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Neighbours poised to screen all year round, after new UK deal.

Neighbours to make history after Channel 5 deal increases the output on iconic soap.

Britain’s Channel 5 has signed a new deal for Neighbours increasing from 240 episodes per year to 258, in a move that will see it screen all year round from 2018.

The deal with FremantleMedia will also include an unknown number of specials on the iconic Aussie soap.

The news follows rumours that Channel 5’s parent company Viacom failed to recognise the social history of the series with British viewers, and was stalling over contract negotiations. That triggered headlines and a petition topping 22,000 signatures.

“Just as our characters span generations, so do the people that watch Neighbours,” series executive producer Jason Herbison said. “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.”

Neighbours screens twice-daily on Channel 5 at 1.45pm and 5.30pm.

TEN is yet to confirm plans to screen year-round in Australia but is expected to follow suit.

Source: Variety

4 Responses

  1. Fantastic news.

    Recent weeks’ storylines have been a bit boring / gone flat though (except for Tyler’s fake father attempting to steal his yacht).

    The first few months of this year however, were some of the best storylines ever seem! The “Dee” plot was executed really well, ratings were up too.

  2. Very interesting given that:

    “The current incarnation of Viacom was created on December 31, 2005 as a spin-off from the original incarnation of Viacom, which was renamed as CBS Corporation after the spin-off. CBS Corporation currently retains control of the over-the-air broadcasting, TV production, subscription pay television (with Showtime Networks) and publishing assets (with Simon & Schuster), which were previously owned by the original Viacom.”

    So this is big for here as well, as in a way it’s CBS investing in Australian product, to which of course it was said it was CBS that wanted Neighbours on Eleven as part of taking 50% of it back in the day.

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