV ratings company OzTAm showed about 120,000 viewers tuned in per episode.

The show was created by TV executive Reg Watson and has been battling falling audiences in Australia for some years, forcing it to be shifted from Network Ten’s main channel to its digital channel, 10 Peach, in 2011.

It has produced some of the nation’s best acting talents who have gone on to have success beyond Erinsborough, including Kylie Minogue, Jason Donovan, Margot Robbie, Guy Pearce, Liam Hemsworth, Natalie Imbruglia, Alan Dale, Holly Valance and Delta Goodrem.

A Fremantle spokeswoman said the cast and crew have been “overwhelmed by the love and support from the audience” since it was revealed the program’s future was in jeopardy.

“The show has brought a sunny slice of Australia into the homes of millions of viewers around the world launching the careers of dozens of household names along way,” she said. “But as this chapter of Ramsay Street comes to a close, we promise to do everything we can to give the show the send-off it deserves.”

A Network 10 spokeswoman confirmed the TV drama will cease airing on 10 Peach in September.

“Network 10 thanks the cast, crew, all the production team and Fremantle for bringing the perfect blend of soap and sunshine to audiences in Australia and around the world,” she said.

“Ramsay Street, Erinsborough, is a cul-de-sac recognised all over the world and has been home to Scott and Charlene, Des and Daphne, Dr Karl and Susan, Dee and Toadie, Aaron and David and many, many more neighbours.

“We thank the Australian fans and audiences for their continued support of the series.”

Neighbours last year came under fire over claims of racism, sexism and misogyny being rife on set – indigenous cast member ­Shareena Clanton complained about her experiences on the program.

Sources told The Australian last April that they were blindsided by the claims.

Fremantle engaged Sydney-based firm Campfire X – an Indigenous-led creative consultancy – to conduct an independent cultural review into the program both on and off the set but despite the review being complete the findings have never been made public.