Neighbours is a Melbourne icon and should be saved

The fight to save Neighbours could be the biggest TV cliffhanger ever — even for a soap opera famous for wild storylines.

The fight to save iconic Australian soap opera Neighbours is shaping up as the TV cliffhanger of the year.

Ramsay Street is more than just the place where Kylie Minogue launched her global entertainment career and Margot Robbie honed her skills for Hollywood.

For 37 years the show has provided a sunny slice of life Down Under to millions in the UK and around the world.

But now the sun is setting over Erinsborough with the history making show on the chopping block.

Can Fremantle, the production company which makes the show in Melbourne, find a new partner to join Network 10 as the backers of the much-loved series after UK-broadcaster Channel 5 confirmed on Sunday it had dumped it?

And why do we care if the show is saved at the 11th hour or is tossed into the TV drama graveyard?

We care because the show is an icon of Melbourne.

When you think of Melbourne you think of the MCG, Melbourne Cup, Luna Park, CBD laneways covered in street art and Neighbours.

The famous Neighbours tour bus in the Vermont South court that serves as Ramsay St.

Where would Kylie Minogue be without the soap that made her a star.

While there have certainly been plenty of over-the-top and ridiculous storylines, during its long run the show has sensitively and sensibly embraced serious issues that reflect society from same sex relationships, teen pregnancy, safe sex practice and scammers to adoption, foster parenting, inclusion and transgender support.

For almost four decades the stories have been pumped out of the Neighbours studio in Nunawading and Pin Oak Court in Vermont South, turning those pockets of suburban Melbourne into tourist attractions – even superstar Adele popped out to Vermont for a picture in front of the Robinson residence.

Transgender activist Georgie Stone on set with Courtney Act. Picture: Channel 10

Neighbours also helped launch the career of Margot Robbie.

A generation has grown up with the show and it holds nostalgic value for so many.

The enduring soap has been a star factory for talent such as the aforementioned Minogue and Robbie along with the likes of Guy Pearce, Russell Crowe, Liam Hemsworth, Delta Goodrem, Daniel Macpherson, Jesse Spencer, Holly Valance, Natalie Imbruglia, Jason Donovan, Ashleigh Brewer, David Hoflin, Dichen Lachman, Natalie Bassingthwaighte, Olympia Valance, April Rose Pengilly and Radha Mitchell.

It has also provided opportunities to numerous behind the scenes creatives.

Fans are rallying to save the show with a #saveNeighbours hashtag trending on social media and a change.org petition launched titled ‘Channel 5 – Don’t Axe Neighbours’.

On Sunday Fremantle gave the cast and crew the bad news; that the show would cease filming on June 10. It will also stop airing on Channel 5 in the UK that month.

Neighbours still attracts 1.5 million viewers in the UK each day and has around 120,000 viewers in Australia.

It is not the first time the show, which is the longest-running drama series on Australian television and was inducted into the Logie Hall of Fame in 2005, has faced an uncertain future.

In fact it was axed by Channel 7 in 1985.

Ten saved the show by picking it up in 1986 and was rewarded with it going on to be a worldwide hit.

Could a new white knight emerge before the looming June 10 end date to save the show again?

Here’s hoping.