161-532: Ty Harper is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours , played by singer Dean Geyer . He made his first screen appearance during the episode broadcast on 27 March 2008. He was introduced to the show as the cousin of Taylah Jordan ( Danielle Horvat ) and as a potential love interest for Rachel Kinski ( Caitlin Stasey ). He departed on 30 April 2009. During 2008, Neighbours underwent
322-701: A 90-minute episode in Australia on 28 July 2022 on Network 10 and 10 Peach, while the finale in the United Kingdom aired on 29 July 2022 as a normal 30-minute episode in the regular daytime schedule followed by an hour-long prime-time episode. Due to timing, some scenes were cut from the UK showing. The finale was broadcast in Ireland on 3 August 2022 and in New Zealand on 2 September 2022. In November 2022, it
483-407: A 9:30 am daily time slot from 1 July to 30 August 1991. New York City station WWOR-TV showed Neighbours weekdays 5:30 pm from 17 June to 17 September 1991. Sixty-five selected episodes were aired from the beginning to where Charlene leaves Ramsay Street in 1988 in both markets. In April 2004, the show began broadcasting nationally on the television channel Oxygen . A spokeswomen from
644-430: A baby with just a Christian name. And Lou Carpenter – who is godfather – also wants them to decide once and for all. Libby and Drew feel like everyone is ganging up on them!" The couple eventually settle on Kennedy Kirk, and Ben is baptised in the same church his parents were married in. Following a brief appearance in 2004, the character and his mother returned permanently in 2007. Blake O'Leary originally auditioned for
805-404: A band called K-Squared and he organises a gig for them, but Ben does not want to play. Ben spends the day fixing a bike with Tyler and his father Russell (Russell Kiefel). They play practical jokes on him, but when Ben pulls Russell's trousers down, Russell loses his temper and threatens him. Karl stops Russell from hurting Ben. Ben befriends Piper Willis (Mavournee Hazel) and helps her to film
966-404: A band. Ben becomes friends with Sophie Ramsay ( Kaiya Jones ) too and they join the soccer team, which is being coached by Andrew Robinson ( Jordan Smith ), until he is banned from training them. Libby takes over, which embarrasses Ben, as she does not know anything about soccer. Ben decides that he wants to be a dancer, after he gets a lesson from Sophie's sister, Kate ( Ashleigh Brewer ). Ben
1127-503: A big brother. Libby and Dan decide to separate, leaving Ben without a father figure again. This hurts Ben and he asks Libby and Steph why no one wants him. Steph reassures him that Drew never wanted to leave. Ben continues to have a good relationship with Lucas Fitzgerald ( Scott Major ). Lucas helps Ben out with school, takes him on his motorbike and helps coach the soccer team. Ben befriends Callum Jones ( Morgan Baker ) and they, along with Mickey and Charlie Hoyland (Jacob Brito), form
1288-410: A classmate is responsible for stalking her and she apologises to Ty. He does not accept the apology and tells Rachel that he is hurt. Rachel invites Ty to a mystery gig at Charlie's and when he turns up, they kiss. They then begin a relationship. When Rachel's brother, Zeke ( Matthew Werkmeister ), goes missing following a rafting accident, Rachel turns to Ty for support. Rachel receives a scholarship to
1449-656: A conversation with him, she is "thwarted at every turn." Ten added "now that he has landed himself a job behind the bar at Charlie's it can only be a matter of time before he's an integral part of the Erinsborough community." Ty is first seen at an all-ages music gig attended by his cousin Taylah and her friends. Ty speaks to Rachel at the bar, commenting on the poor service before getting on stage to perform with his band. Taylah decides to play cupid and bring Rachel and Ty together, but Rachel rejects every move that she makes. Ty
1610-401: A couple of months, the show moved to 3:50 pm weekdays. The show eventually moved back to TV2, screening weeknights at 6:00 pm and, later, 6:30 pm before moving back to 6:00 pm. Its timeslot in 2022 was at 4:30 pm on TVNZ 1 . The finale aired, in its 90-minute iteration as Neighbours: The Final Farewell , in a primetime slot on TVNZ 1, on 2 September 2022. New episodes
1771-482: A crush on Libby and they almost share a kiss, but Libby tells Ty that it would be wrong to pursue a relationship when he liked Rachel. At the Erinsborough High school formal , Ty allows Rachel to sing a song that he wrote, called "Unforgettable". Although Ty develops feelings for Rachel he does not act on them due to Rachel's on-going love for Angus Henderson ( Jonathan Wood ). After Angus leaves Rachel for
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#17327869902191932-544: A drop of 300,000 from the BBC's average. However, the move boosted Channel 5's usual share for the 5.30 pm slot by three and a half times. UK viewers are able to catch up with episodes with Channel 5's video catch up service, My5 , similar to the catch up service in Australia. Channel 5 also had a deal with YouTube , allowing viewers to watch episodes for free on the video sharing site after they have been transmitted. From 4 January 2016, Channel 5 began broadcasting episodes on
2093-468: A few years before. Ben's middle name, Ian, is a tribute to Neighbours writer Ian Coughlan. The couple were then seen arguing over Ben's surname, with Libby unconvinced that Ben should be a Kirk. They later decide that he should be Ben K, until they resolve the situation. Libby and Drew are forced to choose a surname as Ben's baptism approaches. Valentine commented, "Libby's parents, Karl and Susan, are beside themselves, because they think you can't baptise
2254-644: A fight with Jayden, earning himself a detention from Libby. Jayden blackmails Bailey into lying about what happened and Ben tells Libby that he started the fight. Libby suspends Ben, so Susan gets him a part-time job at the local garden nursery. Ben tells Karl that he is struggling being back in Erinsborough where his father grew up, and wants to leave. Ben eventually tells Libby the truth and he also decides to change his surname back to Kirk. Libby and Ben then leave for Oakey, so Ben can learn more about Drew's roots. The following year, Ben turns up unannounced at Karl and Susan's house. He asks if he can stay with them, as Libby
2415-572: A focus on three households created by Watson – including the Ramsay and Robinson families, who have a long history and an ongoing rivalry. Over the serial's early years, three additional houses on the street were introduced as regular settings. Pin Oak Court, in Vermont South , is the real cul-de-sac that has doubled for Ramsay Street. The houses featured are real and the residents allow
2576-405: A gig at a local nursing home. Ben did not want to hurt his grandfather's feelings, so he kept quiet as Karl named their band K-Squared. Ben later told Susan that he did not want to be a part of the band and she encouraged him to speak to Karl, but he was worried about breaking his heart. In late 2015, the local high school was damaged by a fire . It soon emerged that Ben had accidentally started
2737-489: A good looking, kind-hearted lad. When he first arrived in Erinsborough, he was an aspiring musician who swept Rachel Kinski off her feet. Since she left to continue her studies in London, Ty has been moping around like a lost puppy." Neighbours Neighbours is an Australian television soap opera that has aired since 18 March 1985. It was created by television executive Reg Watson . The Seven Network commissioned
2898-566: A job at his garage and Ben decides to move to Oakey. After Libby was injured during a bike accident, she was told that she would not be able to carry a child to full-term. When Libby does fall pregnant, she decides to keep the baby, despite being told that she could be risking her own life. While attending a rodeo in Oakey, Libby becomes locked in a barn and she goes into labour. She is eventually found by her father, Karl, and husband, Drew Kirk, and airlifted to hospital. Although Libby almost dies, Ben
3059-502: A job in South Australia, Ty gives her an electric keyboard to make her feel better. Rachel thinks the keyboard is from Angus and decides that she does not want it. Ty explains that he is the one who brought it for her and Rachel is angry that Ty is buying her gifts so soon after Angus left. Ty apologises for upsetting her and tells her that the only reason he wants her to be happy is that he cares about her. One night while Rachel
3220-599: A job offer at an aged care facility near to him in Oakey. He calls again when she contemplates rejecting her uni offer in Toowoomba, and convinces her to accept it. For his portrayal of Ben, O'Leary was nominated for Best Young Actor at the 2009 Inside Soap Awards . At the 2016 Digital Spy Reader Awards, Ben was nominated for the Biggest Unsung Hero accolade. A writer for the BBC said Ben's most notable moment
