Australian TV icon Neighbours cancelled after 37 years on air
Former Neighbours heart-throb Daniel MacPherson has paid tribute to the TV soap that launched his career, saying he did his “growing up” on the show.
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Former Neighbours heart-throb Daniel MacPherson has paid a heartfelt tribute to the soap that launched his career.
Penning a social media love letter to the show, MacPherson reflected he had his sights set on being a triathlete before he was snapped up by Neighbours.
“The night before my 2nd last HSC exam, I get a call (landline) saying … they’ve written me a role playing… well… Myself,” he tweeted.
“I would move to Melbourne three months later aged 17 to start acting on #Neighbours?
“But I’d never been to Melbourne. Or acted. Or even finished high school. ‘F--k it … let’s do it’.
“Ann Charleston taught me that if I arrive on my call time, I’m late. (Still use that one to this day).
“Tom Oliver taught me not to sit in his chair in the green room. Ian Smith taught me plenty. What a gent. He was a good father figure for a few of us youngsters.
“I spent most of my time in Melbourne from 17 to 21 running around in Speedos, or some form of Lycra. With various versions of basically a blonde perm (and nipple ring – since departed) but slowly I learnt a bit about acting.
“I say I grew up in Sydney, but because of #Neighbours I did my ‘growing up’ in Melbourne, and eventually London.
“It set me off on an adventure that is still going to this day. 25 years later… that kid that knew nothing was working with an Oscar winner last week.
“A final little lesson I learned, and one I’ve never shared, but I will always be grateful for. As I was leaving after 3.5 years as Joel, I was being courted hard by the producers to stay on the show. But I was 21, I’d done my apprenticeship, and I was ready to take a leap.
“I was pulled into an office by the producer and the EP and in a last-ditch effort to keep me, they told me I should stay to work on my craft, that I wasn’t a good enough actor to go out and make it in the ‘real’ world …
“Now maybe they were right, but that was all that 21 year old triathlete needed to hear. Was that a challenge? ‘Let’s go’.
“I quit the show, moved to London and started on The Bill not long later.
“Twenty five years later, I still remember sitting in that office, being told by two old guys that I wasn’t gonna make it.
“Little did they know they were sparking up a fire that would become the adventure of a lifetime, thank you gents.”
Dannii Minogue has expressed her sadness that Neighbours, the show that means so much to her family, will be officially axed.
The Melbourne-made TV drama, which has been the launching pad to international successful for the likes of Kylie Minogue, Jason Donovan, Guy Pearce, Margot Robbie, Natalie Imbruglia, Alan Dale, Jesse Spencer, Liam Hemsworth, Dichen Lachman and Delta Goodrem, will end production on June 10 after 37 years.
Minogue’s sister Kylie launched a successful international career off the back of playing Ramsay Street favourite Charlene and rising to prominence opposite Jason Donovan.
“It’s so sad (and) crazy because what first took Kylie to London was the success of that show, and then gave her her recording career,’’ Minogue said.
“So it’s overwhelming and I’m sure they’ll write some really good storylines to finish it off. When I moved to London they had to put it on twice a day because the kids were leaving school to go and watch it. The schools were empty.”
Minogue said she would encourage Kylie to return for one last hurrah as suggested by Neighbours’ executive producer Jason Herbison.
“I don’t know if that’s going to happen but it would be fun right?” Minogue said.
“Jason’s daughter has been on it, it’s just been like the who’s who. I know any time someone comes over from overseas they’ll do an extra part on it.
“Matt Lucas came on it, I remember at the height of Little Britain. And my very dear friend Benji (Hart) — he lives in Sydney — he was on it and I remember running him through his audition lines at my parents’ house.
“That was such a spin-out. He said, ‘you don’t understand I’m British and I’ve got the Minogues running through my script with me for the audition’.
“It’s a big part of my family.”
Dannii never appeared on Neighbours but enjoyed reminiscing via last year’s Young Talent Time 50th reunion.
“When we had the 50th anniversary of YTT we got to redo a lot of old photos and hopefully they’ll bring back a lot of old clips (for Neighbours),’’ she said.
“For the YTT reunion we went back to film in our studio and I was like, this is now the Neighbours set! Some of our crew were working on there from YTT days.
“It was like the old Channel 10.”
Minogue was at Melbourne Airport on Friday morning to join the Virgin Australia maiden Pride Flight from Melbourne to Sydney ahead of Mardi Gras this weekend.
Dani Laidley was also a guest on the flight, with Minogue expressing her admiration for the former AFL player and coach.
“I’ve followed all of the articles and Mardi Gras is about seeing everybody live their authentic life and you’ve got to admire someone for following that,’’ she said.
“You need allies for things to change and I feel like each year the community is gathering more allies.”
The final episodes of Neighbours will air in Australia on 10 Peach in September, bringing to a close an incredible chapter in Australian TV.
Neighbours was in many ways the TV representation of an idealised Australia to the world in the late 1980s and 1990s.
