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Neighbours to move UK timeslots?

One of two UK timeslots may be taken over by British news. And COVID may be to blame.

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There are reports the UK may look at moving one of Neighbours‘ timeslots.

The long-running soap airs first at 1.45pm and is repeated at 5.30pm on Channel 5 and continues to draw a total crowd of around 1 million viewers. For many Brits it remains an institution.

But Digital Spy reports Channel 5 recently submitted a proposal to broadcasting regulator Ofcom for an expanded hour-long news show starting at 5pm which would clash with Neighbours.

Channel 5 said in a statement: “5 News has a loyal audience base and this proposal is motivated by the desire to continue to offer accurate and impartial news in a format that is accessible and relevant to our viewers.

“During the pandemic, news has played a vital service for audiences and as viewing habits evolve 5 News is keen to appeal to our viewers through a new offer that we believe also has benefits for the wider public-service broadcasting system.”

Sounds like a done deal…

It added, “Neighbours is at the heart of our daytime schedule and if the proposal to move 5 News is approved, the evening repeat of Neighbours will find a home in another suitable time slot on Channel 5.”

It would be ironic if the pandemic killed off one of its two slots, given the show was one of the first in the world to map out a production pathway.

10 Responses

  1. I think Neighbours will air at 1:45pm still which is the most watched of the 2 showings, the repeat showing will move to 6:pm with Home and Away moving to 4:30pm. Home & Away is the lowest rated soap on UK TV. C5 have the rights to the popular quiz Egg Head which i could see airing at 6:30pm? We will see soon enough.

  4. It may be that they move it to another Channel 5 channel for the 5:30pm broadcast. At the moment, it is 1.45 and 5:30, but additionally 1 hour later on Channel5+1. I believe it is also airs on one of the Channel 5 secondary channels, 5Star or something else. I think there are enough chances to view it.

  5. neighbours has had its day its never been the same since they sacked Jan Russ the head of casting and have never given her a reason for her sacking and boy it shows so much bad casting with models people from reality shows ,story lines with no real sense of a the old neighbours its gone woke big time

    1. If you look at the other successful soaps in the UK, you’ll notice that they all have diverse casts and storylines. It makes sense that given Neighbours is essentially a UK soap made in Australia that it follow suit.

      1. fair enough its a shame there are 100s of great actors that are not getting a gig to improve the acting on the show but you are right its essentially a uk soap made here good point .

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