3381-527: A locker, injuring Yashvi in the process. Yashvi admits that she encouraged Luke and joins Ben on punishment duty. Yashvi tells her friends that she and Ben are in a casual relationship. When Ben kisses her, Yashvi tells him she just wants to be friends. She later apologises for making up the rumours about them. Ben takes the blame for a muck up day prank to save Yashvi from being expelled, and Susan expels him instead. Ben and Xanthe realise they still have feelings for one another and they get back together. Ben tells
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#17327869902193542-464: A lunchtime broadcast and then a morning broadcast repeat the following day. Michael Grade , the channel's then controller, was advised by his daughter to move the morning broadcast repeat to a late afternoon slot, as she and her friends kept missing it due to them being at school, which took place from 4 January 1988. The show then started attracting larger audiences, peaking at over 21 million viewers on 26 January 1990, an aggregated figure that combined
3703-574: A major revamp and former Australian Idol contestant Dean Geyer joined the show as regular cast member, Ty Harper. Producers also recruited models Imogen Bailey ( Nicola West ) and Erin McNaught ( Sienna Cammeniti ) in a bid to "sex up" the cast. Geyer had to undertake a screen test with Caitlin Stasey who plays Rachel Kinski to secure the role. He also worked with the Neighbours drama coach, Mike Bishop, for four months to help prepare for
3864-405: A meet-and-greet with Angus Young at Lassiter's Hotel. This turns out to be a ruse so they can spend time together, and they are briefly trapped in the hotel following an explosion, during which they find money belonging to Tom Quill (Kane Felsinger). Xanthe persuades Ben to take the money as Tom is believed to have been killed in the explosion, but he later turns up alive. Their theft of the money
4025-431: A new current affairs show. They said "It's part of a re-branding of Ten's free-to-air channel, targeting the older demographic. The 'younger' shows, like Neighbours , will go on to one of Ten's digital channels". It was later confirmed that the show would be moving to digital channel, Eleven. Network Ten's programmer, David Mott said "We believe Neighbours is perfectly suited to Eleven's audience strategy and will find
4186-414: A new UK broadcaster. Dennis said of the cancellation, "Simply put, it is all about the quickly changing landscape in the way we view our favourite TV shows. Drama on free-to-air television is dying a rapid death because nowadays viewers are used to being able to watch what they want when they want. Ultimately, Neighbours is a product in the big business of film and television and like any other business, if
4347-401: A one-and-half-hour-long episode. It was broadcast on 29 July 2022 in the UK as a one-hour-long episode. A study conducted shortly after the final episode aired in Australia and the UK found that fans experienced considerable feelings of grief and loss at the conclusion of the series, with viewers having formed strong connections and bonds with their favorite characters. On 17 November 2022, it
4508-506: A permanent return on 31 March 2016, moving in with his grandparents. Mallard left the show in late 2017, with his on-screen departure airing on 10 April 2018. The character made two guest appearances on 31 December 2018 and 7 January 2019. In 2001, Libby Kennedy ( Kym Valentine ) gave birth to her and husband Drew Kirk 's ( Dan Paris ) son. The birth placed Libby's life in danger and she was rushed to intensive care with blood loss. Paris said "All their worst fears are realised, they both knew
4669-407: A product isn't making money, it will make way for one that will. All TV shows come to an end – even the likes of long-time legends such as Coronation Street and Days of Our Lives will eventually cease. Survival of these shows is in the viewers' hands." Cast member Georgie Stone revealed that she discovered the cancellation on Twitter and was initially unsure whether to believe it, until she
4830-522: A residential cul-de-sac in the fictional Melbourne suburb of Erinsborough . The street was named after the grandfather of original character Max Ramsay ( Francis Bell ). Other locations include Erinsborough High School, the garage (local mechanic), hospital , and the Lassiter's complex, which contains the Lassiter's Hotel , Waterhole bar, Harold's Café , the lawyers office Rebecchi Law , and
4991-700: A resort in Queensland. Filming locations outside of Australia have included Kenya , the United States and the United Kingdom, which has seen Neighbours episodes filmed there on a number of occasions. In February 1990, Lyme Park in Cheshire doubled as the Ledgerwood estate set in Yorkshire. Derek Nimmo guest-starred as the fictitious Lord Ledgerwood in two of the episodes. In November 1992,
Ty Harper - Misplaced Pages Continue
5152-835: A ride on the London Eye and being married on a boat on the River Thames . Three further storylines shot on location in London aired in March 2017, March 2018, and September 2019. The show was due to film in Ireland for the first time in March 2020, before the shoot was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The following year, a sixth storyline was filmed on location in London, featuring Amanda Holden and Sophie Ellis-Bextor alongside regular cast member Jemma Donovan ( Harlow Robinson ). In early 2023, Annie Jones ( Jane Harris ) and Guy Pearce ( Mike Young ) filmed scenes in
5313-447: A school concert and his audition is successful. However, Ben soon learns that the other students have found his naked photos and he pulls out of the concert. Tyler tells Karl the truth about the photos, while Brad persuades Ben to own his mistake. Ben shows the students a video that he has recorded, in which he holds up cards detailing how he was in love and hoped that others would not make the same mistake. Karl suggests that he and Ben form
5474-422: A school in London and she nearly declines as she could stay with Ty. Zeke encourages Ty to break up with her, which he does. However, he realises his mistake and races to the airport to say goodbye to Rachel properly. Ty misses Rachel and almost gives up his music career, but he is eventually talked out of selling his guitar. When he receives a text from Rachel meant for her cousin, Ty jumps to the conclusion that she
5635-449: A segment for her vlog . He accidentally leaves the door to the garage unlocked, leading to the theft of the tools and Tyler's bike. After Libby comes back from China, Ben goes home. A few weeks later, Ben returns to help out with the protest to save Erinsborough High from closing. Piper berates him for speaking to his ex-girlfriend after everything she did. Piper later apologises and opens up to Ben about her ex-boyfriend. A fire breaks out at
5796-402: A successful and enduring home on Eleven". Neighbours moved to Eleven on 11 January 2011, the channel's launch day. Throughout 2013, Eleven had broadcast repeat episodes of Neighbours from the 2007 period, titled Old School Neighbours , during weekday mornings. In 2015, Network Ten had broadcast an encore of the previous day's episode at 7:00 am weekdays. In 2018, for the first time in
5957-606: A taxi to take him to the local hospital, while her parents and Karl and Susan track them down. Ben then returns to Ballarat. Months later, Ben returns to stay with Karl and Susan. Xanthe Canning is instantly attracted to Ben. She invites herself over to the Kennedy's to spend time with Ben, and they drink some alcohol. Xanthe gets tipsy and is sick on Susan, who tells Ben not to spend time with Xanthe. The following day, Xanthe apologises to Ben and tries to make it up to him by arranging
6118-500: A text message from an old friend in Ballarat. Susan started to think that Ben might self-harm and forced Tyler to tell her the truth behind Ben's behaviour. Ben was "humiliated" when the pictures were leaked online and his classmates saw them. Susan tried to help Ben find a way to deal with his shame, but it was his teacher Brad Willis ( Kip Gamblin ) who suggested that he take control of the controversy. Ben filmed himself revealing
6279-424: Is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours , last played by Felix Mallard . The character was previously played by Noah Sutherland, Sean Berends and Blake O'Leary. He made his first screen appearance during the episode broadcast on 14 December 2001. Ben is the son of Libby Kennedy ( Kym Valentine ) and Drew Kirk ( Dan Paris ). Ben and Libby departed Ramsay Street in 2003, returning briefly
6440-434: Is a page boy at their wedding. Libby also finds out she is pregnant and Ben is excited to have a younger brother or sister around. However, Libby loses the baby, which makes Ben sad. Ben starts to feel out of place in his family as he was the only one with a different surname. Libby allows Ben to change his name to Fitzgerald, but this causes friction between Libby and Stephanie Scully. Ben tells Steph that he will leave his name
6601-407: Is a wonderful show and because of this I felt it was important that fresh eyes and brains take over to keep this Australian icon contemporary. Having said that, I'm really excited about the new role and thank FremantleMedia for this wonderful opportunity." Former City Homicide producer, Richard Jasek , took over Bower's role, while Alan Hardy took over the role of producer. On 4 December 2013, it