It launched numerous international careers and provided employment for thousands of cast and crew over its long, celebrated run.
Desperate attempts to find a white knight backer to save the show after its UK production partner Channel 5 confirmed last month it was dropping the show, have failed.
The show’s producer, Fremantle, and its Australian production partner and broadcaster, Network 10, confirmed on Thursday that Neighbours, which is filmed in the Melbourne suburbs of Nunawading and Vermont South, was shutting down for good.
“Today, Fremantle confirmed that Neighbours will cease production in June, after nearly 37 years and almost 9,000 episodes. This difficult decision came after the search for an alternative UK broadcast partner proved unsuccessful,” Network 10 said in a statement.
“Network 10 confirms that Neighbours will not air on 10 Peach beyond September 2022.
“A much-loved stalwart of our program schedule for over 35 years it has been a staple of Australian television drama, and Australian cultural exports.
“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.
“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.
“We thank the Australian fans and audiences for their continued support of the series. Their encouragement particularly in the past few weeks has been incredible.
“It shows that our audience still want Australian scripted drama. We have listened to them and there are exciting new local projects in the pipeline, which is great for our audience and for the local industry.
“We are confident that the cast, crew and writers will bring their distinctive warmth, style and humour to the Neighbours set as they embark on filming the final episodes over the coming months.”
Fremantle said despite its best efforts, new funding could not be found to save the show.
“It is with sadness that after nearly 37 years and almost 9000 episodes broadcast, we are confirming that Neighbours will cease production in June,” Fremantle said in a statement.
“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.
“Everyone at Neighbours has been overwhelmed by the love and support from the audience since the news came out.
“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 the way.
“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.”
Channel 5 became the UK partner and broadcaster of the show when it signed a 10 year deal in 2008 estimated to be worth around £300m (AU $550 million).
Small contract extensions followed with a final one-year extension being optioned in June last year.
That contract is not being renewed and brings to an end one of the great success stories of Australian TV.
Kylie Minogue took to Twitter on Thursday night to acknowledge the importance of Neighbours to her career.
“I'll be forever grateful for the experience & the friends I made on @neighbours,” Minogue posted.
“We had no idea how big the show would become and how passionately viewers would take it to heart. Pure love! I can still hear Madge calling … CHARLENE!!!!”
Guy Pearce, who went on to an acclaimed international TV, film and stage career also voiced his sadness at the axing of Neighbours.
“I’m so sorry to hear Neighbours will end,” Pearce tweeted.
“Aside from being the incredible launch pad it’s been no one can deny the effect it’s had throughout millions of homes around the world. It’s bonded all of us in immeasurable ways. A true honour to have been a part of it. Great memories Xx”
The slightly less luminary Warwick Capper added his sentiments about the end of the show.
“Bit upset that the TV show I put on the map got the chop,” the ex AFL footballer who once made a guest appearance on the show tweeted.
“I’m going to miss my $186 in royalties every year. Sad day. @kylieminogue never made it be a @sydneyswans swanette bring back @neighbours.”
Neighbours executive producer Jason Herbison told 10 News it was “very sad but we are also very proud”.
“Thirty-seven years is an incredible achievement,” he said.
“We are the longest running drama show ever in Australia.”
He said he hoped Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan would be part of the final storyline.
“Kylie and Jason, they personify the Neighbours of the early years so we would love to see them back in Ramsay Street,” Herbison said.
“They are busy people, as well (but) we hope that the planets will align and we can get them back on the show somehow, someway but between now and June we will be working on it.”
He said the final chapter of the show would not see Ramsay Street destroyed.
“I do see the ending as being very warm and nostalgic. I don’t think we should have an earthquake topple Ramsay Street,” he said.
Alan Fletcher, who plays Dr Karl Kennedy, said it was a sad day.
“It is a sad day not just for us, it is sad for the millions of people all around the world who adore Neighbours and love the show.”
His co-star Jackie Woodburne, who plays Susan Kennedy, said the goal now was to see the show out on a high.
“It is time to dry our tears and just push forward and make the last few months as exciting and as jam-packed as we can,” she said.
Much-loved cast members Ian Smith, who played Harold Bishop, and Anne Charleston, who played Madge Bishop, will be making a guest appearance on the show as the final filming date nears.
Neighbours debuted on Channel 7 in 1985 but lasted a handful of months before being dumped.
The show was then picked up by 10 and launched in its new network in 1986.
The show took off and found a huge and lucrative audience in the UK.
Devoted fans, desperate to rally Neighbours aficionados from around the world to push for the show to be saved, bumped veteran singer Barry Crocker to the top of the UK iTunes singles chart last month.
His chart topper was the Neighbours’ theme song.
Crocker, 86, recorded the song in 1985 and it was used as the show’s theme song until 1992.
Fans also launched change.org petitions. One called Channel 5: Don’t Axe Neighbours drew more than 62,000 signatures, while another titled Save Neighbours the Soap Opera from being Axed garnered more than 11,000.
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