Ty Harper - Misplaced Pages Continue
6762-509: Is asked not to tell Angus. However, he confides in Xanthe, who tells him. Angus runs away and takes the busking money. Ben and Xanthe find him at Off-Air and they try to persuade him to return. Ben takes Angus's passport, so he cannot leave the country, while Xanthe leaves to stop him from getting to the airport. Ben and Xanthe then confess to stealing Tom Quill's money. Xanthe's father Gary Canning ( Damien Richardson ) pays Ben to take Xanthe to
6923-548: Is babysitting Ben Fitzgerald (Blake O'Leary) and Charlie Hoyland (Jacob Brito) someone sends her text messages and turns off the power. Armed with a cricket bat, Rachel hits the stalker when they come into the house. When the lights come back on Rachel sees that she has attacked Ty who was coming home. Rachel accuses Ty of being the stalker and he is taken to the hospital to get checked over. Ty questions how anyone thought that he could do that to Rachel and he asks her how she does not know how he feels about her. Rachel discovers that
7084-791: Is born safely, but kept in the hospital for a few weeks. After his birth, Ben almost dies when he is locked in Libby and Drew's house while it is being fumigated. Ben is saved by Summer Hoyland ( Marissa Siketa ) who opens the back door. Libby, Drew and Ben go to visit Drew's father up in Oakey. While out riding, Drew falls from his horse and he dies, leaving Ben fatherless. Libby begins a relationship with Darren Stark ( Todd MacDonald ) and they leave Ramsay Street to live in Shepparton . Libby and Ben return without Darren three years later and Libby explains that Darren cheated on her. Darren arrives and tells Susan and Karl that Libby constantly told him that he
7245-416: Is bright and when he passes the test, he is accepted into an arts school in the country. Almost four years later, Ben returns to Erinsborough with his mother when she accepts the role of acting deputy principal at Erinsborough High for three weeks. Ben enrols at the school and befriends Bailey Turner (Calen Mackenzie), when he notices he is being bullied by Jayden Warley (Khan Oxenham). Ben later gets into
7406-503: Is charged with reckless conduct. As he realises that he is going to end up with a criminal record and a possible custodial sentence, Ben decides to run away with Piper. They get jobs as fruit pickers to raise money, but Piper has to work alone, as Ben struggles with pain from his fractured ribs, which he sustained after being struck by Sheila Canning 's ( Colette Mann ) car. He later collapses. On 26 February 2018, Daniel Kilkelly of Digital Spy confirmed Mallard had finished filming with
7567-703: Is currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video on 18 September 2023. In Canada, CFMT-TV in Toronto broadcast Neighbours on weeknights at 11:00 pm, starting in September 1990. From 20 May 1991, CFMT moved the show to 4:00 pm. After announcing its cancellation, CFMT decided to keep Neighbours on its schedule throughout September 1994, following numerous letters and telephone calls. From April 2017 to April 2019, Neighbours aired on OutTV . Episodes were broadcast on weekdays at 2:30 pm ET and 5:30 pm ET, with an omnibus on Saturdays. Episodes aired on
7728-466: Is discovered by Piper and Angus Beaumont-Hannay ( Jai Waetford ), who steals Ben's share. When Tom demands his money back, Ben, Xanthe and Angus sell old clothes and busk to raise the amount. Ben believes that Karl and Susan are favouring Angus over him and when Angus goes unpunished for spraying graffiti at the school, this makes him more angry, which leads to a fight between them. Ben learns Angus's mother Sarah Beaumont ( Nicola Charles ), has cancer and
7889-483: Is going to China for work. Ben bonds with Tyler Brennan and reveals that his ex-girlfriend posted his naked photos online, leading to his move to Erinsborough to get away from the negative attention. Ben isolates himself at school and refuses to take part in a social media assignment set by Brad Willis. Ben skips school to hang out with Tyler. He refuses to open up to Karl and Susan when they notice his social media profile has been deleted. Tyler encourages Ben to take part in
8050-476: Is hurt it emerges Steph is carrying Dan's baby and Libby tried to keep it from him. Libby initially stops Ben from attending Callum's birthday party, but she eventually relents. Ben complains that his teacher will not let him give a speech to the class as she believes that he did not complete an assignment. Ben believes his teacher does not like him. Libby meets with his teacher and she learns that Ben has been writing many stories. Libby gets Ben tested as she thinks he
8211-416: Is initially hesitant to spend time with him, as Ben reminds him of Drew too much, but they later work together and Dougal offers Ben a job at his garage. Ben turns down the offer, but he later reconsiders it and accepts. Xanthe agrees that they should try a long distance relationship. Ben visits Piper to say his goodbyes and Xanthe tells him that they will make their relationship work, before Susan drives him to
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#17327869902198372-426: Is now airs from 19 September 2023 at 5.30pm Tuesdays to Fridays on TVNZ 2. Episodes is to be then available to stream on Amazon Prime Video . In Iceland, Neighbours has been aired on Stöð 2 since 1986 with Icelandic subtitles. The show is currently on weeknights at 5.25 pm. In Belgium, Neighbours has aired since 1988 as Buren , with Dutch subtitles on Één (previously known as TV1, in 2024 known as VRT1),
8533-404: Is now streaming on Amazon Freevee from 18 September 2023 in the United Kingdom. In Ireland, RTÉ began broadcasting Neighbours on 2 January 2001. The show aired weekdays at 2:00 pm on RTÉ One and was repeated at 6:00 pm on RTÉ Two . Episodes were also available via catch-up on RTÉ Player . Prior to the move from BBC One to Channel 5 in the UK, RTÉ broadcast Neighbours at the same pace as
8694-457: Is seeing someone else. However, Libby tells him that he is being silly and that he should tell Rachel how he feels. Ty is invited to join Rachel in London and the younger Ramsay Street residents have a small party for Ty. They sing to him as he leaves the street. For his portrayal of Ty, Geyer was nominated for Most Popular New Male Talent at the 2009 Logie Awards . In the same year, the actor won
8855-504: Is the real cul-de-sac that doubles for Ramsay Street. All of the houses featured in the show are real and the residents allow Neighbours to shoot external scenes in their front and back yards and on occasions, in their garages. Neighbours has been filmed in Pin Oak Court since the series began in 1985 and it has since become popular with tourists. Tours to the cul-de-sac run throughout the year. The interior scenes are filmed at
9016-467: Is unhappy to see Donna Freedman ( Margot Robbie ) at Charlie's as she had been following him for a while. Ty explains to Rachel that Donna is an obsessive fan and Rachel helps him to get Donna to back off. Ty is later offered a job by Stephanie Scully ( Carla Bonner ), after he is caught sleeping behind the bar. He explains that he does not have a job or anywhere to live and he is invited to move in with her and Libby Kennedy ( Kym Valentine ). Ty develops
9177-589: The Great Barrier Reef region. Two storylines were filmed in Geelong and the Gold Coast in 2016. In March 2019, Neighbours filmed scenes at the 2019 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras for an episode airing in 2020. The serial also had its own float during the parade. Later that year, scenes for Paul Robinson ( Stefan Dennis ) and Terese Willis ' ( Rebekah Elmaloglou ) wedding were filmed at
9338-533: The Morrison government to step in and help. After the decision to cut the show's funding by British broadcaster Channel 5, an online campaign was launched trying to get Barry Crocker 's version of the Neighbours theme song to number one in the UK charts. This success had the tune at number one on the iTunes chart for almost 24 hours. An article in the Sydney Morning Herald noted that following
9499-571: The Republic of Ireland on 3 August 2022. To mark the ending of the show, RTÉ had made several classic episodes available to viewers in Ireland on the RTÉ Player. Neighbours returned to RTÉ and debuted on Amazon Prime Video on 18 September 2023. In New Zealand, Neighbours was broadcast primarily on the TVNZ network. The show was initially broadcast by TVNZ on 25 July 1988, but by 1996 it
9660-537: The TV Tonight website reported Neighbours was to reduce crew operations in 2011 so production could be upgraded. The changes meant that the location manager and catering team were no longer required, studio shoots would be reduced from three cameras to two, and location shooting would be restricted. Of the changes, FremantleMedia said " Neighbours is undergoing a work flow upgrade to accommodate advances in technology and production techniques to ensure we are at
9821-451: The merger of Viacom and CBS , Channel 5 in the UK and Channel 10 in Australia became owned by the same corporate umbrella. Despite the soap being the 4th most popular in the UK (behind the country's traditional top 3 soaps), the funding arrangements meant that one part of ViacomCBS was cross-subsidising another. On 3 March 2022, it was confirmed that the show would end after 37 years on air, after production company Fremantle could not obtain
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#17327869902199982-638: The "Fave Aussie Hottie" award from the Nickelodeon Australian Kids' Choice Awards and received a nomination for "King of Teen" from the Dolly Teen Choice Awards . The decision to add Geyer, McNaught and Bailey to the Neighbours cast outraged the acting industry, with some agents accusing the show of "sacrificing quality in favour of ratings". A Daily Record reporter stated "If you're into eye candy, it doesn't come much better than Ty Harper. There's no denying he's
10143-515: The 2000s, rival soap opera Home and Away emerged as more popular than Neighbours in Australia. As of 2004, Neighbours was regularly attracting just under a million viewers per episode. In 2007, Home and Away was averaging 1.4 million viewers in Australia to Neighbours ' 700,000. During the revamp of 2007, the episode broadcast on 23 July 2007 saw the introduction of a new family, updated sets, new theme music and graphics. Ratings for that episode averaged 1.05 million viewers in
10304-455: The 6:30 pm. slot. It was the first time the programme's viewing figures had topped 1 million in 2007. By the end of 2007 it was reported that producers had hoped the Neighbours revamp would push the ratings up to between 900,000 to 1 million an episode. It had, however, resulted in a more modest boost, with ratings hovering at about 800,000 a night. The same viewing period had shown an increase in ratings for Home and Away , which
10465-406: The Australian broadcast. All episodes of Neighbours were later removed from Hulu. From 18 September 2023, new episodes along with archive episodes, is now streaming on Amazon Freevee . Neighbours initially aired on Seven Network. It struggled to attract high ratings, leading to its cancellation by the network four months after it premiered. The series was then picked up by Network Ten. After
10626-566: The BBC. From the move to Channel 5, RTÉ sat one episode behind the UK broadcast. In 2007, RTÉ secured a long-term deal with FremantleMedia to continue broadcasting the show in Ireland after it moved from the BBC to Channel 5. While RTÉ had only broadcast Neighbours since 2001, it had already been popular with Irish viewers since it debuted on BBC One in October 1986. The finale was broadcast in Northern Ireland on 29 July 2022 and
10787-464: The Christmas and New Year period. From 2018 until 2020, the show aired all year round, although a three-week Christmas break occurred in 2021–2022. All aired episodes shown during the week are available to watch on Network 10's 10Play app, as part of their catch up TV service. 10 Peach also broadcast the last four aired episodes shown in an omnibus edition each Sunday. When the show began in 1985,
10948-542: The Global Television studios in Forest Hill , the adjoining suburb in which Pin Oak Court is located. Under the contract for filming to take place on the street, the residents of Pin Oak Court require permission to alter the exterior of their properties; between the series' cancellation and revival in 2022 and 2023, some residents took the opportunity to make renovations without hindrance. Through much of
11109-783: The Halloween school dance. Ben suspects Xanthe's mother Brooke Butler ( Fifi Box ) is scamming Karl, and Brooke later causes a rift between Ben and Xanthe. They break up as their families feud, but secretly get back together. Karl arranges for Ben and Xanthe to carry out their work experience at the hospital, but Ben decides that he wants to be a mechanic after working at the garage with Tyler. Finn Kelly ( Rob Mills ) convinces Ben to quit school and attend TAFE classes. Xanthe breaks up with Ben after falling for Finn, who has been manipulating her. Ben soon returns to school. When he overhears Yashvi Rebecchi (Olivia Junkeer) and Luke Browne (Connor Harvey) gossiping about Xanthe, Ben shoves Luke into
11270-616: The Seven Network. Repeat episodes of Neighbours episodes from the 1988–1991 period were broadcast between 2000 and 30 June 2003 on Network Ten. These episodes were seen at 3:30 pm, before moving to 11:30 am. During 2008, Ten HD broadcast the previous week's episodes in an omnibus edition each Sunday. These omnibus editions did not return in 2009, as Ten HD was replaced by One HD from March 2009. In August 2010, Sydney's Daily Telegraph reported that Neighbours would be moving to Ten's new digital channel, to make way for
11431-640: The UK after Channel 5 pulled its funding for budget reasons. In an official statement, a channel spokesperson said " Neighbours will no longer air on Channel 5 beyond this summer. It's been a much-loved part of our schedule for more than a decade, and we'd like to thank the cast, Fremantle and all of the production team for their fantastic work on this iconic series." Neighbours concluded on Channel 5 in July 2022. The channel's spokesperson confirmed that 5 wants to increase its investment in original UK dramas. New episodes of Neighbours , along with archive episodes,
11592-487: The UK broadcast, which had fallen behind due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The move caused some viewers to speculate that the soap was on the verge of being cancelled, but April Rose Pengilly (who plays Chloe Brennan ) confirmed that the rumours were not true. On 23 November 2021, a spokesperson from Channel 5 confirmed that Neighbours episodes would continue airing five times a week in 2022, while 10 Peach would be keeping
11753-402: The UK broadcaster as it was no longer commercially viable for Ten to fund it alone. In 2018, after a new deal was secured with Channel 5, the show became the first Australian drama to air all year round. In February 2022, Channel 5 announced that it would be dropping Neighbours from its schedule; the cancellation of the show was confirmed the following month. The show's finale was broadcast as
11914-597: The UK episode airing on the same day as the wedding. The episode, which had already aired in Australia, marked the first time an Australian show recorded extra scenes for a UK broadcaster. On 25 October 2011, it was announced Bower would leave Neighbours in December 2011 to move into a new international role with FremantleMedia. Of her departure, Bower told Colin Vickery of the Herald Sun , "I love Neighbours , it
12075-400: The UK for the show's most recent overseas storyline, which aired in the first few weeks of the show's revival. Neighbours currently airs from Monday to Thursday weekly at 4:00pm on Network 10 and is replayed at 6:30pm on 10 Peach . Until 2018, Neighbours was broadcast from early January to early December for approximately 48–49 weeks each year, going off-air for four to five weeks during
12236-487: The UK launched a search to find a female actress to play the part of Poppy Rogers . The search was similar to the Dolly magazine competition in Australia. August saw Neighbours air its 6,000th episode. Digital Spy revealed that the week-long 6,000th episode celebrations would see the wedding of regular characters, Donna Freedman ( Margot Robbie ) and Ringo Brown ( Sam Clark ). It was later announced that an attempt on
12397-597: The air in the world. In 2005, Neighbours celebrated its 20th anniversary and over twenty former cast members returned for a special episode , which saw the characters sitting down to watch a documentary about Ramsay Street and its residents. At the Logie Award ceremony that year, the show was inducted into the Logie Hall of Fame . In 2007, the show underwent a revamp, which included a switch to recording in HDTV ,
12558-521: The airport. Ben and Xanthe keep in touch via video calls and she later flies up to visit him, but Ben is busy and cannot spend much time with her. A week later, Ben comes back to Erinsborough to surprise Xanthe, but Xanthe has to study and later tells him that they have to break up. Ben says goodbye to his grandparents, Steph, Yashvi and Xanthe before driving back to Oakey in Drew's car. A few months later, Ben video calls Xanthe on New Year's Eve to tell her about
12719-413: The anniversary episodes that revolved around an Erinsborough Festival. Network Ten and Channel 5 aired a documentary special titled Neighbours 30th: The Stars Reunite , which featured interviews with current and former cast members, including Kylie Minogue , Jason Donovan and Guy Pearce , reflecting on their time on the show. Natalie Lynch succeeded Wilson as producer in early 2016. In 2017, there
12880-420: The birth would be risky for both Libby and the child – and while the baby is alright, Libby is still fighting for her life". Libby makes a recovery and she is allowed to hold her son for the first time. Valentine said "It's a wonderful moment when Libby holds her new-born baby". Off set, Valentine and Paris both bonded with Noah Sutherland who played their on-screen baby. Valentine told TV Week that Sutherland
13041-479: The cast, all of whom were informed of the revival when Herbison visited their houses and told them in-person. Fletcher, Woodburne and Moloney all expressed their pleasure of the revival either during interviews or on social media. Other cast members were not informed prior to the announcement of the show's return. It has been revealed that Neighbours will be produced for at least the next two years, with 200 new episodes being released per year. In February 2023,
13202-557: The change on the week it was due to be implemented. "Audience feedback" was cited as the reason for the reversal. Neighbours has been sold to over 60 countries and is one of Australia's most successful media exports. Neighbours has been very successful in the United Kingdom, and has proved to be more popular there than in Australia. It was broadcast on BBC One for over 21 years from October 1986 until February 2008. The series started airing on 27 October 1986, as part of BBC One's revamped daytime schedules. Neighbours went out with
13363-470: The changes were an attempt to return to the show's original concept. In 1994, Network Ten told TV Week that they would be introducing a "younger, livelier look with six regular characters under the age of 18" in a bid to generate interest. It was then that they introduced the characters of Stonefish Rebecchi , played by Anthony Engelman, and Serendipity Gottlieb , played by Raelee Hill . In 1996, Kimberley Davies , who played Annalise Hartman , quit
13524-460: The channel said "Now our viewers can join in on the good, the bad and the endlessly entertaining lives of our Aussie neighbours." The episodes started from the Scully family's arrival in 1999 and were aired for a six-week trial basis. The show was broadcast in the afternoon with two episodes being shown back to back at 1:00 pm and 2:00 pm. After a couple of weeks, and only 65 episodes aired,
13685-408: The characters Rick Alessi ( Dan Falzon ) and Debbie Martin ( Marnie Reece-Wilmore ) visit London to attend a Michael Jackson concert. However, producers could not film at the concert after negotiations with Jackson's tour management failed. The second London-based storyline was broadcast in late March 2007. Susan Kennedy ( Jackie Woodburne ) and Karl Kennedy ( Alan Fletcher ) are shown taking
13846-538: The couple get back together. Ben travels to the Gold Coast as Madison Robinson 's (Sarah Ellen) guitarist, and Xanthe joins them. She and Ben plan to have sex, but Susan shows up and stops them. Xanthe and Ben are reunited with Angus, who returns to Erinsborough with them. He develops a crush on Ben's cousin Elly Conway ( Jodi Anasta ) and asks Ben to give him a tattoo to match hers. Angus, Ben and Xanthe sing at
14007-464: The emphasis on family relations and suburban reality. Executive producer Ric Pellizzeri said new writers, actors and sets would bring the soap back to its glory days. He added "We moved too far into event-driven stories rather than the character-driven stories that made Neighbours what it is". The relaunch failed to attract more viewers in Australia. Pellizzeri left the series at the end of 2007 and former Neighbours scriptwriter, Susan Bower , became
14168-928: The end it came down to being what it is, a story around neighbours." Reporters from the Herald Sun said that Watson took his idea to the Nine Network in 1982, but it was rejected. Former Nine executive Ian Johnson described the rejection as "one of the biggest 'missed opportunities'" during his time at the network. The show was then offered to the Seven Network , who commissioned the show in September 1984. The serial went into production that November with an $ 8 million budget. The show's initial premise focused on three households, made up of 12 core characters, living in Ramsay Street, dealing with everyday life with humour and drama. The first episode
14329-513: The end of each year, usually averaging around 700,000. On 17 July 2009, during the aftermath of the Parker family's car accident and the dramatic death of Bridget Parker ( Eloise Mignon ), Neighbours achieved higher ratings than Home and Away . Neighbours achieved 998,000 viewers and placed 6th for the night, while Home And Away placed 7th. In January 2010, Neighbours returned to Australian screens to an audience of 563,000. On 20 January,
14490-402: The episodes at four, putting the UK ahead of Australia. On 28 July 2022, Neighbours aired the 90-minute Series Finale on Thursday at 7:30 pm on Network 10 and simulcast on 10 Peach . When Neighbours returned on 18 September 2023, episodes airs on Network 10 every Monday to Thursday at 4:00 pm with a second airing on the same day in the former 6:30 pm timeslot on 10 Peach . and repeated
14651-421: The fire. With Piper's encouragement, Ben lit a piece of paper on fire and held it under a sprinkler to set off the alarm system. However, it soon caused a "devastating fire" that left Piper's mother with burns to her body. Both Ben and Piper felt guilty about their actions, and Ben struggled as he watched Susan trying to deal with the aftermath. Although Piper urges him to keep quiet, Ben owns up to what he did and
14812-449: The fires and a charity event Sheila is organising. Channel 5 directed its viewers to a dedicated information page on their website at the end of the episode. Neighbours suspended production for two days amid the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, after a crew member came into contact with someone who had the virus. Production shut down early for the scheduled Easter break before resuming after four weeks on 27 April 2020, making Neighbours
14973-428: The first mainstream scripted show to resume production during the pandemic. In order to adhere to government guidelines and social-distancing, Neighbours created separate areas to spread out the cast and crew. They removed intimate scenes between characters and editing allows producers to give the illusion of large crowds and groups. Daily temperature checks for cast and crew will also be carried out. Herbison said that
15134-631: The first season was broadcast on the Seven Network , at 5:30 pm in Sydney, at 6:00 pm in Melbourne and Adelaide and at 7:00 pm in Brisbane . The show's transmission in other areas was varied and many regional channels declined to purchase the series. When the show debuted on Network Ten in 1986 it screened at 7:00 pm. On 9 March 1992 the show moved to 6:30 pm to avoid direct competition from rival soap opera Home and Away on
15295-413: The forefront of professionalism and efficiency." They added that the show's production model had been in place since 1985 and that it was time to evolve it. On 14 March 2011, The Australian reported that Neighbours has become the first television show available to watch on a free iPhone application. Viewers are able to watch whole episodes within three hours of them airing on Eleven. Nick Spooner,
15456-425: The full year for the first time in its history, including over December and January. Herbison stated, "We value our global audiences and are delighted to stay on this journey together. Come the end of 2018 we will also make history by becoming the first Australian drama series to screen all year round." Following the departure of Sonya Rebecchi in 2019, actor Eve Morey stated that the killing off of her character
15617-425: The head of Ten digital media said "This is part of what we call our 'three-screen approach' – broadcast, online and mobile – and it is intended to build viewer engagement with a show and our brand. This is a way for us to stay in touch with our audience and to keep them coming back." To celebrate the wedding of Prince William of Wales and Kate Middleton , Neighbours filmed a specially commissioned scene for
15778-459: The history behind the pictures and the guilt and shame he felt about the leak, before showing the video to his classmates. Once Ben had finally adjusted to living in Erinsborough, Karl wanted to bond with his grandson and was pleased when Ben joined him in playing the guitar. Karl believed Ben had inherited his musical talents and suggested they form a band. Ben was "secretly appalled" by the idea, especially after Karl revealed they would be playing
15939-409: The idea of making a show that would focus on more realistic stories and portray teens and adults who talk openly to each other and solve their problems together. He also wanted the show to appeal to both Australian and British audiences. Several titles were discussed, including People Like Us , One Way Street , No Through Road and Living Together , before Neighbours was chosen. Watson said "In
16100-419: The introduction of a new family, the departure of several existing characters and a new version of the show's theme song and opening titles. In addition, episode titles were abandoned, having been in use for the previous three years. Daniel Bennett, the new head of drama at Network Ten, announced that the crux of the Ramsay Street story would go "back to basics" and follow a less sensational path than of late with
16261-464: The life of long term regular, Paul Robinson ( Stefan Dennis ) would be the focus of the actual 6,000th episode. Bower said "Last week I saw episode 6,000. This marks Australian television history. The 6,000th episode falls on a Friday so the whole week is a special one. As Stefan Dennis – Paul Robinson – was in the first episode 25 years ago, it was decided that his character play a most important role in this very special event". In late 2010,
16422-453: The low ratings. And Ten needs the show to score the Australian content and drama points required for it to hold on to a broadcasting licence". On 29 October 2010, Neighbours' ratings dropped to a low figure of 386,000 viewers. Viewing numbers for Network Ten that night were down across all programmes. The show's highest figure of the week was 590,000 on 25 October 2010. Ben Kirk Ben Ian Kirk (also Kennedy-Kirk and Fitzgerald )
16583-424: The lunchtime debut and the teatime repeat. Towards the late 2000s, Neighbours was normally attracting an average of 3 million viewers for its lunchtime showing and 2.6 million viewers for its early-evening repeat. It was frequently the highest-rating daytime program in the UK, outside of news bulletins. In 2008, the UK broadcast moved to rival channel Channel 5 following the BBC's decision not to keep
16744-509: The main TV network of VRT , the Flemish public broadcaster. On 14 June 2021, after more than 30 years on Eén, commercial broadcaster VTM 2 began broadcasting the series. On 1 February 2024, VTM 2 will broadcast episode 8903 of Neighbours , which was the last episode when the program was stopped in the summer of 2022. From 5 February 2024, Neighbours will move to Play 5 and GoPlay will continue
16905-421: The most irritating child to ever hit Ramsay Street". Deller has further commented on Ben stating: Ben has long been a contender for the most annoying child in Erinsborough award [...] He's been acting like a three-year-old despite being about ten putting on cutesy voices when making shite presents for 'the baby'. But worst of all, he idolises Fitzy, who isn't even the good Fitzgerald brother, and wants to get rid of
17066-611: The new executive producer. In 2008, Neighbours was branded "too white" by black and Asian viewers in Britain and in Australia there was talk of a " White Australia policy " when it came to casting actors for soaps. In response to the criticism, Bower made a decision to add more ethnically diverse extras, small walk-on roles and speaking parts, as well as introducing the character of Sunny Lee (played by Hany Lee), an exchange student from South Korea. On 18 March 2010, Neighbours celebrated its 25th anniversary. In April, Channel 5 in
17227-465: The next day at 9:30 am on 10 and catch up on the weekly episodes on 10 Peach on Saturday mornings between 9:00 am to 11:00 am. Episodes were then available to stream Amazon Prime Video on a week delay from 10's broadcast from 25 September 2023. Network 10 scheduled a reduction in episodes per week to three between October and December 2024, which would have caused the Australian broadcast to fall behind international releases of new episodes, but reversed
17388-414: The next year before moving to Shepparton with Darren Stark ( Todd MacDonald ). The family returned in 2007, with Libby and Ben remaining permanently. Ben departed Neighbours on 2 September 2010. In March 2014, it was announced that Ben and Libby would return, with Mallard cast as Ben. He made his screen return on 11 June 2014. The character returned again from 23 July 2015 until 16 November before making
17549-399: The pandemic would not be included in storylines. He stated, "We are currently plotting episodes that won't air until much later in the year, so anything we write now might feel very outdated. Further to this, there's a creative question: will our viewers want to switch on Neighbours and relive it again, or is our job to provide escapism? I tend to feel it's the latter." In February 2022, it
17710-448: The police station. Ahead of the 25th anniversary the Erinsborough village set underwent a makeover. The café and bar remained the same, but the centre of the complex was upgraded. Lassiter's Hotel was given a new logo and gained a second floor with outdoor seating area. The hospital and police station received new facades, a used car lot was created near the garage and a new university set was created. Pin Oak Court, in Vermont South ,
17871-641: The police that he heard Tyler arguing with Hamish Roche (Sean Taylor) before Hamish's death. Piper later asks Ben to change his statement, but after talking with Xanthe, she apologises to Ben. Ben and Xanthe have sex for the first time, and they are caught in bed by Terese Willis ( Rebekah Elmaloglou ). Ben misses Tyler after he is sent to prison and he struggles to bond with his new boss, and Tyler's brother, Mark Brennan ( Scott McGregor ). Ben's grandparents send him Drew's old car to fix up. Ben asks Steph to help him and she later accompanies Ben to Oakey to visit Drew's family. Ben's uncle Dougal Kirk (Brandon Burns)
18032-458: The power of streaming, we're able to offer a catalogue of thousands of Neighbours episodes for new audiences to discover this legendary series and current fans to relive their favourite moments. We look forward to immersing the audience in new Ramsay Street experiences when we relaunch the show next year for Amazon Freevee and Prime Video customers." Herbison will continue as executive producer, with Dennis, Fletcher, Woodburne and Moloney returning to
18193-465: The production to shoot external scenes in their yards. The interior scenes are filmed at the FremantleMedia studios in Forest Hill . Until 2022, Neighbours was screened in Australia as a 22-minute episode on weeknights, in an early-evening slot. It moved to Ten's digital channel, Eleven (later rebranded 10 Peach ) on 11 January 2011, and was broadcast each weeknight at 6:30 pm. The show
18354-428: The ratings fell to a low of 426,000, making it one of the program's lowest ever ratings in Australia. A July 2010 report showed figures had dropped 20%, from having 1.2 million viewers in 1991 to a low of 618,000 in 2010. A Network Ten spokesperson commented "Most of the show's budget is covered by its UK deal with Channel 5 and the 50-odd other countries it is seen in, so it's not a financial problem for Ten despite
18515-409: The returns of Rebekah Elmaloglou , Jones, Tim Kano and Stone as series regulars were announced; Melissa Bell , April Rose Pengilly and Ian Smith were also announced to returning in guest capacities. Regular production recommenced on 17 April, though scenes featuring Annie Jones and Guy Pearce were filmed in the UK earlier in the year. Neighbours' focus is the fictional Ramsay Street ,
18676-412: The rival network obtaining them. Ten began screening the series with episode 171 on 20 January 1986. In 1986, the series was bought by the BBC as part of their new daytime schedule in the United Kingdom. Neighbours made its debut on BBC1 on 27 October 1986 starting with the pilot episode. It soon gained a loyal audience and the show became particularly popular with younger viewers, and before long
18837-532: The role and took vocal lessons to help with his South African accent. On joining Neighbours , Geyer said that it was "definitely a stepping stone." Commenting on his first day on set Geyer stated: "The first day was pretty nerve-racking, but I was doing a performance with the band and that's something I'm obviously very familiar with." Geyer quit the role of Ty in November 2008, so he could pursue his music career. He also admitted that he had struggled with some of
18998-448: The role in July 2015. On-screen, Ben moved in with his grandparents Karl ( Alan Fletcher ) and Susan Kennedy ( Jackie Woodburne ) on Ramsay Street. Following a break to accommodate the end of his schooling, Mallard appeared on a permanent basis from March 2016. One of Ben's early storylines upon his 2015 return was dealing with the consequences of sending naked pictures to his ex-girlfriend, Emma. When Ben returned to Erinsborough, he
19159-432: The role of Mickey Gannon , but his elder brother Fletcher O'Leary was handed the role instead. A few months later auditions for the character of Ben Kirk came up and O'Leary was cast in the role. Network Ten describe Ben as being "his mother's biggest supporter and her rock" following his father's death. They also say that Ben is a "loyal friend". In August 2010, it was announced that O'Leary and Ben would be leaving
19320-415: The role. Ben came back to Erinsborough with Libby, and their return coincided with the Kennedy family's 20th anniversary on the show. Mallard said that his first impression of Ben was that he was "a pretty chilled-out country sort of kid, and he then comes to Erinsborough and gets into a bit of trouble..." In 2015 producers decided to reintroduce Ben to the series independently of Libby, and Mallard reprised
19481-450: The saintly Drew's surname, who (despite being long dead) any normal child would surely prefer to be named after." In June 2014, Kerry Barrett from All About Soap was pleased to see Ben and Libby return, but could not help noticing that Ben's attitude. Barrett commented, "Maybe it was just his teenage moodiness, but he didn't seem over-excited to be back in Ramsay Street." She thought that it must have been difficult for Ben being back in
19642-412: The same day as Australia. Channel 5's commissioning editor Greg Barnett explained that closing the transmission gap would reduce spoilers and the number of viewers watching the show illegally online. From mid-2016, the show also began airing every week-night on Nickelodeon as part of their Nick at Nite programming block, broadcasting the same episode that was seen earlier on Channel 5. In March 2017, it
19803-486: The same day as the Australian broadcast and were also available for streaming. From 18 September 2023, new episodes along with archive episodes, is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video . In the United States, Neighbours premiered on KCOP-TV in Los Angeles on 3 June 1991 at 5:30 pm weekdays. KCOP planned to cancel the show by the end of the month due to low ratings, but brought it back due to viewer demand at
19964-417: The school and Ben is treated for smoke inhalation. Sheila Canning accidentally reverses her car into Ben, leaving him with broken ribs. After seeing how upset Susan is about the school, Ben admits that he started the fire. Ben and Piper run away together to Glenrowan . They get jobs as fruit pickers to earn money to get to Sydney, but Ben is unable to work when his ribs cause him to collapse in pain. Piper calls
20125-435: The school formal. Ben and Xanthe kiss, but when she learns Ben accepted the money from Gary, she breaks up with him. They later make up and arrange to meet, but Xanthe is late and Ben believes she has stood him up. He kisses Alison Gore (Madeleine Andreopoulos) and they briefly date, until Ben sets out to prove Xanthe was assaulted by Cooper Knights (Charlie Hannaford). Ben sings a song he wrote for Xanthe at The Waterhole and
20286-543: The series from episode 8904. Because the broadcasts will continue immediately, there will only be a 5-month delay compared to Australia instead of 1.5 years as was previously the case. In Kenya, Neighbours is broadcast on the KTN network Monday to Friday at 12:30 pm with an omnibus on Sunday mornings. In Barbados, Neighbours is broadcast on the CBC8 channel at 1:00 pm Monday to Friday. In South Africa, Neighbours
20447-439: The series' history, the show's classification became PG , due to the series' increasingly adult subject matter. On 15 July 2021, David Knox of TV Tonight confirmed that from 26 July Neighbours would begin airing four times a week. This marked the first time in the show's history that it had not aired five episodes per week. Knox said the new schedule was likely an attempt at getting the Australian episodes to synchronise with
20608-411: The series. Then Caroline Gillmer fell ill and her character Cheryl Stark was temporarily recast with former Prisoner actress Colette Mann . This made producers nervous that viewing figures might decrease, so they implemented a series of plots to keep viewers interested. These included a cameo from Clive James and an explosion, which destroyed the doctor's surgery in the Lassiter's complex. In
20769-406: The sexier storylines involving his character. Geyer, who is a Christian, said "In some instances my personal beliefs maybe were contradicting with what the character was doing". However, he also added that the storylines had no influence over his decision to leave the show. Geyer filmed his final scenes in December 2008. Whilst interviewed by TV Week Geyer described Ty stating: "He's a singer. Ty
20930-476: The show after being asked to pay £300m over eight years by FremantleMedia (three times the show's usual fee). Both Channel 5 and FremantleMedia were owned at that time by the German RTL Group . The last Neighbours episode to be shown on BBC One aired on 8 February 2008. The first episode to be shown on Channel 5 was watched by 2.4 million viewers on 11 February 2008 (an audience share of 14.2%),
21091-569: The show following the success of Watson's earlier soap Sons and Daughters . Although successful in Melbourne , Neighbours underperformed in the Sydney market and was cancelled by Seven four months after it began airing. It was immediately commissioned by rival Network Ten for a second production season, which began screening on 20 January 1986. Neighbours became the longest-running drama series in Australian television history. In 2005, it
21252-405: The show in September. Of the reason for Ben's departure, a spokesperson said "The Ben character is younger than the other main kids, Sophie and Callum. They are now in high school, but Ben is still in junior school, so it was tricky to come up with storylines which involve all the kids". On 11 March 2014, it was announced that the character would be returning to Neighbours with Felix Mallard in
21413-509: The show in a star -focused campaign recalling that of the Hollywood star system where stars were packaged to feed into a fan culture. This paid off, and by the end of 1987, ratings had improved for the show. The episode featuring Scott and Charlene's wedding achieved the highest ever ratings for Neighbours , and it became one of the highest rating soap episodes ever in Australia. The same episode attracted 19.6 million viewers when it
21574-710: The show in late 2017. Ben left Erinsborough on 19 March 2018, but he continued to make appearances via video calls after his departure. He made his final appearance on 10 April 2018. Ben's exit storyline begins with him feeling like he is "at a loose end", as he struggles to bond with Mark Brennan ( Scott McGregor ) at the garage. He is also unsure about what he wants for his future, unlike his girlfriend Xanthe Canning (Lily Van der Meer). His parents' friend Stephanie Scully ( Carla Bonner ) takes him to Oakey to visit Drew's family, and his uncle Dougal Kirk (Brandon Burns) realises that Ben reminds him of Drew and finds it difficult to be around him. After bonding, Dougal offers Ben
21735-460: The show was moved to a late-night time slot and it eventually left the air. On 7 July 2014, Todd Spangler from Variety reported that FremantleMedia International had signed a deal with U.S. subscription service Hulu giving it exclusive rights to the most recent season of Neighbours . The soap began airing from 14 July, with new episodes airing daily from Monday through to Friday, on Hulu and Hulu Plus services. The episodes were four weeks behind
21896-485: The show's run, it was not stated in which Australian city Erinsborough was located. The rivalry between Sydney and Melbourne meant that scripts did not mention that Erinsborough was a suburb of the latter city until 1994. Since 2016, the show has begun filming more scenes in and around the city. Other Australian locations mentioned and sometimes seen in the series include the fictitious suburbs of West Waratah , Eden Hills , and Ansons Corner . Real-life Australian towns in
22057-487: The soap on Twitter . Neighbours actor Jackie Woodburne said in an interview with The Project that the cast were "in shock" upon hearing the news, while Alan Fletcher said the soap needs "a hero" to save it and Cowden explained that "the idea of no longer playing Mel is devastating." Numerous current and former cast members, such as Annie Jones , Natalie Bassingthwaighte and Geoff Paine , expressed their sadness online, specifically Rob Mills , who called on
22218-563: The state of Victoria such as Colac , Frankston and Shepparton are sometimes referred to. Oakey in Queensland is also mentioned and sometimes seen. On 27 August 2010, Neighbours filmed scenes in Sydney's Darling Harbour and on board a cruise ship. The episodes marked only the third time that the show has filmed scenes outside of Victoria. In October 2011, Neighbours filmed scenes in Port Douglas , Queensland and around
22379-554: The town where he was born and his father lived. Barrett added "We don't reckon he's happy about being back in Erinsborough. But the question is, will he tell Libby what he thinks?" Writing for Digital Spy , Laura Morgan included Ben in her feature on the nine soap characters in need of a decent storyline. She wrote that both her colleagues and Woodburne (Susan) thought Mallard was "a huge talent", but wondered why his character had not been involved in anything more than small dramas with Xanthe. Morgan also pointed out that Xanthe, Piper and
22540-477: The usual break in broadcast over the summer non-ratings period, the series made its debut on Ten in 1986. Ten revamped the show, adding several new, younger cast members including Jason Donovan as Scott Robinson and Kylie Minogue as Charlene Mitchell . When the show began on Ten it initially attracted low ratings, so the Network worked hard to publicise the series. Ten's publicity drive was designed to promote
22701-427: The way it is, but Steph realises that it is none of her business and Ben changes his name. Dan becomes a good stepfather to Ben and he does all the fatherly things with him. Ben and Dan's relationship goes through a rough patch when Dan threatens to hit Ben for misbehaving. Susan agrees to carry Libby and Dan's child and she becomes pregnant. However, she miscarries the baby and Libby has to tell Ben that he would not be
22862-494: Was "Almost being born in a barn." The character of Ben has been received negatively by Ruth Deller of television website Lowculture . She said "It's hard to believe something so evil is the child of Drew. One can only assume his father's horse-related death traumatised the child terribly, as otherwise there is no excuse for the brat's whining. Hopefully there'll be some sort of Ben gets redeemed storyline, because right now, he's fast threatening to overtake Hannah 'Button' Martin as
23023-422: Was "a complete natural" and that she had bonded with him "straight away". Paris admitted that he was a little nervous around the baby, saying "Working with Noah has been quite daunting – it's unfamiliar territory to me. Libby and Drew struggle to name their new son and after a debate, they decide on Ben. Valentine revealed that she asked the producers to name the baby Ben after a close friend of hers who had died
23184-477: Was a measure to reduce production costs for the program as part of its new negotiations. When the cast and crew returned from their annual production break on 13 January 2020, they filmed a scene addressing the Australian bushfires for the episode airing on 15 January. The scene features the characters Sheila Canning ( Colette Mann ), David Tanaka ( Takaya Honda ) and Aaron Brennan (Matt Wilson) discussing
23345-519: Was aired in the United Kingdom - more than the entire population of Australia at the time. By the early 1990s, Australian audiences had decreased, although viewing figures had recovered slightly by the end of the decade. In 1992, due to the decline in ratings, producers began to overhaul the show to win back viewers. They brought in more "fresh-faced teens", moved out older characters and gave some of their parent characters "un-neighborly [ sic ] subplots". Executive producer Ian Bradley said
23506-632: Was alone and distressed. Karl and Susan encouraged him to tell them what had happened, and Ben explained that he had broken up with his girlfriend. Ben then begged them to let him move in, as he needed to get away from Ballarat. Ben befriended their neighbour Tyler Brennan (Travis Burns) and they bonded over a dirt bike ride, which ended with Ben telling Tyler that he broke up with Emma as she posted naked pictures of him on her social media. Tyler supported Ben, who became "isolated" from everyone at Erinsborough High. Susan grew concerned after Ben deleted his social media account and skipped school, after receiving
23667-399: Was announced Fremantle and Amazon Freevee had reached a deal that would allow Neighbours production to restart in 2023. New episodes will be free to stream from the UK and US from the second half of 2023, and Network 10 will retain the rights to broadcast the serial first in Australia. Archive episodes will also be released prior to the relaunch. Lauren Anderson of Amazon Studios said, "With
23828-631: Was announced that Amazon Freevee and Fremantle had agreed to a deal that would restart the series. The series also returned to Network 10 on a permanent basis, after 11 years on 10 Peach. Regular production resumed on 17 April 2023, and the show returned on 18 September 2023. Neighbours was created by Australian TV executive Reg Watson . Watson got the idea for Neighbours during his time working on Crossroads and watching fellow soap Coronation Street in Britain. He had already created successful Australian made soap operas The Young Doctors , Prisoner and Sons and Daughters . Watson proposed
23989-631: Was announced that Channel 5 would be dropping the serial from its schedule later that year, and that production would cease if an alternative British broadcaster was not secured. In response to the threat to the series' future, a fan-run petition on Change.org asking Channel 5 to reconsider its decision was launched, which was signed by over 50,000 people, including cast member Lucinda Cowden . The petition reached 50,000 signatures after one week. This also sparked #saveneighbours to trend on social media. Former star Jason Donovan and Home and Away actor Shane Withington also expressed their support for
24150-428: Was announced that Jasek would be leaving Neighbours and Jason Herbison would replace him, initially with the title of series producer. FremantleMedia's head of drama Jo Porter became executive producer, while Laurence Wilson became the associate producer. The show celebrated its 7,000th episode on 24 October 2014. In March 2015, Neighbours celebrated its 30th anniversary and twelve former cast members returned for
24311-483: Was broadcast on 18 March 1985 and reviews for the show were favourable. However, the Melbourne-produced program underperformed in the Sydney market and Seven announced on 12 July 1985 that it was cancelling the show. Neighbours was immediately bought by Seven's rival Network Ten . The new network had to build replica sets when it took over production after Seven destroyed the original sets to prevent
24472-490: Was contacted by a producer who told her it was true. Fans reported significant upset at the announcement of the end of the series. The final episode was initially intended to be aired on 1 August 2022 in both the UK and Australia, after 10 Peach decided to close the broadcasting gap between the two countries by airing double episodes from 13 June. It was later announced that the finale would air on 28 July at 7:30 pm on Network 10 and 10 Peach simultaneously in Australia as
24633-638: Was doing law at uni, but decided to drop out because music is so close to his heart. He wants to be a rock star. He's the cousin of one of the regular characters." Speaking of possible romances he added: "The first girl he meets is Rachel. There may be a bit of chemistry there, but we'll have to see. Ty may set his sights on an older woman." The Daily Telegraph said "Ty is a university drop-out with musical aspirations." Network Ten describe Ty as being "charismatic, talented and impossibly handsome." His cousin, Taylah, tries to set him and Rachel up, but they do not get on well at first and when Rachel tries to initiate
24794-519: Was inducted into the Logie Hall of Fame . The storylines concern the lives of the people who live and work in Erinsborough , a fictional suburb of Melbourne, Victoria . The series centres on the residents of Ramsay Street , a dead end street , and its neighbouring area, the Lassiters complex, which includes a bar, hotel, café, police station, lawyers' office and park. Neighbours began with
24955-483: Was not Ben's father. He ends up leaving the Street alone. Darren and Libby's split hurt Ben as Darren had been the only father he had known. Libby enrols Ben at Erinsborough Primary and he becomes friends with neighbour Mickey Gannon ( Fletcher O'Leary ). Libby meets Daniel Fitzgerald ( Brett Tucker ) and they start a relationship. Ben begins to look up to Dan and sees him as a father figure. Libby and Dan marry and Ben
25116-415: Was now averaging 1.4 million viewers every night. In February 2008, new executive producer Susan Bower announced that she would be implementing further changes to the program. Bower promised to retain the return to traditional Neighbours values, but with an injection of drama that remains recognisable and relevant. Ratings rose to almost 900,000 in mid-2008, but generally ratings begin to fall towards
25277-454: Was produced by Fremantle Australia and has been sold to over sixty countries around the world, making it one of Australia's most successful media exports. Neighbours had been especially successful in the United Kingdom, where it was first screened on 27 October 1986 on BBC One , and achieved huge popularity among British audiences in the late 1980s and 1990s. In 2008, it moved in the UK to Channel 5 ; since 2008 it had been largely paid for by
25438-401: Was removed from the schedule. TV4 (now Bravo) picked the show up and began broadcasting it from 1997. They dropped it in 2000 and it returned to TVNZ in 2002. Repeats of the previous day's episode of Neighbours were formerly shown at 2:30 pm weekdays, and later on TVNZ 2 at around 4:30 am Tuesdays to Fridays. The show moved to 5:25 pm weeknights on TV One in early 2007. After
25599-462: Was reported that negotiations to continue Neighbours on Channel 5 had become "very fraught", and it was possible that the show could stop airing in Britain. In late 2021, Channel 5 moved Neighbours to a 6 pm timeslot, as it extended its news coverage to a one-hour-long broadcast from 5 pm. The 1:45 pm showing was unchanged. On 5 February 2022, a report from The Sun , later confirmed by Digital Spy , stated that Neighbours had been cancelled in
25760-457: Was speculation that Neighbours would cease production following the breakdown of its deals in the United Kingdom, and Network Ten entering voluntary administration. On 9 October 2017, Stewart Clarke of Variety reported that Channel 5 and FremantleMedia had agreed a new deal that would see the yearly episode count increased from 240 to 258, as well as plans for new primetime specials. The deal meant that from 2018, Neighbours would run across
25921-564: Was watched by up to 16 million viewers – more than the entire population of Australia at the time. In 1988, Neighbours became the only television show to have its entire cast flown over to the UK to make an appearance at the Royal Variety Performance in front of the Queen . Neighbours has since become the longest running drama series in Australian television and the seventh longest running serial drama still on
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